Chapter 78: A Worry That Won’t Rest

Chapter 78: Chapter 78: A Worry That Won’t Rest Her words lingered between us, heavier and colder than the night outside, gnawing at the edges of my thoughts. I stood up slowly, my limbs feeling weighed down by worry, and made my way upstairs. Even though Zayn had assured me not to worry, I couldn’t shake the unease. It wasn’t about trust, he had given me every reason to trust him, but about the fear that lingered in his heart. Zayn still saw being with a man as something shameful, a secret burden that had haunted him long before me. I had witnessed the quiet shame in his eyes before, and the thought of it repeating terrified me. I refused to let that happen again. The hot water of the shower washed over me, but it did little to wash away the thoughts crowding my mind. Every drop that slid down my skin felt like a whisper of worry, reminding me of the vulnerability I feared for him and for us. When I finally climbed into bed, wrapped in the soft sheets, I reached for my phone almost instinctively and tried to video call him. The phone rang, but there was no answer. I let out a soft sigh, convincing myself that he was probably exhausted and asleep. He told me today that he had handed over the food preparations for my cousin’s wedding to one of his business partners, and that he would only be there to make sure everything went well. My thoughts drifted to yesterday, to my cousin’s upcoming wedding. His laughter had echoed through the phone so freely, light and unrestrained, a joy that came from marrying someone you truly love. I couldn’t help but imagine what it would be like with Zayn, if we could reach that stage, how it would feel to wake up beside him every morning, to hold him close and never let go. The thought made me giggle softly, a warmth spreading through my chest. The idea of sharing every small and big thing with him, cuddling in the morning, whispering dreams and secrets into each other’s ears it filled me with a happiness I hadn’t felt in a long time. I found myself daydreaming even further, imagining the moment Zayn would finally tell me he loved me. Would I cry? Would I laugh until my stomach ached? Would I jump into his arms, heart pounding so hard it might burst? Perhaps I would do all of it at once, or maybe my joy would spill into something wild and uncontainable. The very idea made my chest tense and my lips curve into a smile, even as worry lingered at the edges. Rogan’s presence, even now, nagged at me like a shadow I couldn’t shake. I prayed he wouldn’t interfere, that nothing would distract Zayn long enough to pull him away from me. If all went well, I would be able to claim him, finally and fully, and I longed for that moment with a desperation I could barely contain. But beyond everything, beyond the planning and the longing, I wished for him to open up to me freely. I wished for him to allow himself to love without restraint, to do things with me without holding back, to trust me completely, as I trusted him. My mind wandered on, racing with hope and desire, until my body finally surrendered to exhaustion. I didn’t notice when sleep claimed me, pulling me under into dreams of warmth, laughter, and the possibility of a life together with Zayn. When I woke up, it was already morning. The wedding would take place in five hours, at my cousin’s house. It wasn’t meant to be a loud party, just family and friends, but I knew some people there would cause a disturbance. I pushed myself out of bed and went downstairs for breakfast. Not long after I sat at the table, the doorbell rang. The maid hurried to answer it, and to my surprise, it was Chrisly. I chuckled. "Finally, you’re here. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten you had a brother." Chrisly smiled, shaking his head. "I’ve been busy, Evric. Your father keeps piling tasks on me. Honestly, the man just won’t let me rest." "Same goes for you," I shot back, my smile fading. "Your father’s after my life too. Can you believe he went to meet Zayn?" Chrisly’s expression softened. "Yeah... I heard about that. But listen... Zayn may seem gentle, but he’s not someone you can handle easily." I leaned forward, restless. "What do you know, Chrisly? Talk to me. I’ve been dying since I found out yesterday." "Seriously, bro, I don’t know much about their conversation," he admitted. "But I do know this... Zayn knows how to handle himself. Still..." His eyes flickered with unease. "Don’t expect things between him and your father to end easily." I wanted to press him for more, but before I could, Chrisly leaned back and said firmly, "Evric, focus on Zayn. Just like you’ve been doing before. Trust him. You really don’t have anything to worry about." I let out a slow breath and nodded, I tried to shake off the weight pressing on my chest. "Alright then," I said quietly. "You’re here so we can go to Soren’s wedding together, right?" Chrisly gave a firm nod, his usual calm smile softening his features. Just then, the door to the patio creaked open, and Nuala stepped outside. Her face lit up as soon as she spotted Chrisly. Without hesitation, she hurried forward and hugged him tightly from behind. "Brother, you’re here," she said warmly. Chrisly smirked and teased her. "You must have missed me so much." Nuala crossed her arms, pretending to think. "I missed you... a little," she replied with a small smile. I glanced at the two of them, already sensing the tension. Any second now, they’ll start arguing again. These two never stay friends for too long. Just then, I pulled out my phone and tried calling Zayn again. The call rang, but there was still no answer. My chest tensed. Turning to Chrisly, I said, "I need to step out for a bit. I dropped Zayn off yesterday, and I still haven’t been able to reach him. I’m worried... he wasn’t feeling well, and he keeps refusing to go to the hospital. I need to check on him." Nuala nodded in understanding, but Chrisly just frowned. "It hasn’t even been twenty-four hours, why are you so worried?" Before I could answer, Nuala shot him a sharp look. "This isn’t a police station, Chrisly. For people who have lovers, it’s normal to act this way. People who don’t... well, they can’t relate." Chrisly scoffed. "So you’re saying you can relate, Nuala?" "Yes, I can," Nuala replied confidently. "Because Evric and I are both dating Zayn." Chrisly let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, please. Let your brother actually date him first before you start living in your delusions." As expected, the two of them broke into an argument, voices rising and overlapping. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Here we go again. I didn’t have the energy to play referee today. Leaving them to squabble, I went upstairs and changed into something more comfortable. Before heading out, I called down to Chrisly. "In case I don’t make it back on time, bring the suit I’ll be wearing to the wedding, it’s on my bed." Chrisly only gave me a short nod, clearly too distracted arguing with Nuala to bother saying anything more. By the time I stepped outside, my driver had already pulled the car around. I climbed in quickly and told him, "Stop at Zayn’s restaurant first." When we arrived at the restaurant. My driver went inside to inquire, and when he returned, he told me Zayn had already been there that morning but had left. My chest constricted with unease. ’Let’s go straight to his home,’ I instructed firmly, unable to shake the growing worry. Minutes later, we pulled up in front of Zayn’s home. I rang the doorbell, waiting impatiently. The door opened, but instead of Zayn, it was his friend standing there. The moment he saw me, his eyes widened in shock. For a second, my heart skipped, I almost thought Nicki had opened the door instead. But what unsettled me the most was the way he looked at me, like he knew something I didn’t. "Evric," he blurted out, calling my name as though he hadn’t expected me to be there. I didn’t flinch. Most businessmen knew who I was, so hearing my name wasn’t unusual. But the look in his eyes, the mix of surprise and something else he was trying to hide, disturbed me more than anything else.