Chapter 171

A soft knock echoed through the small room, rousing Murat from his slumber. His eyes fluttered open, momentarily disoriented, before he took in his surroundings. The morning light seeped in through the small curtained window, casting a dim glow on the simple walls. His body ached slightly, a dull heaviness settling in his chest as his mind caught up to reality.

His gaze shifted downward, and his breath hitched.

Ayleen.

She was still sitting on the edge of the bed, her head slightly tilted to the side, deep in slumber. The way she had positioned herself, ensuring he had enough space to rest, made his heart tighten. She must have stayed like this the entire night, sacrificing her own comfort for his.

Murat swallowed the lump in his throat as his mother’s words from the letter echoed through his mind.

‘I see the way she looks at you.’

‘I prayed she would be the home for you that I had failed to be.’

He clenched his jaw, trying