It was deep into the night.
An unsettling silence filled the house.
Yvette slowly opened her eyes, frowning. The room felt... empty.
Too empty.
She sat up quickly, her eyes darting around.
"Azan?" she called softly.
No reply.
Her chest tightened.
"Nicole... Irin... Lucas?" she called again, louder this time.
Nothing.
A strange fear crept into her heart.
She stood up, her bare feet touching the cold floor, and stepped outside. The compound, once lively, was now eerily quiet. Even the wind seemed to whisper instead of blow.
"Azan..." she called again, her voice trembling. Instead of heading towards the main hall, she unknowingly walked down a darker path—one
that felt wrong, yet she couldn't explain why.
Then—
Voices.
Faint. Careful. Hidden.
Her heart skipped.
Relief flashed across her face. "Finally..." she whispered, moving towards the sound.
She approached a small, dimly lit building and gently pushed the door open just enough to slip inside.
"Azan—"
She stopped instantly.
Those weren't their voices.
Her body stiffened.
Slowly, she moved closer, her breath shallow, and hid behind a narrow wall.
Then she heard it.
"...some parts of the ladies are still unavailable," Mrs Thompson said over the phone.
Yvette's eyes widened.
"I have several girls ready to be transported from Lagos to Libya," she continued. "I apologise, Mr Rogers. By tomorrow, everything will be ready."
Yvette's heart began to pound violently.
Transported?
Girls?
Libya?
The door creaked again.
Mrs Williams stepped in.
"Any updates?" she asked quietly.
"Mr Rogers is furious," Mrs Thompson replied. "He urgently needs the body parts."
Yvette froze.
Her entire body went cold.
Mrs Williams sighed. "Then we should use the girls we already have."
"They're barely mature," Mrs Thompson replied.
A pause.
A heavy, dangerous silence.
Then—
"We take Nicole."
Yvette's breath caught sharply in her throat.
No.
Her hand flew to her mouth, but it was too late —a faint, shaky sound escaped.
Both women stopped talking.
Instantly.
"Did you hear that?" Mrs Williams whispered.
Mrs Thompson's voice dropped, sharp and alert. "Someone is here."
Yvette's heart began to race uncontrollably.
No. No. No.
Footsteps.
Coming closer.
Yvette pressed herself tightly into the corner, barely breathing, her entire body shaking. Her mind screamed at her to run—but her legs refused to move.
The footsteps grew louder.
Closer.
Closer.
Mrs Thompson moved towards the door, her eyes scanning the room slowly.
Yvette squeezed her eyes shut, silently begging not to be seen.
The silence became unbearable.
Then—
A sudden noise outside.
A loud clang.
Both women turned sharply.
"What was that?" Mrs Williams asked.
Mrs Thompson hesitated. "Stay here."
She stepped out quickly to check.
That was it.
That was her chance.
Yvette didn't think.
She ran.
As fast as her legs could carry her.
Her heart pounded wildly as she slipped out through the back, her feet barely making a sound against the ground. She didn't look back.
She couldn't.
All she could hear was her own heartbeat— and one terrifying thought repeating in her mind:
They were going to hurt Nicole.
And now—
She knew. Yvette ran out like she had just been released from a place she wasn't sure she was even allowed to escape from.
The night air hit her face, cool and sharp, and for a second she almost felt like she could breathe again. Her heart was still racing, but not in the playful way it sometimes did when she was teasing the others or rushing late for something. This was different. Heavier. Like something inside her had cracked and was now leaking fear into every part of her body.
She didn't even hear her own footsteps properly. Everything felt distant, like the world had turned slightly unreal.
Then suddenly, she crashed into someone.
Strong arms caught her immediately before she could fall.
Azan.
"Hey... careful," he said softly, but there was concern in his voice as he steadied her. His hands stayed on her shoulders for a second longer than necessary, as if making sure she was really there, really okay. "Yvette... what's wrong?"
Her breath caught the moment she looked up at him. Even now, even like this, there was something about his presence that made her chest tighten in a different way—not just fear anymore, but something softer she didn't know how to name.
But her body was still shaking.
She clutched onto him without thinking, fingers gripping his shirt like it was the only stable thing in her world.
Azan's expression changed instantly. "Talk to me... why are you running like this?"
Yvette opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her eyes kept darting behind her, like she was afraid something might still be watching.
Still following.
Irin stepped closer, her voice quieter now. "You were coming from that place... weren't you?"
At that, Yvette's grip on Azan tightened slightly.
Azan looked at her carefully now. "That place again?"
Yvette didn't answer.
Instead, her strength gave out.
"Yvette!" Azan caught her properly this time, lifting her into his arms before she could fall.
And somehow, even in that moment of panic, there was something gentle in the way he held her—like she wasn't a burden, like she was something precious he didn't want to lose.
Nicole rushed forward. "Azan, she's not okay..."
"I know," he said quietly, already walking. His voice had dropped lower now, more serious, but still soft when he looked down at her. "I've got you."
Yvette's head rested weakly against his chest, and for a moment, her breathing slowed—just slightly—like his presence was pulling her back from wherever she had drifted.
They took her inside the lodge.
The atmosphere shifted immediately. Safer... but tense.
Azan laid her gently on the sofa, careful like she might break. His fingers hesitated for a second before leaving her arm, as if he didn't really want to let go.
Lucas tried to lighten it with a nervous laugh. "Maybe she just saw something small... like a cat or—"
"Lucas," Nicole cut in softly, "this is not funny."
Yvette's eyes slowly opened, but they didn't fully focus on anyone. Still, when Azan leaned closer, she reacted—just a little.
"Hey," he said gently, sitting beside her. "You're okay now."
Her gaze finally settled on him.
For a moment, the panic in her face softened.
Like she recognized something safe.
Like she trusted him.
Azan noticed it too, and his voice softened even more. "You scared me."
That made her blink slowly.
"I didn't mean to..." she whispered.
The room went quieter at her voice.
Azan gave a small, relieved smile. "Good. Then don't do that again."
Despite everything, the corner of her lips twitched slightly—almost a smile.
Irin exhaled. "She just needs rest."
Nicole nodded. "Yes... sleep will help."
Azan looked at Yvette again, then gently brushed a loose strand of hair from her face. "Do you want to sleep?"
Yvette didn't answer immediately. She just kept Azan stayed seated beside her, watching her breathing slowly steady.
"You're safe," he said again, almost like he was convincing her... or himself.
Yvette turned slightly toward him. "Azan..."
"Yeah?"
There was a pause. A soft, almost shy one.
"What are we?" she asked quietly.
Azan went still for a second, then gave a small nervous smile. "You really want to ask that now?"
Yvette didn't look away.
So he leaned in a little, more serious this time. "I don't know what label you want... but I care about you. A lot more than I probably should."
That made her eyes soften.
"You care about me?" she asked again, quieter.
"Yes," he said simply.
A long silence passed between them.
Then Yvette spoke, barely above a whisper.
"Then don't leave me."
Something in Azan's expression softened completely.
"I won't," he said.
And this time, it didn't sound like a promise said lightly.
It sounded like something he meant with his whole chest.
Yvette exhaled slowly, like she had been holding her breath for a long time.
"I want us all to leave here," she said softly. "Together."
Azan studied her face. "You're serious?"
She nodded.
A pause.
Then Azan gave a small smile. "If that's what makes you feel safe... we'll figure it out."
Yvette's eyes softened again.
"Okay..." she whispered.
Azan leaned back slightly, still watching her. "Now sleep."
This time, she didn't resist.
As her eyes slowly closed, Azan stayed beside her, quietly staring—not in fear, not in confusion... but in something warmer.
Something like care that had already gone too deep to turn back.
And for the first time that night...
Yvette didn't feel like she was running.
She felt like she had finally stopped.
Right next to him.