Maya took a shaky step toward the room, her eyes still swollen from crying. Caleb's promise — "I won't leave you again" — lingered in her ears, a strange comfort she didn't know how to accept.
Her hand reached for the door, but before she could open it, her vision blurred. The weight of exhaustion, tears, and everything she'd bottled up finally caught up to her. Her knees weakened, and the world tilted slightly.
"Maya—"
Before she could fall, Caleb's arms were already around her. His strong grip steadied her trembling body, pulling her close against his chest. She could feel the warmth radiating from him — steady, protective, almost too much for her racing heart to handle.
"I told you, you need to rest," his voice was low, threaded with concern. "You're not okay. We're going to the hospital—"
She shook her head weakly, her hand clutching the fabric of his shirt.
"No… please. I just want to lay down."
Caleb's jaw tightened as he studied her face — pale, tired, yet somehow peaceful in his arms. For once, she wasn't fighting him. Without another word, he lifted her gently and carried her to the bed.
Maya's head rested against his chest for a moment longer than it should have. She could hear his heartbeat — steady, calm — and it made her eyelids grow heavier.
When he laid her down carefully, she opened her eyes slightly. "You kept your promise…" she whispered faintly.
Caleb paused, his gaze softening as he brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Yeah," he murmured, almost under his breath. "And I will keep it."
Caleb pulled the blanket over her carefully, his touch lingering for a moment longer than it should. Maya's eyes were half-closed, her lashes damp, her breathing uneven from the tears that had drained every ounce of strength from her.
He straightened, ready to leave — but something inside him hesitated. He didn't know why, yet walking away suddenly felt heavier than it should.
Then it happened.
A faint tug — barely there, but enough to stop him mid-step.
Her hand had reached out, her trembling fingers curling around his in a fragile, desperate hold. No words… just a touch that said please stay.
Caleb's breath caught. The warmth of her skin against his felt too real, too soft for the man he'd become. His heart, usually cold and steady, stumbled in his chest.
He turned his head slightly, his eyes meeting hers — glassy, vulnerable, searching. The way she looked at him shattered something he didn't even know was breaking.
"Maya…" His voice came out low, rough — not the tone of a man used to softness.
She didn't speak, only tightened her hold as if that single gesture could stop him from fading away.
He knelt slightly, brushing her hair back with a touch that trembled more than he wanted it to. "Rest," he whispered. "I'm not going anywhere."
Her fingers loosened slowly, but the warmth stayed — trapped between them like a secret neither could admit.
For a long moment, he just stood there, watching her drift to sleep — her fragile trust resting in the same hands once meant to destroy her.
Caleb lingered there, unmoving. His eyes stayed on her hand even after her fingers went still, the warmth of her touch fading too slowly to ignore.
He drew in a quiet breath, but it didn't steady him. Something in his chest felt unrecognizable — a weight that wasn't anger or guilt, but something softer… dangerous.
He looked at her one last time, her face calm in sleep, her expression free of the fear that once met his every glance.
What are you doing to me, Maya…
The thought slipped through his mind before he could stop it. He turned toward the door, but for the first time in years, he didn't want to walk away.
As he stepped out, the faintest smile ghosted across his lips — one that wasn't meant for anyone to see.
And behind him, the room stayed silent… except for the sound of her steady breathing — the only proof that maybe, just maybe, something between them had begun to change.
END Of Episode 19.