Her mind was cluttered enough. It was time for Charlotte to untangle one of those knots.
How long would she keep living like this?
Suddenly, Charlotte closed her eyes, causing Leonid to tilt his head, sensing that something was wrong.
"What's the matter?"
"No need for that."
"What?"
Leonid raised an eyebrow, surprised by her response, which seemed as though Charlotte had completely ignored his question.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and gently removed his hands from her shoulders.
"I'm fine... There's no need to spend another night together."
Her full lips trembled before she forced herself into a faint smile.
"I appreciate you staying by my side all this time... And now, we can both rest."
"That... is surprising."
Leonid narrowed his eyes as he stared at her, as if forcing his mind to break through her barrier and understand what was going on in her head.
A silence settled between them for a moment before he sighed and said, with a tone that didn't hide his rejection:
"To the point where I can't accept your wish."
Charlotte's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't utter a word. She couldn't argue with his words, not after everything she had done to him.
She had learned to be grateful to those who treated her kindly and to meet cruelty with patience. That's how she was raised, that's what she had always been told.
But now... she no longer wanted to stay near him any longer.
It wasn't just confused feelings; it was closer to a sense of impending danger.
She had to reconsider, to put an end to everything.
What if he too was pushed into the abyss because of her? What if he ended up... dead, just because he stayed close to her?
"I'm sorry."
Charlotte said it sincerely, realizing that she no longer had the luxury of silence.
She didn't know what that psycho might do, and she wasn't willing to risk losing Leonid... just because she had hidden the truth of her bitter reality.
"I'll leave."
She whispered that, clenching her fists tightly, trying to ignore the objection that flared in his eyes.
"You need to rest... we both need to rest."
"That's not enough of an excuse."
Leonid said, stepping quickly toward her.
He gently shoved her against the wall, his hand trapping her shoulder, the other lifting her chin to force her to look into his eyes.
"Is it because of what I said? If so... I take it back, every word of it."
Charlotte narrowed her eyes for a moment, then slowly shook her head.
"Please... give me some time alone."
She said it softly, not daring to look him in the eye.
Upon hearing her response, Leonid's jaw clenched, and he ground his teeth, trying to appear calm despite the storm raging inside him.
"I'm not trying to control you, and I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."
He said in a low voice, then gently freed her chin before leaning his face toward hers, forcing her eyes to meet his.
"But you're not okay yet, Charlotte. You need someone by your side... always. I can't leave you alone now, and I won't later."
Leonid knew that letting her return alone to her apartment meant risking everything.
Her mental state couldn't handle isolation, and her mind was dangerously exhausted.
But what if...
What if he told her the truth? What if he revealed everything that was happening, and explained the nature of her situation?
Maybe... just maybe, he could keep her close without making her feel trapped.
"Charlotte, listen to me—"
"I don't want to!"
She interrupted him with a shout, charged with resentment and exhaustion, no longer caring about his feelings.
"I said I want to go back to my apartment! I want to be alone! Why won't you leave me alone?! Why?!"
Leonid froze in place, and silence settled between them for seconds that felt longer than they were.
He hadn't expected this outburst, nor to see that look in Charlotte's eyes... the look of a woman on the edge of collapse.
Charlotte took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling quickly, as if she were fighting the very air itself.
Leonid slowly lowered his hand from the wall and took a step back.
"Alright..."
He said calmly, his voice softer than she had expected.
"I won't stop you."
He looked at her with a mysterious gaze, as if something inside him had broken, or perhaps changed.
"But if you need me, at any moment... don't hesitate."
Then, he quietly walked away from her, without adding anything else.
Tears sparkled in Charlotte's eyes, as if the realization had struck her heart with force. She slowly shook her head and whispered, pointing to herself:
"Leonid, I didn't mean—"
"It's okay."
He interrupted her, raising his hand to stop her from justifying herself. He knew she was disturbed, and that what she was saying didn't reflect what was in her heart.
"Go and take your time... I hope you find some rest."
Guilt overwhelmed her to the point of almost suffocating her. She bit her lower lip, trying to hold back her tears. Then, she nodded with a trembling voice:
"Thank you... for everything."
"Don't make it seem like we're separating, we're not."
He said, laughing bitterly, trying to keep a light tone that wouldn't hurt her further.
"I'm sorry."
She apologized, her voice hoarse.
"Stop apologizing, Charlotte. You're claiming your right. You shouldn't force yourself to endure me being by your side."
Leonid shook his head, removed his jacket, and headed inside, adding:
"Close the door behind you… when you leave."
"Leonid… Leonid..."
She called him weakly, clutching the hem of her shirt tightly as she watched his back retreat. Guilt was eating her up slowly, making her feel like she was ruining everything, hurting everyone... as if she were a danger that needed to be kept away.
Charlotte approached the coffee table in the living room, grabbed Kaiser's shirt, and paused before she left to say in a broken voice.
"I'm sorry... really."
Her words were carved into the tears that silently streamed down her cheeks. Leonid heard her apology, but he didn't turn around, nor did he leave his room.
After the door closed, he walked to his bed, lay on his back, and covered his eyes with his wrist.
He didn't know what had suddenly come over her after everything... but one thing was certain:
He couldn't sit idly by.
After making sure Leonid's apartment door was closed, Charlotte paused for a moment, staring into the void as if time had frozen before she began to walk. She was clutching Kaiser's shirt tightly against her chest with trembling arms, unable to hold back her tears.
Her steps slowed as she passed by the mourning flowers scattered on the floor. She murmured a silent prayer, then continued walking, her heartbeat pounding heavily, each step down the hallway feeling like it was leading her into a deeper abyss.
She fought her tears with all her strength, disgusted with herself. She felt ungrateful... that's how she saw herself dragging her disappointment, wounding her conscience with every step.
She passed her own apartment door and kept walking until she reached Kaiser's doorstep. She only wanted to return his shirt forgotten despite the heavy conversation they'd had.
She raised her hand slowly and pressed the doorbell. Her finger tapped the button absentmindedly as chestnut strands of her hair fell over her face, hiding her tear-clouded eyes, drowning in emotions too tangled to escape from.
At that moment, Kaiser stepped out of the bathroom, shirtless, droplets of water sliding from the ends of his red hair, trailing slowly over his skin. His white athletic pants clung lazily to his sculpted waist.
"Who is it?"
He muttered to himself, glancing at the wall clock, his amber eyes gleaming faintly with disinterest.
It was too early for Natalia to be back from work. Who could be at his door at this hour? And who would dare bother him when he had only just begun to reclaim his peace of mind?
He grabbed a towel and started drying his hair as he walked toward the door, his hand reaching for the handle slowly.
Kaiser opened the door with visible lethargy, only to find Charlotte standing there, holding his shirt in her hands.
He didn't say a word, just stared at her in silence a long, assessing look devoid of expression. But his eyes couldn't hide the flicker of surprise that passed through them.
Charlotte stood there, breathing heavily, tears clinging to her lashes and shimmering under the light.
She extended her hand toward him, offering the shirt without lifting her gaze from the ground, and whispered in a hoarse voice:
"Your shirt... I'm sorry for returning it so late."
Kaiser took the shirt from her slowly, his fingers brushing against hers for a moment. He raised an eyebrow slightly and said in a lazy tone:
"I had forgotten about it."
His other hand was still towel-drying his damp hair before he draped the towel over his shoulder and added calmly:
"In any case, it doesn't matter whether you returned it now or later... what matters to me is: what's wrong with you?"
He didn't like the way she looked.
But Charlotte didn't respond. She just stared at the ground, her tears slipping down her cheeks in painful silence.
She was on the verge of breaking down under the weight of her guilt.