Ayla stood in the doorway of the guest room, staring at the empty bed, as if it could somehow bring Liam back.

The sheets on his side were all messed up, and his pillow still had the impression of his head.

But he was gone.

She slowly walked into the room, her legs feeling unbearably heavy. Each step felt off, as if she were trudging through a nightmare she couldn’t wake up from.

He’s just outside, maybe exploring the city. He’ll be back any second.

But even as she tried to tell herself that, her heart knew the truth.

Ayla sank down onto the bed, right where he had been just a few hours before. The mattress was cold. She pressed her hand against the sheets, hoping to find some leftover warmth.

Nothing.

A sob caught in her throat.

"Liam," she whispered to the empty room. "Where are you?"

Her vision blurred with tears. She covered her face with her hands, shaking as three years of memories crashed over her.

Liam laughed at her terrible cooking. Liam comforted her during panic attacks. Liam promised he’d never leave.

"You promised," she choked out. "You promised me."

She had no idea how long she sat there, crying into her hands. Time felt irrelevant. All she could feel was the heavy weight in her chest, like something important had been ripped away.

Eventually, her tears started to slow. She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand, trying to pull herself together.

That’s when she spotted it.

A small piece of paper on the nightstand, folded once and almost hidden in the shadow of the lamp.

Ayla’s breath caught.

With shaky fingers, she reached for it. The paper felt heavy as she unfolded it.

"I’m sorry. I have to go. Don’t come looking for me.

— L"

The words swirled in her vision.

She read them again. And again. And again.

Every time, it hurt more.

Don’t try to find me.

Not "I’ll be back." Not "I’ll explain later." Not even "I love you."

Just... don’t try to find me.

"No," Ayla whispered. Then, louder, "No. No, no, no."

Before she even realized it, she was on her feet, clutching the note as she stumbled toward the door.

Her legs felt uncoordinated, as if she were trying to control her body from far away.

She rushed into the hallway, nearly tripping over herself.

"AYLIN!" Her voice came out raw and desperate. "AYLIN!"

Down the stairs, her vision narrowed, the edges fading to black.

She burst into the living room, where Aylin and Zayden were still discussing plans with Leo and Reyes. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Everyone turned to look at her.

"Ayla, " Aylin started.

"He’s gone." Ayla’s voice cracked. She pushed the crumpled note toward her sister with a shaking hand. "He’s really gone. He left this. He, " Her breaths came in quick gasps now. "He’s never coming back."

Aylin took the note, her expression shifting from worry to determination as she read it.

"Ayla, breathe, "

But Ayla couldn’t catch her breath. The room was spinning. Her chest felt too tight.

"He left me," she whispered, the weight of the words sapping her last bit of strength.

Her knees gave out.

"Ayla!" Aylin rushed forward, but Zayden reached her first.

He caught Ayla before she hit the ground, his strong arms wrapping around her as she went limp.

"Get the doctor. Now," Zayden snapped at Reyes, who was already pulling out his phone.

Aylin looked at the note again, her jaw tightening. She handed it to Zayden, who read it with an expression of cold anger.

"I’m sorry. I have to go. Don’t come looking for me.

— L"

"What the hell?" Zayden muttered.

Aylin knelt beside her unconscious sister, brushing the hair from her face. "She’s going to hate herself when she wakes up. She’ll think this is her fault."

Zayden glanced at Ayla’s pale face, then back at Aylin, his expression softening slightly.

"She’ll be fine," he said firmly. "I’ll find him. And she’ll feel better soon. I promise."

Aylin’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears, but she nodded.

Zayden carefully adjusted Ayla in his arms, lifting her as if she weighed nothing. "I’m taking her to her room."

He carried her through the mansion, with Aylin following closely behind. When they reached Ayla’s room, the one she had been using before moving to the guest room with Liam, Zayden gently lay her on the bed.

Aylin pulled the covers over her, tucking them around her shoulders.

"She looks so tiny," Aylin whispered.

"She’s stronger than you think," Zayden replied, though his tone was tinged with uncertainty.

Ten minutes later, Dr. Patel arrived, calm, middle-aged, with kind eyes and steady hands.

She checked Ayla’s vitals, shone a light in her eyes, and took her blood pressure.

Finally, she stood up and removed her stethoscope.

"It’s due to stress," Dr. Patel said quietly. "Her blood pressure is far too low. Combined with the emotional shock, her nervous system essentially shut down to protect itself. This happens often in cases of serious psychological trauma."

"Will she be okay?" Aylin asked, gripping the foot of the bed.

"Physically, yes. She just needs a lot of rest. Keep her hydrated and monitor her when she wakes up. But emotionally..." Dr. Patel paused. "That will take some time to heal."

After the doctor left, Zayden pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

"Kade, I need Emilia here as soon as possible," he said, pausing for a moment. "Also, hire some female guards and maids, but only those we can trust completely. Do thorough background checks on everyone. I want them all here within the hour."

He ended the call and turned to Aylin. "Emilia will stay with her. She won’t leave her side."

Aylin nodded, still staring at her sister’s unconscious form. "Thanks."

Zayden squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. "We’ll get through this."

Twenty minutes later, Emilia arrived. She was a petite woman in her early thirties with sharp eyes and a straightforward demeanor. Kade’s wife and a former nurse, Emilia, was one of the few people Zayden truly trusted.

Zayden met her at Aylin’s door.

"Stay with her," he instructed. "No matter what. If she wakes up, call me immediately. If her condition worsens, contact Dr. Patel right away. Don’t take your eyes off her."

Emilia nodded. "Got it."

When Ayla wakes up, will she still believe in him—or hate him?