Chapter 14 He Let Me His World
Coralyn’s POV
I wake up drenched in sweat. My sheets are twisted around my legs like I’ve been fighting them in my sleep. For a few seconds, I don’t even know where I am.
My heart is racing against my ribs, my chest feels tight, like a heavy weight is sitting on it, I can still feel the cold water and the memory of burning lungs still clinging to me from the pool yesterday.
Then the room comes into focus. I see the soft light coming through the curtains, I hear the quiet of the suite. This is the kind of luxury that still hasn’t started to feel real to me.
I sit up slowly, dragging a hand through my damp, messy hair. It was just a dream. Or maybe it was not just a dream.
Maybe my body is still remembering the feeling of sinking, even if my mind is trying to move past it. I swing my legs over the side of the bed. That’s when I see it.
There is a folded note sitting on the bedside table. My stomach tightens as I pick it up. I already know who it is from.
The handwriting is sharp and bold.
Cora,
I’ll be out for a while. Please don’t worry. Can you take care of the Zilla today? Orion
That’s it. There are no explanations. There are no details about where he went or why he left so early.
There is just his name at the bottom, written in that clean, confident way. It somehow still feels personal to me. I read it twice.
Then I read it a third time. Something about the simplicity of it settles my nerves. He trusts me.
He trusts me enough to leave his child with me after everything that happened. After the pool. After the embarrassment.
After… everything. I exhale slowly.
“Okay,” I murmured to the empty room.
The day passes quietly. It feels almost gentle compared to the chaos of yesterday. Zilla comes by not long after I am dressed.
Her presence fills the space in a way that makes me feel grounded. We sprawl across the couch together.
Netflix scrolls endlessly on the big screen in front of us.
“What are we even looking for?” Zilla asks.
She is flicking through the movie titles with the remote.
“Something mindless,” I say.
Zilla giggles.
“Good luck with that, Cora.”
We settle on something stupid and familiar. It is a cartoon that neither of us pays much attention to. Mostly we just exist together in the quiet.
We comment on the bright colors occasionally. We share snacks from the mini-bar. I let the hours blur into each other.
It’s nice. It feels normal.
Every so often, my thoughts drift back to Orion. I wonder where he went. I wonder what kind of mess he is dealing with.
I wonder if he is okay. I don’t say it out loud. I keep those thoughts locked away.
By the time darkness settles outside the windows, Zilla is restless. I scoop hrr up gently. I start humming a low tune without realizing I’m doing it.
The sound of my own voice surprises me. But it works. Her small body relaxes against mine so I put her to bed carefully. I linger a moment longer than I need to.
“Goodnight,” I whisper.
When I close the bedroom door, the house feels bigger. It feels quieter. That’s when the exhaustion hits me fully.
It is not just physically tiring. It is the kind of tired that lives deep in your bones. A shower sounds like heaven right now.
I go into the bathroom and turn the knobs. The water is hot. It is almost scalding, but I welcome the heat.
I step in and let it run over my shoulders. It flows down my back. It washes away the day and the bad memories.
It washes away the tension I’ve been carrying since Kade pushed me. I close my eyes. For the first time all day, I let myself breathe properly.
I don’t hear the door open. I don’t hear any footsteps over the sound of the spraying water. I only realize I’m not alone when the air in the bathroom changes.
The steam shifts.
“Cora.”
I gasp. I spin around slightly. My heart slams into my ribs like a trapped bird.
Orion stands just inside the doorway. Time stops moving. For a split second, we just stare at each other.
The steam curls between us in the air. The room is thick with heat and the shock of the moment. I am frozen.
My hand is still braced against the wet tiled wall. Water is sliding down my bare skin. His eyes widened.
Then he turns around instantly.
“I’m sorry,” he says.
His voice is fast and rough. “I didn’t know you were…I shouldn’t have…”
My mind finally catches up all at once.
“Oh my God,” I breathe.
“Orion—”
“I’ll wait outside,” he adds.
He is already halfway out the door. “I didn’t mean to…”
“Stop,” I blurt out.
He freezes in place. There is a long, strange pause where neither of us moves. My heart is still racing.
But it is not entirely from fear this time.
“I…” I swallow hard.
“I didn’t hear you come in.”
“I should’ve announced myself,” he says quietly.
He is still facing away from me. “That was my fault.”
I reach for a towel. I wrap it around myself with hands that are shaking.
“I’m… dressed now.”
There is another pause.
“Okay,” he says.
He turns back slowly. The moment our eyes meet, something shifts in the room. The air feels heavier.
It feels charged in a way I don’t know how to name. His gaze flicks away almost immediately. He is being respectful.
He is being careful. But he is not unaware of me.
“Did everything go okay?” he asks.
His voice is steadier now.
“Yes,” I say.
“She’s asleep. She was restless like two hours ago… but she's okay now.”
“Thank you,” he replies.
“I know I didn’t give you much notice.”
“It’s fine,” I say.
I really mean it.
“I didn’t mind at all.”
Silence settles between us again. It is different this time. It is not awkward.
It just feels full of things we aren't saying.
“I left a note,” he says.
It is like he is checking to make sure I got it.
“I saw it.”
He nods.
“Good.”
I hesitate for a second.
Then I ask, “Are you okay?”
He exhales slowly. He runs a hand through his dark hair.
“I am now.”
I don’t press him for more. I can tell when he doesn’t want to talk about business. This feels like one of those moments.
“I should finish up,” I say.
I gesture vaguely toward the shower.
“Of course,” he says.