Waking up with pain tingling in my veins became a habit for me. Slowly opening my eyes, I shifted unhurriedly, as my veins felt like they didn't exist. The injury felt as if it reopened and tears built in my eyes as I felt the intense pain.

"Ugh," I blew air as I slowly lifted myself, but felt something pulling me back. Half opening my eyes, I tried to study my surroundings and saw a figure that I had no clue why was in my room.

Zearo had his head resting on the side of my bed and holding my hand so firmly that I couldn't even move it. He looked so peaceful while sleeping. His hair was messy and had his body half rested on the bed while he slept sitting on the chair by holding my hand.

I tried recalling what happened yesterday, but everything was blurry. Knowing that Zearo was in my room, I focused on the work and stayed in the study until I fell asleep. I didn't know how I got to my room and what he was doing there.

"Oh, you are up, princess?" I heard Dima's faint voice behind the door. I was about to shout that I was awake but held back my tongue when I saw peaceful Zearo sleeping. "Dima, please come in," I said as if it would be audible to her and Zearo wouldn't be disturbed. Slowly retracing my hands from his firm hold, I sat back, wincing at the sudden bolt of pain.

"Oh, my poor son. He was awake the entire night." Dima said, placing her hands on her chest as she took Zearo's position.

"Why?" I asked as I got down off my bed slowly toward Dima.

"You had your nightmare yesterday." She said, and I stopped. It couldn't be. No! Swiftly, I walked towards the calendar and saw a red mark on the date. "It's today," I whispered. My lips trembled as I realized that it was the day I was abandoned.

"Yes, you've been recovering, so it surprised me how you had that nightmare. This time it was worse." Dima said as she engulfed me in a bear hug from behind. I held back tears that formed in my eyes, determined to stop getting affected so much.

"I'm good, Dima," I said, assuring her, but my voice betrayed me.

"That I'm not sure after what happened yesterday." She answered.

"When are we going to the orphanage?" I asked, breaking the hug and turning towards her with a smile on my face. This day couldn't be harder than it was in the beginning, could it be? I thought in my mind.

"Just freshen up and we shall leave. I've made the arrangements." Dima said, caressing my cheeks. The warmth that her body excluded was more comfortable than mere words.

''I will be there in a few minutes," I said and smiled at her. She smiled back and once again looked at him and whispered to us, "This man loves you more than he could himself realize. Just let him shoulder some of your troubles."

I was stunned by what Dima said with so much confidence. An act, she felt it too real. Mere acting in a relationship cannot be a real one. I thought in my mind, but just smiled at her and watched her retreating figure out of my room.

Exhaling a deep breath, I said, "you can come back to being normal. She's gone." I said, turning towards Zearo and raising my eyebrows at how immature was his acting.

"Was it that obvious? People say I'm good at maintaining a poker face." He said, stretching his hands and legs as if he just won a lottery or something.

"Shall I point out the flaws?" I asked as he slowly made his way to my bed, and I saw him inhaling it. What the hell!

"Nevermind." He whispered and covered his face with another pillow.

"Your lips twitch and your eyelids shake as if blinking, your eyebrows wrinkle and.."

"Oh, stop it, will you?" He spoke through the pillows, hiding his face.

"I have more. If you want to know, I will gladly give you the details." I suggested, but he covered himself with the duvet.

I internally screamed, "that's my bed you asshole." But I couldn't say anything after Dima said that he sat the whole night for me.

Clenching my hands, I walked silently to the washroom as I had to get ready for the orphanage. My body had goosebumps reminding me how horrible this day was for me five years back.

"Be strong, Liara. Today you have to stay strong." I whispered to myself as I saw myself in the mirror in front of me. Taking in how my face looked, I shook my head. "This won't do. You have to look good." I said, grazing my hands on my cheeks, caressing them.

"Let's get ready," I said to myself and took my time getting ready for the day. Of course, it was a horrible day for me. Of course, I screamed internally for the pain I felt that day. But I promised my mom and grandma to always look good and be happy.

One thing that I learned from the two of them was that whatever internally ate you up or whatever storm was brewing inside you, you have to look good and treat yourself properly so that people around you would not know what you are going through not sympathize with you.

It's like showing your weakness to the world. My grandma used to say always.

"There you go!" I said after wearing a nice satin black shirt and white trousers. A simple pearl chain around my neck paired with a beautiful small pearl earring. I chose a black wedge to go with the outfit and my favorite custom-made lavender perfume. Dusting my face with a little powder and sunscreen was all I could do.

Thought of leaving my hair open but I knew I couldn't manage. So I tied it up into a ponytail and was good to go. Slowly making my way towards my room, I expected Zearo to be fast asleep. Instead, my eyes fell on a well-dressed Zearo who just entered my room.

"Woah!" He said and kept staring at me from head to toe. I felt a tingling sensation wherever his eyes landed and I cleared my throat.

"What got you so charged up early in the morning?" I blurted out without giving a second thought.

"Dima said we were going to the orphanage." He said as a matter of fact. No, he will not come with us.

''And before you say anything, Dima gave me these clothes and asked me to get ready, as we all will go together." He informed me by raising a finger at me before I could say anything.

"Whatever," I said, waving him off. I walked towards the door where he stood as it was glued to his legs.

"Will you move aside? I have to go." I said through gritted teeth, as he looked at me with furrowed eyebrows.

"Something is missing." He said suddenly, without moving an inch.

"What?" I asked, getting irritated with the unreasonable conversation.

"Just stay still." He said and made his way towards me. Involuntarily, I took a step back for every step he took towards me, but he pulled me towards him before I could trip down and fall. My face was mere inches away from his, a delightful smell oozing out of him, foreign to me. I looked at him, surprised by his actions, and he suddenly pulled my ponytail down and my hair fell back.

"What are you doing?" I asked angrily, pushing him away.

"Just giving you a finishing touch." He said, shrugging his shoulders. I pulled my scrunchy and started trying it back, but he held my hands.

"Not today. You look good with the hair open." He drawled, looking at my eyes and the intensity of the situation made the blood run on my cheeks. I knew at that moment that my cheeks were red. Hiding my face behind my hair, I pushed him aside and walked out of my room as fast as I could. I needed air. It was so suffocating inside.

****†******†*****†*****

All To the orphanage, Dima kept on praising him as if he was a hero who saved me from getting killed. She doesn't even have any idea how many times they attacked me because of him. And the shameless fellow kept on taking all the credit as if he was proud of it.

Once in a while, I got irritated and pressed the horns harder. I drove to the orphanage as I would never hand over my Lykan to anyone, and Dima did not bother how we got there. Zearo offered that he would drive but I would never let him ride my Lykan. Not in this lifetime, anyway.

"We are almost there," I said, driving my Lykan into the parking lot. A huge smile automatically flashed on my face as I saw a bunch of children running towards us. Hopping out of the car, I walked toward the kids who stood waiting for me at the entrance.

"Good morning, Miss D'Waner" the caretaker, Ms. Davis, humbly bowed to me. I walked towards her and held her hand saying, "it's Liara to you. And wonderful morning to you too." Her taking care of such a large orphanage made my workload a thousand times lighter. After she joined the house, every month a few kids get adopted and they live happily.

"I couldn't thank you enough for how beautifully you've managed this work after my grandma." I thanked her honestly. My grandma used to take care of kids and the orphanage, but I wasn't comfortable doing that for various reasons. She came at the right time and handled it pretty well.

"I've brought you cupcakes!" Dima said, and handed her a basket of her favorite cupcakes. I looked at Dima and my eyes fell on Zearo, who stood at the farthest end he looked like a lost puppy, not knowing what to do. He looked cute standing in the middle of a bunch of kids, and I held back a smile.

"Oh, how can I be so forgetful?" She was marching towards him. I stood there waiting for them and saw a little girl tugging my shirt. I ruffled her hair and felt a slight tickle on my shoulder.

"I have to introduce a really special person to you," Dima said to Ms. Davis, and I rolled my eyes at her overly dramatic nature.

"Meet Zearo, our son-in-law." When Dima said this, Ms. Davis gasped and walked toward him. He looked at me and I shrugged.

"You are our son-in-law?" Ms. Davis repeated, unsure of the fact.

"Yes, I am, and it's nice to meet you, Ms. Davis." He flashed his thirty-two teeth, showing his charming self. Ms. Davis touched his cheeks, and I saw tears rolling down her eyes. Not again, I whispered when I saw both Dima and Ms. Davis looking at him with tears in their eyes.

"Please keep her safe and happy." She said and took a step back.

"I'm sorry, I'm not that emotional, but when it comes to her, I tend to be." She smiled at him. He slowly raised his hands and wiped her tears and said, "You have to stop crying. Your beautiful face doesn't look pretty when you cry." Him and his cheesy lines.

"You are a sweetheart." She said, and I thought about the gash that I have because of him.

"Can we please get inside as I'm not here to spend my day in the hot sun?" I said, dragging their attention towards me and walking inside irritated that how could a man only bring a smile to my face? Am I not self-sufficient?

"Nevermind" I whispered and took off to the hall where every kid lined up for their gifts.

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