Page 295 of Nemesync
I stood up, ready to go. Niko took my hand like a gentleman and helped me move toward the exit of the cemetery. “Everything is going to be okay, Zanae. I’ll send someone to pick up your car. Come with me.”
“Now, I know,” I replied, taking his hand.
With a confident smirk, he shook his head and declared, “I knew you loved me; Elijah is going to hate it.”
We left the quiet of the cemetery, the journey in the car not too explosive, I was tired, and Niko understood it. The two of usentered the penthouse, my eyes found Elijah, and I didn’t have to say anything, he knew how I felt.
He rose from the sofa, his eyes softening when they landed on me. “Looks like someone’s been crying. What happened?”
Quickly wiping my eyes, I answered, “It’s nothing, Elijah. Just emotions.”
“Emotions, you sure?”
He moved closer, his gaze softening, and he placed a protective arm around me, “Milaya… Why are you crying?”
Looking up at him, my voice gentle, I breathed, “I went to the cemetery, Elijah, and it’s been a while.”
He tightened his grip on me, whispering, “You should have told me, Zanae.”
Sensing the shift in the atmosphere, Niko decided to back off a bit, giving us a moment.
“I told you, Zanae, you don’t need to face everything alone. I’m here for you,” he admitted with a soft smile playing on his lips.
I nodded quietly, feeling the air ease in my lungs. “It’s okay.”
He tenderly wiped away a tear, “You’re not alone anymore. You have me.”
He kissed my forehead, and I just melted in his arms, falling in love all over again.
Standing there, watching Niko leave with a mischievous grin, I felt Elijah’s warm hand gently squeezing mine.
“Ready for tonight?”
I nodded, excitement bubbling within me. He leaned in, his lips brushing against mine, and as we parted, I couldn’t resist teasing him, “You know, I love kissing you.”
“Then get ready for plenty more.”
I hugged Niko and whispered a little “thank you” before going to the room to get ready.
Standing in front of the mirror, I took a moment to appreciate the woman looking back at me. My eyes didn’t feel empty anymore; they felt hurt, but full of life, full of love, full of emotions. The dress was stunning. I felt beautiful and happy, a feeling that took me a long time to accept and embrace.
Learning to love myself and be less harsh on myself regarding my actions and thoughts has been a journey and I was still learning.
The guilt, anxiety, and sadness used to steal my peace and everything I needed to feel better.
Feeling uncomfortable in your own skin and struggling with self-esteem deeply affects our perception of the world. I’ve always found it scary to trust myself, having a hard time understanding the good things others saw in me when I couldn’t see them myself.
Sometimes it felt like I was on the brink of failure, but then I realized that life was all about this: finding yourself, loving every part of your own person, giving time for your pain to heal, not being mastered by your own sorrows, feeling every ounce of emotion.
Zanae Dellé, you are a beautiful soul.
I felt a surge of confidence stepping out of the room.
Elijah, leaning against the wall, raised an eyebrow. “You’re magnificent,Milaya. I might have trouble focusing on anything else.”
A blush crept up my cheeks, but I couldn’t hide my grin.
We headed towards the car, his hand finding its way to my thigh, the warmth of his touch was so lovely.
