The moment she opened her eyes, Abel was staring at her. She almost jumped, but her eyes softened as memory returned, and she remembered who was sitting beside her.
"Oops… sorry for startling you. Anyway, you're finally awake," Abel said, gathering the things they had brought with them.
"How long have I been sleeping?" Lisa asked, stretching slowly, her voice still thick with sleep.
"Well… ten minutes and thirty seconds," Abel replied.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. You should have woken me up," Lisa said, a little embarrassed.
"You were sleeping so peacefully," Abel answered softly, smiling. "It was beautiful to watch."
Lisa rolled her eyes, but a tiny smile escaped anyway. She removed her seat belt, ready to step out of the car, but Abel stopped her gently. He handed their bags to two security guards who had come to welcome them, then walked around to open the door for her. He offered his hand, careful, respectful, almost hesitant, as if afraid she might pull away.
Together they walked toward the house.
As they entered the lounge, Nina and Abel's mother were busy preparing food because Abel had called ahead to say they were coming. The moment they saw them walking side by side, they froze. They knew things were calmer between them now, but peace after such a terrible storm was still hard to believe.
No one forgot what Abel had done.
No one forgot the night he kidnapped Lisa and her mother.
The night fear filled the room.
The night a gun was raised.
The night a trigger was pulled.
Abel and Lisa greeted them gently and went to freshen up. When they returned, everyone was seated except Abel's father, who was out of the country for work.
The table looked like comfort itself: golden, roasted chicken glazed with honey and herbs, fluffy buttered rice, soft, homemade bread still warm, creamy mashed potatoes with melted cheese, a colorful salad of tomatoes and cucumbers, and a rich vegetable stew whose aroma wrapped the room in a warm embrace.
"Finally, the storm has calmed," Abel's mother said seriously. "Don't you see how good it is when you are both in harmony? No more fights or misunderstandings. Especially you, Abel. If something needs to be addressed, come to me. I will help."
Abel nodded quietly. "Okay, Mom."
Lisa smiled politely, but her eyes remained distant.
Dinner passed in gentle conversation, but beneath the laughter was caution. Healing was happening, slowly.
After dinner, Lisa went straight to her room and fell asleep again, exhaustion still clinging to her body.
The next morning, Abel woke before sunrise.
He stood outside Lisa's door, hand raised, unsure if he had the right to knock. Finally, he went downstairs and made breakfast himself. It wasn't perfect, scrambled eggs too buttery, toast slightly burnt, tea overly sweet, but he tried.
When Lisa came down and saw everything ready, Abel pretended it meant nothing.
"I was hungry," he shrugged.
But Lisa saw the messy kitchen. She saw his nervous eyes watching her take the first bite.
"Thank you," she whispered.
From that day on, Abel began proving himself, not with promises but with quiet actions.
Because words meant little after what he had done.
He learned to ask permission before entering her space.
He lowered his voice when she flinched at loud sounds.
He removed every reminder of that terrible night, so Lisa would never again see his violent side or any weapon.
He followed her carefully, never too close, ready in case she felt dizzy. He attended her doctor visits, sitting silently, holding her bag, never forcing conversation. He cooked meals safe for her pregnancy. He learned what foods she should eat, what medicine she must avoid, and how much rest she needed.
Lisa hoped he would open up about his life, his family, and why he insisted the child was his. Each time she asked, he would politely tell her not to worry until the baby was born. Most of the time, he would make sure to run away from the question or politely change the subject. Lisa tried to talk to Abel's parents and Nina, but none of them was willing to share any information that she was looking for. She really felt like she was hitting a dead end each time she tried to dig into this mysterious family. It was really exhausting, without her realising she wasn't eating properly anymore, and she ended up feeling sick.
When Lisa got sick with a cold, Abel stayed awake all night checking her temperature. He made soup, clumsy but warm. He braided her hair gently when she was too tired.
He was learning to be caring through repentance.
Also, Abel tried to figure out how she got PTSD, but it seemed Lisa also didn't want to share. It's like a topic that was too sensitive for her to touch.
One evening, Lisa watched him ironing her clothes, concentrating so hard he didn't notice her.
"You'll ruin it," she teased softly.
He looked up nervously. "Then I'll buy ten more."
Lisa laughed, but tears filled her eyes. She couldn't help thinking of Henry. He meant a lot to her, and she still was not convinced that her relationship would end like that. She might be slow sometimes, even naive, but she knew she would not be reckless with her life. Her instincts kept telling her that Abel's story was not complete.
She decided to drop digging for a while because she was getting stressed, and any form of stress was always inviting sickness.
On another note, this Abel did not seem like the man who kidnapped her and her mother.
He looked like someone trying to bury that man forever.
One quiet Sunday afternoon, Lisa had been silent all day. Abel sat near her, reading quietly, giving her space. After hours, she finally spoke.
"Why are you trying so hard?"
Abel closed his book slowly.
"Because I hurt you in a way that can never be undone," he said. "And I know I don't deserve forgiveness. But I want to become someone you can rely on."
Lisa looked at him for a long time.
Then she whispered, "I see your effort."
He didn't ask for more.
He knew healing was not his to demand.
From then on, Abel kept proving himself in small, everyday ways:
Walking her to the garden at sunset.
Cooking when she was tired.
Giving her silence when memories overwhelmed her.
He still made mistakes.
But he apologized quickly, changed sincerely, and waited patiently.
Every day, Abel chose to try, hoping that one day Lisa's heart might find peace again.
On another note, Lisa and her family seemed to be improving their relationship. But Carol was always nonchalant; she was another mystery she didn't know how to unfold.