Chapter 86: Addiction or Obsession
Mira hadn’t expected him to say that. She stared at the screen, her eyes wide in surprise. Zamian watching her sleep through the video call was something new, something she hadn’t anticipated at all. She was speechless—not that she really minded it, but a flutter of nervousness stirred within her. What if... just what if she drooled in her sleep? The thought alone was enough to make her want to hide under the covers. That would be so embarrassing. Or worse, what if she snored? She mentally cringed, her cheeks flushing with the possibility.
She tried to shake the thought away, hoping to focus on something else. Anything else. "You need to rest too; you’ve had a long journey," she said, her voice soft, almost pleading, as she attempted to change the subject. She knew he had traveled for hours and couldn’t imagine how exhausting it must have been. But Zamian, stubborn as ever, refused to budge.
"I haven’t arrived yet. I’m still in the car," he said, his voice low and soothing. There was something almost hypnotic in the way he spoke, as if he was trying to lull her to sleep with his words alone. "Go ahead, sleep."
Mira hesitated, glancing at the screen again. He was serious. The calm, commanding tone of his voice made it impossible for her to argue further. With a small sigh, she finally set the phone on the bedside table, positioning it so that the camera still faced her. She lay down, pulling the blanket up to her chin, feeling a little self-conscious about being watched. The thought of him staring at her while she slept made her heart race, but she didn’t want to disappoint him. So, she closed her eyes.
At first, her body remained tense, fully aware of his presence on the other side of the call. She tried to calm her racing thoughts—would he notice if she shifted too much? Would he be able to hear her soft breathing? But, slowly, the fatigue of the day began to wash over her. The warmth of the blanket, combined with the deep comfort of her bed, soon lulled her into a deep sleep.
Zamian, on the other end of the line, watched her face as she drifted off. His expression softened, a rare smile forming on his lips as he took in the sight of her peaceful slumber. It was a side of her he hadn’t seen before, and it filled him with an inexplicable sense of warmth. Her usually lively features were now relaxed, her chest rising and falling steadily with each breath. She looked almost angelic, the soft glow of the screen casting gentle shadows on her face. If only he could be there in person to tuck back the few stray strands of hair that had fallen across her forehead.
His gaze lingered on her for a long moment, but soon the car came to a halt, pulling him out of his reverie. He hadn’t even noticed they’d arrived. John, started to speak.
"Where should I—"
"Shut up," Zamian’s voice cut through the silence, though it was barely above a whisper. Despite the low tone, the authority in his voice was unmistakable. John immediately silenced himself, realizing that Zamian was still on the call. The silence in the car had made him forget, and now he could only nod, his face paling slightly as he processed the situation. He didn’t dare make another sound.