She leaned in, her voice a sultry murmur in his ear. "Maybe I need to find someone better... someone who appreciates me
Dylan's grip on her waist tightened.
Then she turned dramatically, pointing at Emir. "Emir... you—" she squinted her eyes like she was trying to focus. "You could be a good boyfriend. You liked my dish. But... I don't like you. So... canceled."
Her childlike pout and sweet delivery had Dylan and Adrien chuckling quietly while Emir dramatically clutched his chest.
"Hey, Ember," Emir gasped, feigning heartbreak. "How can you be so cruel to me?"
She ignored him and shifted her finger to Adrien next.
"Adrien... you're too cute and caring," she said dreamily. "And you're even a doctor. You can heal me when I'm in pain..." Her voice softened, almost wistful. "You could be a good boyfriend. And you like me... I like you too."
Adrien stared, unsure if he should laugh or freeze.
Ember sighed, resting her head on Dylan's shoulder as she whispered the final blow. "But I don't love you… I am sorry."
Then Ember turned toward Dylan again, her gaze hazy with heat and honesty. Her lips trembled slightly as she spoke, her voice soft and slurred with emotion. "You know… I like this man." She placed her palm against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heartbeat beneath her fingertips. "But I don't think he likes me back. He doesn't even compliment me when I cook for him…"
Her brows drew together as she looked down, vulnerability dancing in her expression. "All he does is nag whenever I'm doing something. He says I'll get hurt... so I shouldn't try." She laughed, bitter and tender at once. "He's always trying to protect me. Like I'm fragile. Like I'll break."
She glanced up at Dylan with glassy eyes, the room spinning slightly, the wine warming her veins. Her fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt.
"He's so handsome it makes my heart beat too fast…" she whispered, voice low and laced with a sensual edge. Then, without thinking, she reached up and tugged at his shirt. Her fingers slipped beneath the hem and slid upward, revealing the hard ridges of his abs.
"And these…" she giggled, trailing her fingertips over the firm muscles of his stomach, "his abs are too good not to touch. I could touch them every day."
Before he could react, she leaned in and pressed her lips softly to his bare chest, leaving a lingering kiss just above his heart. Her warmth melted into him.
Then, with a dreamy smile, she added, "He's so annoying sometimes… acts like my father. Always bossing me around. Always yelling if I trip or sneeze or lift a spoon the wrong way." She peeked up at him through the open collar of his shirt, her eyes glimmering with affection. "But even after all his nagging… I still can't stop loving him."
Their eyes met—slow, burning, unspoken tension crackling between them. Dylan didn't speak. Instead, his hands moved—slow and sure—as he gently unbuttoned his shirt, one by one, his eyes locked on hers. His touch found her waist, pulling her into him until there was no space left between them.
"Dylan… don't," Ember whispered breathlessly, "your friends… they're still here."
Dylan's lips ghosted against her ear, his voice deep and possessive. "They left a long time ago."
Confused, Ember turned her head. The living room was quiet. Empty. She hadn't even noticed the door closing. They left... without saying anything?
"You're being bold, Ember," Dylan murmured, his fingers brushing along her lower back, "but then you're hiding like a shy kitten. Why the shame now?"
Ember didn't answer. Her cheeks burned. She buried her face into his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin, the strength in his arms, the thrum of his heartbeat that matched her own racing pulse.
And for the first time that night, everything else disappeared. It was just them—no noise, no past, no future—only heat, and breath, and the growing ache of a love that was anything but simple.
As Dylan gently pushed Ember back just enough to gaze into her eyes, a flush crept over her cheeks—she looked like a ripened cherry, soft and irresistible. His eyes darkened with mischief, and he leaned in until his lips barely brushed the shell of her ear. His voice was low, teasing, and seductive.
"You know what distracted me during dinner?" he whispered, the heat of his breath making Ember's skin shiver.
Her voice came out barely above a breath, "What is it?"
He leaned even closer, letting his lips graze her earlobe as he murmured, "I couldn't stop thinking about you… the way your hand brushed against mine while we were marinating the chicken. That tiny moment… it lit something wild inside me."
Dylan's eyes locked with hers again, and for a moment, time held still. The look in his gaze was dangerous—like he was on the edge of losing control, and Ember was the spark that would tip him over.
He didn't wait.
His hand tangled in her hair as he closed the space between them, his lips crashing onto hers with a hunger that made Ember tremble. The kiss was deep, raw, and possessive—like he was claiming her, tasting every part of her soul.
Her fingers clutched his shirt as her back hit the floor, with Dylan hovering above her, their bodies pressed together. Every movement, every breath, every kiss he planted down her neck made her feel like she was melting into him—losing herself in the moment, in him.
His body shielded her like a guardian, but his touch… it was fire. Temptation. Danger.
"You have no idea," he murmured against her lips between kisses, "how hard it is not to lose control when you look at me like that…"
And Ember, breathless and aching under his touch, realized something terrifyingly beautiful—she didn't want him to hold back.
They curled into each other on the couch, the soft hum of silence wrapping around them like a blanket. Dylan held Ember close, his arms protectively locked around her body, their warmth shared under the dim glow of the nearby lamp. Her head rested against his chest, rising and falling with the rhythm of his heartbeat.
After a quiet moment, their eyes met—and Dylan instantly caught the drowsy, dazed glaze in Ember's gaze. Her eyelids fluttered, heavy with sleep, her cheeks still a little flushed from the wine they had earlier.
"Why don't you sleep?" he whispered, brushing a soft strand of hair from her face, "I'll carry you to bed."
But Ember shook her head slowly, her voice barely audible as she mumbled, "I don't want to sleep…"
She was still slightly drunk—her words loose, her emotions raw. Dylan frowned, concern flickering in his eyes as he gently tilted her chin up to look at him.
"Why not?" he asked softly.
She hesitated. Then, with trembling lips and eyes glassy with emotion, she looked away and whispered, "Because… if Ember falls asleep… they come back again. And Ember doesn't want that. Let's not sleep tonight, Dylan."
His brows furrowed as he gently urged, "Who comes back, baby ?"
Ember's voice cracked, fear trembling through every word. "Whenever i falls asleep… it feels like I trapped in darkness. Everything turns cold, and I can't see anything… Then they show up. I tries to run, but my legs won't move. There's a door, so close—I can almost touch it—but I never reaches it. And they… they try to touch me everywhere, I told them to stop but they don't , Dylan."
Her voice broke, a tear sliding down her cheek like a fragile thread of glass. "I can't run. I really scared to sleep now."
As her tears fell like a silent waterfall, Dylan's arms wrapped around her tightly, pulling her into his chest as if he could shield her from every shadow chasing her. He held her firmly, rocking her gently, his lips brushing her temple.
"Shh… it's okay, Ember," he murmured in a husky, soothing voice. "This time, when that nightmare tries to reach you… just think of me. Ember just has to close her eyes and remember us—our moments, our laughter, my touch, the way I look at you like you're my whole world. I promise you, no matter what happens, I'll come for you. I'll protect you, baby… even inside your dreams."
Ember looked up at him through teary lashes, her heart calming as if his words were lullabies soaked in magic. She leaned in, kissed his cheek gently, and whispered, "Okay…"
And just like that, the fear melted. The weight on her chest lightened. Dylan's warmth, his words, his scent—wrapped her like armor.
Sleep took her within seconds.
Dylan gently lifted her into his arms, carrying her to the bed like she was something delicate and irreplaceable. He laid her down with care, brushing her hair from her face, then climbed in beside her. His hand found hers beneath the covers, fingers entwined protectively.
He didn't sleep. Not yet.
Instead, he watched her—his Ember—making sure that if any darkness came for her, he'd be right there to fight it off.
-------------------------------------------------
Ember slowly opened her eyes to the gentle glow of sunlight pouring through the windows of the City Blue. There was no nightmare today. No dark void chasing her. No faceless shadows reaching for her. Just warmth… peace… and a soft, golden morning.
For the first time in days, Ember felt something she hadn't in a while—hope.
She stretched slightly under the blanket, a small smile curving her lips as the light kissed her skin. She could still feel the way Dylan had held her last night—how his words had wrapped around her heart like a shield.
"Thank you, Dylan…" she whispered softly to herself, her voice barely a breath, laced with quiet gratitude.
Just then, her mother entered the room, her arms full of fresh clothes and a towel. Without saying much, she began helping Ember freshen up, her movements gentle, as though afraid Ember would shatter.
But something had been gnawing at Ember's heart since the day of the incident—something quiet, but heavy.
Since she returned home, her parents hadn't once asked what happened. Not how it happened. Not who did it. They hadn't demanded details or explanations. They simply stayed beside her… loving her in silence.
And that silence—somehow—spoke louder than any question.
Ember looked at her mother through tear-filled eyes and said, "Mom… I love you. Thank you… for everything."
Her mother froze. The clothes slipped from her hands. Then, without a word, she wrapped Ember in her arms and began to sob—deep, shaking cries that came straight from the heart.
"I love you too, my princess," her mother whispered through her tears, clutching Ember tightly. "Just get better, okay? I'm always here for you. You never have to thank me. You're my precious girl. Mommy loves you the most in this world."
And those words—they broke something inside Ember.
She let go.
She cried louder than she had in days, all the pain crashing out of her like a tidal wave. Her voice trembled, broken and raw, as everything she had buried came flooding out.
"Mom… i was so scared that night… I screamed but no one heard me. I tried to run but they… they handcuffed me, Mom…"
Her body shook violently in her mother's arms, her voice cracking as she sobbed harder.
"They tried to touch me … and I was terrified… I couldn't let it happen. I hit my head against the headboard, just to stop feeling anything… just to make it all stop. There was so much blood, Mom… I thought I was going to die… and I didn't care… I just didn't want them to touch me …"
"Ugh—ugh—ahh!" Ember cried, her voice breaking into gasps as the memories overwhelmed her.
Her mother held her tighter, rocking her back and forth, her own tears soaking Ember's hair.
"You're safe now… You're alright. Mommy's here, and no one—no one—will ever hurt you again. I swear it, Ember… I'll protect you with everything I have."
And in that moment, nothing else mattered.
Mother and daughter cried together—hearts bleeding, arms tangled in pain and love—until their souls felt lighter. Until the silence between them was no longer filled with fear, but with healing.
Just as the air was beginning to settle after the emotional storm, Ember's father stepped into the room, his deep voice laced with playfulness.
"So… you're all having a sweet little moment without me?" he said with a teasing smile.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and wrapped both Ember and her mother in his strong arms, pulling them into a group hug. Ember let out a small laugh, feeling warmth swell in her chest—something safe and unbreakable.
Moments later, her younger brother burst in with wide eyes and an even wider grin.
"I want in too!" he exclaimed as he squeezed into the embrace, nearly knocking them all over. Laughter filled the room like sunlight pouring through the cracks of a broken heart.
For a while, it felt like old times again. They all had breakfast together, then lounged around for a fun, cozy lunch, watching an old comedy movie that made Ember laugh so hard her stomach hurt. For a girl who had seen shadows too dark to speak of, this—this peace—was gold.
But the day wasn't over.
Ember had an appointment with Dr. Zayne to examine her legs. Just as she thought to get ready, the doorbell rang.
Her father moved to open it. A moment later, he stepped aside and called back, "Ember, look who's here."
There in the doorway stood Zayne, holding his coat and a soft smile. Ember blinked in surprise.
"Hey, Zayne? What are you doing here?" she asked, raising a brow with mock suspicion.
Before Zayne could answer, her mother's voice cut in gently, "Ember, he's older than you. Show some respect, sweetheart."
Zayne chuckled warmly and waved it off. "It's okay, Aunty. Really—it was me who told her to call me that. I like it better this way."
Her father spoke up, his tone curious, "I was just about to take Ember to the hospital for her check-up."
Zayne shook his head. "No need, Uncle. I came to get her myself—so you can rest. I've got it covered."
Her mother smiled and offered, "I've prepared some snacks. Sit and eat something before you leave with her."
Zayne gave her a polite nod. "Thank you, Aunty, but it's alright."
Ember nudged him playfully, her lips curving into a teasing smile. "Hey, don't argue. Sit down. You know she only brings out those snacks for special guests—and if you eat, then maybe I can steal a few too."
Rose, Ember's mother, gave her a mock glare. "Hey! That's not true."
Ember giggled softly, leaning against the kitchen counter. "Yes, it is…" she whispered with a wink, making the whole room laugh again.
Zayne watched the scene unfold in quiet admiration. After everything this family had been through—the nightmares, the fear, the silence—it felt like life was beginning to breathe again.
And in that moment, for the first time in a long time, it reminded him of the first day he'd ever visited Ember's house. Back then, it was full of light, of warmth… and now, despite the scars, that warmth was returning.
But in the corner of Ember's heart, as she caught herself smiling… she couldn't help but think of Dylan.
She could still feel the weight of his hand in hers from the night before, the way he whispered promises against her skin, the heat in his kiss, the way he'd sworn to protect her—even in her dreams. That memory lingered like an invisible touch on her body.