"So, do you want to go back home or...?"
Kaiser broke the silence of the car with his soft tone, driving along the main road without hurry, as if the question was innocent... while carrying hidden intentions.
Natalia turned her head toward him with faint curiosity, as if she was picking up on signals he was sending without fully realizing it.
Kaiser glanced at her with a quick sideways look, a small smile forming on his lips before he calmly refocused on the road ahead.
"Or perhaps..."
He said, lightly emphasizing the word "perhaps," as though intentionally leaving the door ajar.
"We could have dinner together at a fancy restaurant?"
Natalia's eyes sparkled with childlike excitement that she couldn't hold back, but she quickly collected her scattered emotions, trying to cling to her usual cool demeanor.
She crossed her arms and looked away out the window, speaking in a calm tone with a hint of pretense:
"Hmm... I don't mind having dinner with you."
Kaiser almost laughed at her failed attempt to feign indifference, but he settled for letting his tone shift slightly as he whispered with a soft tease:
"Wonderful... Tonight, my beautiful elusive lady, I'll show you what true pampering feels like~"
Natalia's cheeks flushed, turning a soft pink, while her heart raced violently, a sensation she wasn't accustomed to, as though Kaiser's words had managed to slip past her fragile defenses and into her heart.
In that moment, Natalia realized that love had always been a door wide open to both pain and happiness together.
However, for the first time in a long while, she felt as if the hand of happiness had finally reached out to her.
Still, Natalia knew for certain that she had to end things with Charlotte before she could fully cross into that happiness that beckoned her from afar.
Kaiser hid a mischievous smile as he steered his car toward the nearest fancy restaurant. He wasn't concerned with what they would serve as much as he was enjoying watching Natalia gradually fall into his usual game.
"Would you like to go to the bar after that?"
He asked, as if the question was merely a sweetly wrapped trap, completing his intentions.
"That..."
Natalia lowered her blonde lashes with hesitation. She was still recalling the moment when she asked for time off from her boss and had to suppress her tears as she explained why. Fortunately, his heart softened, and he agreed.
"The elusive lady..."
Kaiser muttered mockingly, watching her from the corner of his eye.
"I'm still waiting for your answer."
Natalia hesitated for a moment, weighing her options, before finally responding in a soft voice:
"I want to go... and I want to drink on your tab until I'm drunk."
A wide smile spread across Kaiser's lips, a mix of amusement and triumph, as he replied:
"Really? Well then... Your wish is my command, my little sweet."
He boldly reached for her hand, gently grasping it with deliberate tenderness, then raised it to his lips, placing a light kiss on it. His eyes, however, remained open, watching the road like a cautious man. Natalia's face turned so red that the blush spread to her neck, and she tried to hide her embarrassment.
7:11 AM.
In the middle of daydreams, Leonid woke up with a tired groan after a deep sleep that followed hours of tangled moments with Charlotte, ending at sunset.
He sat slowly at the edge of the bed, his disheveled hair fluttering in lazy chaos. He yawned, his eyes still closed, then lifted his hand to rub his head in exhaustion.
His body felt stiff and tired in a way he wasn't used to, and his deep sleep seemed like an exceptional event for him. Could it have been that intense spark of passion that flared between them?
He slowly opened his eyelids and bent down to pick up the towel lying on the floor, which had wrapped around Charlotte's body before everything had unfolded.
In the soft light seeping from the bathroom and the half-closed curtains, Leonid wrapped the towel around his waist and walked toward the bathroom with sluggish steps.
He stretched his arms lazily, barely believing that a man like him, who had spent years struggling with chronic insomnia, had finally managed to sleep so deeply.
But... how long had he slept? Two hours? Three? More?
He quietly pushed the bathroom door, careful not to wake Charlotte with the sound of water, then headed to the bathtub. He removed the towel and turned on the shower, letting the warm water cascade over his body.
Steam rose around him in soft swirls, as if the air were dancing with his breath. The hot droplets stung his shoulders and back, but he remained calmly surrendered to the warmth.
It was unfortunate that Charlotte was still lost in a deep sleep, after leaving traces of her passion on his skin... fine lines like etched memories.
After a few moments, Leonid turned off the shower, grabbed another towel, and dried his body and hair slowly, then wrapped it around his waist and headed for the door.
He stopped in front of the mirror, stared at his reflection, then lightly ran his fingers over the scratches etched on his shoulders, turning his body slightly to inspect his back quietly.
"It's okay... it was the first time."
He whispered softly to himself, then left the bathroom without closing the door behind him.
He sneaked into the bedroom with cautious steps, grabbed his scattered clothes, and before leaving, he turned toward the bed.
He gazed at Charlotte, lying under the blanket, breathing in slow, soothing breaths. He approached closer, bent over her, and planted a warm kiss on her forehead, then left the room lightly.
In the living room, he put on his pants, guided by the dim light seeping through the curtains, unaware of the time.
When he picked up his phone... he froze.
Beyond the number of messages and calls he had received, what shocked him the most was the time.
7:26 AM.
"No way..."
He muttered, his eyes widening in disbelief, not comprehending how many hours he had spent asleep. It was as though the insomnia that had tormented him for so long had suddenly vanished.
He thought he had just gotten some rest, but now he realized he had slept more than he had in years.
He let out a long sigh, then sat on the couch, combing through his damp hair with his fingers calmly.
He closed his eyes for a moment, letting his body relax on the couch before he raised his phone and began checking the incoming messages.
The apartment was quiet, and Charlotte was still asleep. Leonid continued to relax until the sound of an engine roared, a familiar noise that made him get up and move toward the window to take a look.
He gently opened the curtains, then the window, leaning on the frame. After a few moments of engine noise, the luxurious black car belonging to Kaiser stopped, and the calm in the neighborhood returned once more.
Leonid squinted his eyes and wondered to himself what had happened for two people to return at such a time of day, one of them drunk.
After a blissful night of fine dining and several glasses of wine, Kaiser quietly parked his car in front of the building, stepped out, and made his way toward the drunken Natalia, offering his hand to help her descend with calm steps. They walked side by side under the daylight, beneath the warm rays of the sun, like lovers who had forgotten everything about the past, as if the moments that had passed yesterday had never happened.
They entered the elevator together, her hand in his, intertwined as though the entire world had paused for a moment. When they reached the door of her apartment, they embraced in silence, surrounded by an indescribable atmosphere.
"Can we sleep together?"
Natalia whispered passionately, as Kaiser gently kissed her neck.
"Of course we can..."
He replied, a smile on his face.
"Now, let's go inside, so I can make you comfortable."
Kaiser continued to smile, then wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace, strong enough to make her feel safe, yet gentle enough not to hurt her. As Natalia opened the door to her apartment, she welcomed him with slow movements before gently closing the door behind them.
Kaiser led her to the bedroom, his steps quiet, as if time itself slowed around them, while his arm gently wrapped around her waist. He held her close, as though they were dancing a silent dance, heard by no one but themselves.
When they arrived, he helped her lie down on the bed gently, then sat beside her, placing warm kisses on her face until she closed her eyes and surrendered to sleep.
He watched Natalia for a moment, smiling, before quietly getting up, his smile fading. He walked toward the closet, slowly opening its door, his eyes immediately fixated on the bottom.
Where he had hidden his most important belongings behind a trivial lie.
He bent down and picked up a set of boxes, their dimensions perfect for concealing precious items, then Kaiser left the room without making a sound.