Chapter 168: Sinan Loves Me

It had been ages since she had seen him. Seeing him suddenly filled her with such joy that she broke into a run toward him.

Had she been just a little more observant, she would have noticed the pain etched on his face.

She would have noticed the pain etched on his face.

As she ran toward him, he was already walking toward her.

He swiftly shed his suit jacket, then his shirt.

Two steps away, he reached out and drew Eliza toward him. He pressed his palm against the back of her head and pulled her into his embrace.

Eliza froze, her face pressed against his burning chest. She dared not move, cautiously lifting her gaze upward.

She whispered, "What's wrong, Sinan?"

Sinan breathed heavily; his breath sounded like that of a beast fresh from battle.

Suddenly, her forehead felt a chill.

This kiss was different from before.

He simply pressed his lips firmly against her forehead, so tightly that she could feel them trembling slightly.

He would sometimes reward her with a kiss, but always just on the forehead.

Like an elder kissing a younger person.

Never like this, as if he wanted to melt her into his own body.

"Eliza..."

Eliza looked up, but her view was limited.

She saw his Adam's apple roll as if restrained. Suddenly, the hand pressing against the back of her head tightened, pulling her back into his embrace as if he didn't want her to see his expression.

"What's wrong?"

Sinan remained silent for a long time. When he finally spoke, his low, hoarse voice seemed tinged with pain.

"You'll be in danger if you follow me."

Eliza had already seen the blood on the discarded shirt a few steps away.

Whose was it? Was he hurt?

"Don't move!"

Only later did she understand why Sinan had stripped before embracing her.

He didn't want her to smell the blood on his clothes.

Then there was the danger he'd mentioned.

After that, Eliza was convinced that someone from the Schmitt family had hurt him. She caused all sorts of trouble: beating people up and stuffing them into bags.

Later, she realized why things had gone so smoothly back then.

Sinan had deliberately let her run wild while secretly assigning people to protect her.

After that, she was sent to Stilles Haus.

Only then did she understand what Sinan meant by "danger."

If safety was the issue, there was no safer place than Stilles Haus.

"Lia..."

Eliza's grip on Lia's hand tightened until it hurt.

Even when Lia whimpered softly in pain, Eliza didn't let go.

She clung to Lia's hand as if it were her sole lifeline, terrified that letting go would cause her to faint.

"What's wrong? You look terrifying right now.”

"Sinan...he—"

Eliza lifted her head, and Lia froze.

This woman, who wouldn't cry even if her foot were nailed to the floor, now had tears blurring her vision.

"Sinan loves me, doesn't he?"

Lia didn't understand how the topic had shifted so abruptly.

She frowned slightly and offered comfort. "Yes, Sinan cherishes you. We can all see that."

"Yes."

Eliza's smile turned to tears as she whispered, "I always knew he cherished me. I always knew...”

After those words, all the strength seemed to drain from her body.

The instant she released Lia's hand, Eliza collapsed back onto the pillow.

Her hollow eyes brimmed with tears, making her look incredibly fragile.

Lia rarely saw Eliza like this.

She panicked.

Originally sitting on the bedside, she found herself kneeling without realizing it.

She was a bit at a loss.

"Um... Should I comfort you? I don't know what happened."

Lia wiped her hands on her clothes. "How about I give you a hug? Let you feel some motherly love?"

“Get lost!”

Eliza kicked her off the bed.

Luckily, the thick carpet cushioned Lia's fall. She scrambled up in panic and met Eliza's fierce glare.

Before Lia could speak, Eliza exploded. "I shed a couple of tears, and you think you can play mommy? I'm perfectly fine!"

Lia cursed in frustration. "If you're fine, why didn't you say so? Stop playing the damsel in distress! Those were crocodile tears!"

Was that analogy off?

But Eliza shot back, "Watch out, or I'll snap your neck!"

"No! My face is so pretty. If my neck snaps, it'll ruin my face."

Eliza glared at her sideways.

Her gaze was like a knife, laced with her signature mockery.

"Um, you rest well. I'll leave right away."

Lia swore she'd only ever yielded to a handful of people in her life.

She often felt like she lived an unjust life.

At times like this, she always felt like picking on others.

"Theodor."

"What?" Theodor's voice sounded tense, even though the background was noisy and his end was windy. "You little brat! You scare me when you talk like that. Spit it out—what are you up to this time?"

Lia returned to her room and pushed aside a row of gorgeous gowns.

Thinking it was still early, she decided to sleep on it.

But sleep wouldn't come. Having just been bullied by Eliza, she felt deeply unsettled.

Sprawled out in a star shape on her bed, staring at the ceiling, she muttered, “Do you want a girlfriend?”

"No, I don't like women or men. I like animals. Don't send me women. If you must send something, send me a cat."

After all, this little brat had pulled stunts like this before:

There were over a dozen women in bikinis mixed with a few heavily made-up transvestites.

He’d been drunk out of his mind then. That scene nearly scared him to death.

He later found out that Niklas from the Müller family had arranged it for Lukas. The woman was his classmate.

This was his sister!

She didn't care about tormenting her brother at all.

Theodor had pondered this for years and still couldn't fathom it. What was so wrong with him? Why did Lia treat him so differently from Ludwig?

She simply wouldn't listen to him.

She only heard what she wanted to, ignoring his refusal completely.

"Ask me—what kind of beauty am I introducing to you?"

Theodor slapped his forehead. "Who?"

Shit. She still had him wrapped around her finger.

“Eliza.”

"Just kill me."

Eliza was just as wild as she was. He didn't want his home to be a circus every day for the rest of his life.

Besides, everyone knew Eliza was Sinan's woman.

"If you haven't woken up yet, pull the covers over your head and go back to sleep. Stop this nonsense.”

"Theodor..." Lia squeaked, feigning a pitiful tone.

Theodor gritted his teeth in frustration. "Account number."

Lia immediately grinned and rattled off the number of the card that Theodor often transferred money to.

She had said it so many times—mainly because she had pestered him so often—that she knew it by heart. Ironically, Theodor, the card's owner, couldn't remember it, even though he had a sharp memory for other details.

"I transferred you a million dollars. Take good care of it.”

She was so happy.

Having a rich big brother felt amazing.

She casually asked, "Theodor, where are you?"

"Overseas, I’m handling business. I'm coming back next week. I've got a collaboration project to wrap up before Ludwig's wedding."

She scratched her ear. "Theodor, I was just asking. You didn't have to be so detailed."

“Who knows what else you'd say next!”

“I might as well be proactive and get it all out at once.”

Lia laughed while she was rolling around on the bed. "Oh, right. Theodor, I'm Molly's bridesmaid. I've confirmed it. Besides me, there are two other couples. I haven't found a partner yet. Since you're single anyway, how about I pair up with you?"

Theodor gritted his teeth. "Lia, act like a lady!"

She hung up immediately.

Thinking of the million dollars in her bank account, her mood instantly lifted.

She slept for an unknown length of time.