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Next Day — Yunah's Ward
"What?" Yogesh blinked, genuinely confused. "You want me to move our things out of the apartment? But why?"
"Don't ask questions," Yunah said flatly, her voice cold enough to warn him not to push. Her anger still simmered beneath the surface. "Just do what I'm telling you to do."
"But why today?" Yogesh pressed, irritation creeping into his tone. "And where exactly am I supposed to dump all our things? Di—" He narrowed his eyes. "Did you fight with Noah?"
Yunah didn't respond.
And that silence… was enough.
"I knew it," Yogesh muttered, leaning back with a scoff. "I knew he would make troubles for you." He muttered under his breath continuing "He was so confident saying he won't cause trouble but look at it now...." Yogesh stared at Yunah shaking his head in annyonence "what he did?"
"Ask him yourself," Yunah snapped, her patience thinning. "I don't have the energy to explain. Just do what I said."
"Fine, I can move out." He lifted his hands in surrender. "But not today."
Yunah glared. "And why not?"
"Because, Di," Yogesh said with a sarcastic smile, "we need a new apartment first. Unless you want me to pile our entire life in the middle of the street?" He raised a brow.
"Should I just dump the mattress next to the tea stall?"
She clicked her tongue and looked away.
"I'll look for an apartment today," she said, grabbing her phone from the bedside table. "Once I find one, you move our things immediately."
"Hmm." Yogesh sighed, sinking onto the couch. "Fine."
Yunah opened a real-estate app and began scrolling through listings, her fingers stiff with frustration, her jaw tight. Every swipe was a reminder:
She had trusted Noah.
And he had lied.
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Time slipped by painfully slow. Even after scrolling for hours through the real-estate app, Yunah still couldn't find a single apartment that was both decent and affordable. Every listing was either overpriced, too small, too far from office or Yogesh's school, or outright filthy.
Her irritation built with every swipe.
Finally, with a sharp exhale, she tossed her phone onto the bed.
"Useless…" she muttered under her breath, frustration boiling over. The helplessness only made her angrier — angry at Noah, angry at herself, angry at the entire situation.
She pushed the blanket aside and swung her legs down, the cold floor meeting her feet. She grabbed her black hoodie from the side table and slipped it on.
Her jaw was clenched, steps tight and stiff as she walked out of the ward.
Anywhere was better than sitting still and drowning in thoughts that hurt.
**************
It was already evening, the sun slowly sinking behind the mountains. Yunah sat quietly on the bench, her gaze lost in the burning orange horizon. A cool breeze swept across the garden, catching strands of her hair and lifting them gently. The fading sunlight brushed her skin with a warm glow, and her eyes reflected an ethereal shimmer.
For a moment, she looked like a part of the sunset itself — calm, breathtaking, untouchable.
But her peace didn't last.
Footsteps approached from behind, followed by a deep, mature voice.
"May I sit here… if you don't mind?"
Yunah looked up.
Nerav stood there — dressed casually, looking nothing like the powerful chairman of N&N Enterprises. Instead, he appeared almost ordinary… almost human.
She didn't answer, but she shifted slightly, giving him space.
"Thank you, Miss Yunah," he said politely, settling beside her.
Silence wrapped around them, broken only by the wind rustling through leaves. They watched the sun sink lower, neither speaking, both lost in separate storms.
"The sunset is beautiful, isn't it…" Nerav finally said, his voice unsure. His fingers clenched the fabric resting on his lap — nerves betraying him.
"Don't pretend," Yunah replied, turning toward him with a calm but sharp gaze. "Just say what you came to say."
Nerav froze for a second, caught too easily.
"A-ah… so you already figured that." He straightened, forcing himself into seriousness. "Actually… I'm here to talk about my brother."
"Then I'm not interested." Her tone turned instantly cold.
"I know," he said softly. "You must be very angry. And you have every right to be." He paused, gathering his words carefully. "I'm not here to say Noah was right… but…"
His voice lowered. "…I've never seen him like this. Not once in his entire life."
Yunah looked ahead again, listening silently.
"Noah has always been… different," Nerav continued. "Especially since the death of our parents. He saw it happen with his own eyes." His voice tightened for a moment. "After that day, he shut himself away from emotions completely. And you can't imagine what he endured growing up. He sacrificed so much — even as a child — just to protect me."
Yunah's anger began to dull, replaced by something quieter.
"I can't tell you everything," Nerav said, "but I came here to ask you for one thing…"
When she turned to him again, she found his eyes pleading.
"…please forgive him. Stay beside him. If you walk out of his life right now… I'm scared he'll become worse than he was before. The kid doesn't even know what real happiness feels like." His voice cracked slightly. "If you want money, I can pay you. If you want security, I'll provide it. Just… just don't leave him. He's genuinely serious about you."
Yunah let out a slow breath, her gaze dropping to her hands. "Who whipped Noah?" she asked suddenly, her voice quiet but firm.
Nerav froze.
A long moment passed before he answered.
"…our grandfather."
Yunah's head snapped toward him, eyes wide. "What? His grandfather? Why would someone do that to their own grandson?"
"Our family is…mess," Nerav said bitterly. "I've wanted to take him away for years, but Noah never agrees. And the truth is — only he can free himself from that man." He turned fully toward her. "That's why I need you. Help me pull him away from that place. I don't want him to suffer anymore. Please… will you help me?"
Yunah stayed silent for a long time.
But her anger had dissolved completely now — replaced by something deep, warm, protective. She never imagined Noah's life carried so much pain. The thought of him enduring all that alone… tightened her chest painfully.
Slowly, she nodded.
"Fine," she said, her voice steady and determined. "I'll help you..."