They didn't stop running until the city went quiet.
Far from the hospital.
Far from the noise.
Only the sound of rain followed them.
Adam finally slowed down near an old, empty bus stop. The lights above flickered weakly, barely lighting the المكان.
Amina sat down heavily on the bench.
Her whole body was shaking.
From the cold…
Or from everything that just happened.
"I can't believe this…" she whispered.
Adam stood a few steps away, watching the street.
Always alert.
Always ready.
Like danger could appear at any moment.
Amina looked at him.
"You live like this all the time?"
He didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"Yes."
Simple.
Cold.
She frowned slightly.
"That's not normal."
"It became normal."
Silence fell between them.
The rain was lighter now… but the tension was still heavy.
Amina hugged herself, trying to feel warm.
"I don't understand anything," she said quietly.
"You say I wasn't supposed to survive… that someone wants me dead…"
She looked up at him.
"But why?"
Adam finally turned to face her.
For a moment, he just looked at her.
Like he was thinking…
Should he tell her or not?
"You really want the truth?" he asked.
"Yes."
"No matter what?"
She nodded.
He walked closer.
Then stopped in front of her.
"Fine."
He took a slow breath.
"The accident… wasn't an accident."
Amina's heart skipped.
"I knew it…"
"You were in that car."
Her eyes widened.
"What?!"
"You weren't just a witness," Adam continued.
"You were inside."
Her mind went blank.
"That's impossible… I would remember!"
"You hit your head. Hard. You lost part of your memory."
She stood up suddenly.
"No… no, this doesn't make sense!"
Her breathing became fast again.
"Why was I there?! Who was with me?!"
Adam stayed calm.
"That's the part you don't remember."
She stepped closer to him.
Almost angry.
"Then tell me!"
"I can't."
"WHY?!"
His voice became sharper this time.
"Because remembering too fast could break you."
Silence.
Amina stared at him.
Her eyes full of confusion… and pain.
"I feel like I'm going crazy…"
Adam's expression softened a little.
"For now… just trust me."
She laughed bitterly.
"Trust you? I don't even know you."
He didn't move.
"That's fair."
Another silence.
Then—
Amina closed her eyes for a second.
Trying to calm down.
"Okay…" she said slowly.
"Then tell me this…"
She opened her eyes again.
"Why are you helping me?"
Adam didn't answer.
Not immediately.
That question…
was harder than the others.
Amina noticed.
"You see? Even you can't answer."
He looked away for a moment.
Then back at her.
"I made a mistake."
She frowned.
"What kind of mistake?"
He hesitated.
Then said quietly—
"I was there that night."
Her heart stopped again.
"At the accident?"
He nodded.
"I was supposed to stop it."
Amina felt something heavy in her chest.
"But I didn't."
The rain got a little stronger again.
Like the moment itself needed it.
"I was late," he continued.
"And because of that… everything went wrong."
Amina looked at him differently now.
Not just as a stranger.
But as someone carrying guilt.
"So you're helping me… because you feel guilty?"
Adam didn't deny it.
"Yes."
Silence.
Amina didn't know what to say.
Part of her felt angry.
Part of her…
felt sorry for him.
"You could've just left me," she said quietly.
"I tried."
She looked at him.
"But I couldn't."
Something in his voice changed.
Softer.
More real.
Amina felt it.
For a moment—
They just looked at each other.
No fear.
No running.
Just silence.
Then—
Pain.
Sharp.
Sudden.
"Aah—!"
Amina grabbed her head again.
Images came back.
Stronger this time.
Clearer.
A car.
At night.
Rain.
Her hands on the window.
Someone sitting next to her.
A man.
His face… blurry.
"Please… stop the car!"
Her own voice.
Crying.
Then—
A gun.
Pointed.
A loud sound—
She screamed.
And fell to her knees.
"Amina!"
Adam rushed to her.
"Hey—look at me!"
She was shaking.
"I saw something…"
"What did you see?"
She looked at him.
Terrified.
"There was someone in the car… with me…"
Adam's face changed.
"What else?"
"He had a gun…"
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Adam helped her stand slowly.
"Okay… that's enough for now."
"No—there's more—"
"You need to stop."
His voice was firm.
"Your brain can't handle everything at once."
Amina held his arm.
"Adam…"
He looked at her.
"That man… the one in the hospital…"
She swallowed.
"Is he the same one?"
Adam didn't answer.
But his silence…
was enough.
Amina's fear came back stronger than ever.
"So he wants me dead… because I saw something?"
Adam shook his head slowly.
"No."
"Then why?!"
He looked straight into her eyes.
"Because you're more important than you think."
Amina felt lost again.
"What does that even mean…?"
Adam didn't answer.
Instead—
He took off his jacket.
And put it around her shoulders.
"You're freezing."
She froze for a second.
The gesture…
was simple.
But it felt different.
Warm.
Safe.
She looked at him.
"Thank you…"
He nodded slightly.
"We can't stay here."
"Where do we go?"
Adam looked at the dark street ahead.
Then back at her.
"To the only place they won't expect."
Amina hesitated.
"And where is that?"
He paused.
Then said—
"My place."
Her heart skipped again.
Not from fear this time.
But something else.
Something new.
🔚 End of Chapter 4