chapter 12: lost in his essence

Kenan stormed toward her with long, determined strides. His knees hit the cold floor as he knelt in front of her, his hands instantly reaching for her face.

"Hey… open your eyes." His voice, usually sharp and authoritative, held an unfamiliar softness.

Her head remained tilted forward, her eyes shut, her body limp.

"Can you hear me?" He carefully brushed her hair away from her face, his fingers lingering against her cold skin.

She stirred slightly, her lashes fluttering weakly, but she was too exhausted, too drained to fully open her eyes.

"OPEN HER HANDS." His voice roared in that room.

"But Sir, she is—"

Kenan's head snapped up, his lethal glare locking onto Ron.

Ron immediately stiffened. "Y-Yes, Sir…" He swallowed hard before rushing forward to untie her ropes.

Kenan barely acknowledged him, his focus solely on the unconscious girl in front of him. His hands cupped her face gently, his thumbs running along her cheekbones, as if trying to wake her with his touch alone.

The moment the last rope fell away, her body collapsed forward—straight into his chest.

Kenan froze.

Her weight against him was light—too light. She was far too weak. His jaw clenched.

"Can you hear me?" His hand pressed against her back, feeling the frailty in her small frame.

Her lips parted against his chest, a barely audible mumble escaping.

"W…water…"

Kenan's heart lurched.

"BRING WATER!" His roar shook the entire basement.

Asaph rushed over, pressing a bottle into his hands.

Kenan immediately brought it to her lips, tilting it carefully.

She tried to drink, but her body betrayed her—her lips trembled, her throat too dry, too parched to swallow properly.

A dark, unreadable emotion flickered in his eyes.

He didn't hesitate.

With one swift motion, he scooped her up into his arms.

Then, without a single glance back, he stormed out of the basement.

Ron and Asaph stood frozen, watching the scene unfold in stunned silence.

Ron exhaled shakily, side-eyeing Asaph. "Be ready to get doomed."

Asaph sighed, rubbing his temples. "We already are."

[Kenan's Room]

Kenan laid her down on the bed carefully, as if she were something fragile—something precious.

He pulled the blanket over her, ensuring she was completely covered.

"Sir…" Asaph hesitated.

Kenan ignored him, adjusting a few loose strands of hair away from her face.

"This lady… um… this lady is one of the suspicious vendors selling drugs," Asaph finally admitted.

Kenan's fingers paused mid-motion.

Silence filled the room.

Then—he resumed, tucking her hair gently behind her ear.

"Do you have solid proof?" His voice was quiet but laced with danger.

"We're… still collecting proof," Asaph admitted hesitantly. "But she was found among the suspects."

Kenan slowly turned his head, his dark eyes locking onto him like a predator.

Asaph instantly lowered his head.

"I WANT EVERY SINGLE DETAIL ON THESE PEOPLE BEFORE DAWN." His voice was low, commanding, but it thundered through the room like an unrelenting storm.

"Y-Yes, Sir!" Asaph nearly stumbled in his rush to leave.

"Now get out of my sight."

Asaph instantly vanished.

Kenan took a deep breath, trying to rein in the fury boiling in his veins.

Slowly, he sat on the edge of the bed.

She lay there, unconscious, her breathing soft and steady.

His gaze traced her delicate features—the slight crease in her brow, the smudge of dirt on her cheek.

His hand hovered near her face but never touched.

"Please… don't be one of them."

His fingers balled into fists.

"Be pure… like Chamomile."

He reached out, wiping the dust from her cheek with the gentlest touch.

She stirred slightly, her brows knitting together.

His throat tightened.

"Please…" he whispered, almost as if praying.

With a deep exhale, he stood up.

He turned off the main lights, leaving only the dim glow of the bedside lamp.

As he walked toward the door, he glanced back one last time—his sharp eyes scanning her fragile figure on his bed.

Yes, His. His bed.

Something deep inside him twisted, something he couldn't name.

Then he turned, stepping out and closing the door behind him

And as soon as the door was closed, she opened her eyes.

Her lashes fluttered weakly, barely lifting as her blurry vision focused on the figure walking away.

She saw his silhouette, the way he closed the door gently behind him.

He hadn't even noticed her stirring because of the darkness in the room.

She exhaled softly.

She tried to move—she had to.

"I have to get up. I need to search for clues."

But the moment she pushed against the bed, something stopped her.

Something warm.

Something soothing.

An unfamiliar but intoxicating scent wrapped around her.

Her fingers gripped the blanket as she inhaled deeply.

A rich, masculine cologne clung to the fabric—earthy, dark, and utterly consuming. It was unlike anything she had ever smelled before.

It felt safe.

It felt… possessive.

Unknowingly, her body melted back into the bed.

Her fingers curled against the pillow, unconsciously pulling it closer.

A small, soft smile ghosted her lips as her mind surrendered to the warmth surrounding her.

And for the first time in a long time—

She fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, completely engulfed in his scent.

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[Next Morning – 6:30 AM]

Kenan was sitting on the couch in the living room, his fingers interlocked as his elbows rested on his knees.

He hadn't slept the whole night. The constant turmoil in his chest kept him awake—restless, on edge, and impatient.

"Sir…"

Secretary Asaph walked in cautiously, holding a file. Kenan lifted his eyes at him, his heart gripped with unspoken insecurity.

"Out of those ten people, four are innocent, and six have confirmed links to the dark web." Asaph hesitated before continuing, licking his lower lip.

Kenan clenched his jaw, holding his breath, as if bracing for impact.

"And… that lady… she's innocent too."

Kenan exhaled deeply, his head falling back against the couch. A wave of relief rushed through his veins, loosening the tightness in his chest.

"Here's her bio-data, Sir. And this file contains details about the other nine." Asaph placed the files on the table, hesitating.

Kenan remained still, rubbing his palms over his face as he absorbed the information.

"Any… any other orders, Sir?"

Kenan sat up straight, his dark eyes burning with something unreadable.

"Secretary Asaph…" His voice was low, edged with an unspoken warning. "If you don't want me to disrespect you in any way, then VANISH YOUR FACE AT THIS VERY MOMENT…!!!"

Asaph swallowed hard and bolted from the room without another word.

Kenan's gaze fell on the file. He flipped it open, his eyes narrowing as he read.

Charlotte Aldrich.

He murmured her name under his breath, rolling it on his tongue like an unfamiliar taste. His eyes scanned the details—

Parents died in an accident.

Lives with her Younger brother in a cottage.

Holds a bachelor's degree in arts.

Working as a florist for four years.

His fingers stilled when he reached the attached photograph. He picked it up, his gaze locking onto the image.

She was wearing a black silk frock, her long raven hair cascading down in soft waves. A delicate floral ear-top adorned her ears. Her lips—slightly plump—held a faint pink shimmer, and her eyes… lined with a perfect winged eyeliner, accentuating their golden hue.

She wasn't wearing any heavy makeup or accessories, yet—

Effortlessly enchanting.

"Charlotte…" He whispered again, almost involuntarily, before closing the file.

A second later, he was striding toward his room.

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[Inside His Room]

The door creaked open as Kenan stepped inside. His eyes immediately landed on her.

Charlotte was sleeping soundly, curled up in his bed, hugging the blanket tightly in her embrace. Half of her face was buried beneath the covers, her soft breathing the only sound in the room.

Kenan folded his arms, tilting his head slightly. "There I spent my whole night in restlessness, and here?" He scoffed under his breath. "Look at her… sleeping like she owns the world."

His lips curled up slightly—just for a fleeting second. Then, without making any noise, he walked towards the window.

He adjusted the curtains carefully, making sure the sunlight wouldn't disturb her sleep.

His gaze flickered back to her for a brief moment before he left the room.

[A Few Hours Later]

She opened eyes slightly, and a soft yawn escaped her lips as she stretched her arms. She blinked groggily, then—

Her eyes snapped open.

Her body stiffened.

She darted her gaze around the room, her mind scrambling to process her surroundings.

And then—

11:00 AM.

Her jaw almost dropped as she gaped at the wall clock.

What?!