Chapter 14: The night with your company

Days passed, and the week came to an end. Isabella was exhausted but not defeated. She had made small progress with Ethan, but she knew there was still much to do. Miranda remained a looming threat, and Alexander, although physically absent, was always watching from a distance, waiting to see if his bet on Isabella would pay off.

Isabella looked at the boy, who now seemed more relaxed as they finished the last project of the week. She knew the next month would be decisive, not only for Ethan but also for herself.

Afternoon had fallen, and silence hung over the house. Isabella watched Ethan as they wrapped up their coding project. Despite the day being complicated, she noticed small changes in the boy. His attitude was less cold, though he still remained distant. However, there was something in his gaze that unsettled her, a shadow of fear that she couldn’t shake off, and that worried her more than any academic challenge.

After dinner, Ethan climbed to his room in silence, lacking the typical energy of a child his age. Isabella decided to give him a few minutes before following him. She felt it was time to talk to him, to try to uncover what was bothering him so much. She slowly climbed the stairs, thinking about how she could approach him without making him feel invaded.

When she reached his room door, she knocked softly.

—Can I come in? —she asked from the threshold.

There was no immediate response, but after a few seconds, she heard Ethan’s soft “yes.” She opened the door carefully and found him sitting on his bed, looking out the window into the darkness outside. His small body seemed fragile, as if the weight of the world rested on his shoulders.

Isabella approached and sat at the edge of the bed, keeping a respectful distance. The silence between them was palpable, but she knew she couldn’t pressure him. She had to wait for him to want to talk.

—Ethan… —she began softly, choosing her words carefully—. I’ve noticed that you haven’t been sleeping well lately.

The boy continued to stare out the window, not moving a muscle. But Isabella didn’t give up.

—I know it’s not easy being here —she continued—. Things are complicated, and sometimes we can feel very alone. But I want you to know that I’m here to help you, whatever you need.

Ethan looked down, playing with the sheets between his fingers. Isabella felt a pang of pain in her heart. Something was happening with him, something deeper than just a child's fear. She decided to take a risk.

—If you want… —she said softly, gathering as much tenderness as she could—, I can stay with you at night. So you don’t feel so scared. You don’t have to be alone.

Ethan slowly lifted his head and looked at her for the first time since she entered the room. His eyes shone, but not in the cold and distant way he had shown before. There was a vulnerability in him that Isabella hadn’t seen until that moment. His lips trembled slightly before he could speak.

—Would you do that? —he asked quietly, incredulous.

Isabella nodded with a gentle smile.

—Of course I would, Ethan. I don’t want you to feel alone or afraid. If that helps you, I’ll be here every night until you feel better.

Ethan looked down again, and for a moment, Isabella feared she had pushed him too far. But then the boy spoke again, in a voice that was barely a whisper.

—Sometimes… sometimes I have nightmares. About a woman… and about being alone.

Isabella felt a knot in her throat. She knew she couldn’t solve all of Ethan’s problems overnight, but she wanted to give him something that would comfort him, something that would remind him he didn’t have to bear all that fear alone.

—You don’t have to explain it to me now if you don’t want to —she said softly—. But if you ever want to talk about it, I’ll be here to listen. No matter when or about what.

Ethan looked at her again, this time with a small spark of hope in his eyes.

—Do you promise you won’t leave? —he asked, almost fearful of the answer.

Isabella felt her heart tighten. She didn’t know exactly what had happened to Ethan, but it was clear he had faced things a child shouldn’t have to endure. She leaned in a little closer and, with a caring gesture, gently took his hand.

—I promise —she said, looking directly into his eyes—. I’m not going anywhere. Not while you need me.

Ethan squeezed her hand tightly, clinging to that promise as if it were a lifeline. Isabella knew that although this night might be a small step, it was progress. And for the first time, she felt that the wall between them was beginning to crumble.

—Thank you… —Ethan murmured, his voice almost fading away.

Isabella smiled tenderly and slowly got up from the bed.

—I’m going to get a blanket and a pillow —she said—. Tonight I’ll stay here with you, okay?

Ethan nodded silently, and though he didn’t say it in words, Isabella knew she had done the right thing. She understood this was just the beginning of a long struggle, but she was willing to give everything for that boy who, although he didn’t yet know it, meant more to her than she could have imagined.

Isabella returned with the blanket and the pillow, ready to spend the night in the chair next to Ethan. She knew that even if he didn’t tell her, he needed to feel accompanied. However, just as she was about to sit down, she heard his voice, low but firm.

—Isabella... —Ethan looked up, still with his head buried in the pillow—. Could you… could you lie down with me in bed? I don’t want you to sit there.

Isabella was surprised; she hadn’t expected that request, much less the vulnerable tone in which he had said it. Ethan was a boy who always tried to appear independent, even if it was just a facade. But in that moment, he seemed to have lowered all his defenses.

—Sure, Ethan, if that makes you feel better —she replied softly, trying not to show the knot that had formed in her throat.

She moved gently toward the bed, taking off the blanket she had brought for herself and settling down beside him. The mattress creaked under her weight, but Ethan didn’t seem to mind. As soon as Isabella lay down next to him, the boy turned toward her and, without saying another word, hugged her.

Isabella felt his small arms wrap around her, as if he were clinging to her for safety. For a few seconds, she remained still, surprised by the tenderness of the gesture. It was not common for Ethan to be so open, much less seek physical contact. But in that instant, the boy was holding her as if he feared that if he let go, all that scared him might return.

—Thank you, Isabella —Ethan murmured, his voice barely a whisper.

She wrapped him carefully, feeling how his small body trembled slightly. Perhaps it was fear, or perhaps he simply needed comfort he hadn’t had in a long time.

—I’m here, Ethan. I’m not going anywhere —she whispered as she gently stroked his hair, trying to convey calmness.

The boy closed his eyes and nestled closer to her, letting exhaustion overcome him little by little. His breathing began to slow, and within minutes, he fell deeply asleep, still holding on to Isabella. She, for her part, stayed awake a little longer, listening to the steady rhythm of his breathing and feeling the warmth of his small body beside her.

Something inside her stirred. This moment, so simple and so intimate, felt strangely familiar. A faint, blurry memory flashed through her mind: a hospital room, the sound of machines, and a sharp pain in her abdomen. She couldn’t see anything clearly, just shadows and distant voices. But that feeling of having a fragile little body next to her was painfully familiar.

She shook her head, pushing the thought away. It was ridiculous. She couldn’t cling to those vague sensations. The only thing that mattered now was Ethan and doing everything she could to help him.

As the night progressed and sleep began to take her, Isabella allowed herself to close her eyes. Although she knew the path ahead wouldn’t be easy, for the first time, she felt there was a real possibility of getting closer to Ethan and helping him overcome what tormented him. And with that certainty, she let sleep wash over her, embraced by that boy who, without either of them knowing yet, had always been a part of her life.

The next day, they would begin their true challenge, but that night had marked an important step. A connection betw

een them that would soon unveil deeper secrets than either of them had ever imagined.