Chapter 21
Evening brought a sudden downpour. Maya was brewing coffee in the kitchen when thunder roared outside and raindrops hammered against the windows. She had just closed the windows when urgent knocking came from the front door.
“Who is it?” She opened the door to find Daniel standing outside, completely soaked, clutching something in his arms.
“Come in quickly!” She stepped aside to let him enter.
Daniel hurried inside and carefully opened his jacket, revealing a tiny white kitten curled up in his arms. It was trembling.
“Found it at the end of the alley. It almost got swept away by the water.” His voice was low, tinged with concern.
Maya immediately grabbed a towel and gently wrapped the kitten. “Let’s dry it off first. I’ll get the hair dryer.”
As she turned to leave, Daniel caught her wrist.
“Your hair’s wet too.” He frowned, reaching up to brush rainwater from her shoulder.
They were standing close. Maya could smell the faint scent of rain on him, mixed with a hint of clean pine. Her heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively stepped back.
Daniel dropped his hand and cleared his throat softly. “Let’s take care of the cat first.”
“Right.” She looked down, her ears growing warm.
Maya sat on the living room carpet, gently stroking the kitten’s head. It had fallen asleep, its tiny body rising and falling with each breath.
Daniel approached with two cups of warm milk, handing her one. “Not going to bed yet?”
“I’ll stay with it a little longer.” She accepted the milk, the cup warm against her fingertips.
Daniel sat beside her. After a moment of silence, he suddenly spoke. “Maya.”
“What is it?”
“If someday…” He paused, his voice very soft. “If you wanted to start a new relationship, what kind of person would you consider?”
Maya froze and turned to look at him. Moonlight streamed through the window, casting silver light across Daniel’s profile. He still wore that gentle smile, but his eyes held undisguised, intense emotion.
Her heartbeat suddenly quickened. A faint blush colored her cheeks as she hurriedly looked away. “I… I haven’t thought about it.”
Daniel smiled and didn’t press further. They sat quietly together, only the kitten’s soft purring echoing in the room.
Maya crouched in the corner of the courtyard, holding a small piece of fish as she carefully fed the white kitten. The kitten ate eagerly, occasionally nuzzling her fingers with its head and purring contentedly.
She couldn’t help but laugh softly, gently tapping its nose with her fingertip.
“Daniel, do you think it’s gotten a bit fatter?” she asked without turning around, assuming Daniel had come over.
There was no response from behind, only the rustling of wind through leaves. Maya frowned slightly and was about to turn when someone suddenly embraced her from behind.
A familiar scent instantly enveloped her–crisp cedar mixed with a faint trace of tobacco. It was Jason’s scent.
Her body went rigid.
“I finally found you…” Jason whispered in her ear, his voice low and hoarse, with barely concealed trembling.
His arms circled tightly around her waist, as if afraid she would vanish the next second.
Maya’s breath caught, then she regained her composure.
“Let go,” she spat.
But not only did Jason not release her, he held her tighter, as if trying to merge her into himself. “Maya, do you know how long I’ve been searching for you? I turned Southcrest upside down, sent people abroad. How could you just disappear like that?”
“Jason Reid,” she called him by his full name, her tone completely flat. “Let me go.”
“I won’t!” His voice suddenly rose, tinged with barely controlled fury. “What right did you have to leave? To just disappear without a word? Do you know that 1-*
Before he could finish, a figure rushed at him from the side, landing a fierce punch to Jason’s face.
