Chapter 4 Sarah's POV

It had been a month since that day. A month since Andrew had started acting differently. At first, I thought it was some kind of trick-maybe a twisted way to make me lower my guard so he could hurt me again. But as the days passed, his behavior never changed. He wasn't the same cold and distant man I had met. Instead, he was... softer. More patient. He actually looked at me now, really looked at me, like he was trying to understand something. Not that it mattered. I wasn't going to be fooled.

Brian, on the other hand, was still the same arrogant little brat who made my life difficult at every chance he got. But I had learned to ignore his antics. At least my leg had fully healed-thanks to Andrew. I didn't like to admit it, but he had taken care of me. He had personally changed my bandages every day, even when I told him I could do it myself. I sighed, staring at my reflection in the mirror. Was this really me? I picked up a brush and started combing my hair, letting the long strands flow over my shoulders. "At least I should look good for myself," I muttered, running my fingers through the soft waves. Just then, the door opened. I turned my head to see Andrew walking in, dressed in his usual black suit. But instead of his usual unreadable expression, he flashed me a small smile. I blinked. I wasn't used to this side of him. The warmth in his eyes, the way he seemed... comfortable around me. It felt strange. Without saying a word, he walked toward me and gently took the comb from my hand. I frowned. "What are you doing?" He smirked slightly, twirling the comb between his fingers. "I want to help my wife. Can't I?" I froze. Wife. Did he just call me his wife? Not in that mocking, contract-bound way he usually did-but in a way that almost felt... real? I swallowed hard, my heart beating strangely fast. "You don't have to do that," I said, trying to sound unaffected. "But I want to," he said simply. Then, before I could protest, he stood behind me and gently ran the comb through my hair. I stiffened. His touch was careful, his fingers occasionally brushing against my scalp, sending an unexpected warmth through me. I could see his reflection in the mirror-his eyes focused, his movements slow and deliberate. I didn't understand this man. The same man who once ignored me. The same man who barely looked at me before. Why was he acting like this now? I bit my lip, trying to ignore the way my heart was reacting to his closeness. "Why are you doing this?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. He met my gaze through the mirror. "Because I want to take care of you." I felt my breath hitch. Lies. It had to be lies. But then... why did his words sound so sincere? I couldn't make sense of it. When he was done combing my hair, Andrew didn't stop there. He carefully styled it, as if he'd done it a thousand times before. His hands were steady, his movements deliberate and sure, like he was focused on perfecting every strand. There was something oddly intimate about it, something that made my heart race faster than it should. Once he was satisfied with the way my hair looked, he placed the comb down gently, his eyes lingering on me for a moment. "You're looking beautiful," he said quietly, his voice surprisingly soft. The words hung in the air, and I was too stunned to respond. This was the first time he had ever given me a compliment that felt real, not forced or out of obligation. "I'm going to work," he said as he stepped back, almost like nothing had changed. "Let me know if you need anything, or if there are any problems," he added, his voice steady but with an undertone of genuine concern. All I could do was nod. I didn't trust myself to say anything. His sudden kindness was too much for me to handle. Maybe he was just being polite, or maybe it was part of some larger plan he had, but I wasn't ready to believe it was for real. Andrew turned to leave, but then he stopped and looked at me once more. To my surprise, he gently turned my face toward him, leaning in to place a soft kiss on my forehead. The gesture caught me completely off guard. His lips were warm, lingering for just a second before pulling away. When he left, I stood there, frozen, staring at my reflection in the mirror. I reached up to touch the spot on my forehead where his lips had just been. The sensation of it lingered, warm and strange. I couldn't deny it. My cheeks were burning. No... I couldn't be blushing, could I? I shook my head, trying to shake off the feeling. No, it was just a kiss-nothing more. But deep down, I knew it was more than that. Something was changing between us, and I didn't know if I was ready for it. I stood there, my fingers still pressed against the spot on my forehead, trying to wrap my mind around what just happened. My heart was racing, my emotions swirling inside me like a storm I couldn't control. The kiss wasn't something I expected. It felt... real, but why? Why would he do that? After a long moment, I snapped out of my thoughts. I pulled my hand away from my forehead, feeling the heat still lingering there. My reflection stared back at me, but this time, I wasn't sure who I saw. The girl in the mirror didn't seem like me. She looked different, more vulnerable, more... hopeful. I took a deep breath, trying to calm the chaos in my mind. I had to keep my guard up. One kiss, one moment of kindness-none of it meant he had changed. He was still the same Andrew, the cold man who controlled everything. This couldn't be the beginning of anything real. But then why did his kindness feel so genuine? Why did it stir something in me I hadn't felt in a long time? I sighed, frustrated with myself for even thinking about it. I wasn't here to fall for him. I wasn't here to get caught up in whatever game he was playing. I pulled myself together and got up from the chair, walking towards the door. There was no time to dwell on this. I had to focus on the present-on what was happening now. As I made my way downstairs, I noticed Brian, sitting at the dining table, his face buried in his phone. He was still as distant as ever, but I couldn't help but feel a twinge of sympathy for him. He didn't ask for any of this, just like I didn't. "Good morning," I said, breaking the silence, though my words felt strange. Brian barely looked up, giving me a slight nod before going back to whatever he was doing. "Morning," he muttered, not caring much about anything. I shrugged it off, sitting down at the table across from him. I was used to this by now. But then, just as I was about to start eating, the door opened again. Andrew walked in, his presence commanding as always. But today, something was different. There was a quietness to him, a tension that hadn't been there before. He glanced at me briefly, his eyes lingering for just a second longer than usual. "Are you okay?" he asked, his tone softer than I expected. I froze. "Yes," I replied, keeping my voice steady even though I felt my heart skip a beat. "Why do you ask?" He didn't respond right away. Instead, he seemed to study me for a moment, his gaze lingering like he was trying to understand something that wasn't there before. For a moment, I thought maybe I imagined the change in him. Maybe it was just me wanting to see something that wasn't there. But then he spoke again, his words almost hesitant. "I just... want to make sure you're alright," he said quietly. I stared at him, unsure how to react. My thoughts were a whirlwind. What was happening to him? What was happening to me? "I'm fine," I said finally, though the words felt hollow even as I spoke them. Andrew didn't say anything else. He just turned and walked out of the room, leaving me with my thoughts and the unanswered questions that were building in my mind. I shook my head, trying to push the confusion away. I wasn't going to fall for this. I couldn't. But deep down, I knew it was getting harder to keep that promise.