"Then just take a moment to really enjoy this here and now," he said, his tone relaxed but earnest. "Don’t mess it up. And don’t run away from what you’re feeling." He wasn’t sure why he felt the need to say that, but it just came out.

Zeynep paused for a second, trying to wrap her head around what he just said. Zayden noticed her reaction and quickly realized he had messed up. A wave of embarrassment hit him hard. They were totally on different wavelengths; he thought she might take his words as an invitation to spend the night together, while she was just focused on figuring out how to get out of the woods. In her mind, she figured he’d pick up on her vibe and understand that she wanted to leave without having to say it outright. The tension between them was thick, making it clear how off-track they really were.

Clearing his throat, Zayden tried to recover. "Uhh, you know, I mean—" He stumbled, searching for the right words. "What I meant was, you can stick around here. I mean, why pass up this chance when you’ve already got it?" He forced a nervous smile.

He was feeling totally confused and a bit nervous, something he had never felt in front of anyone else before. This girl was different; she made him feel all kinds of things he hadn’t experienced before. He really wanted to hold her and be close to her, but he knew he had to keep it cool since they barely knew each other, just three days, after all. Plus, he couldn’t shake off the fact that he was already engaged to someone whom he didn’t even care about. He stared at his ring and twisted it around his finger absentmindedly, lost in thought. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

She noticed him do that and felt a wave of nerves. "Uhh, okay, I get it," she said quietly, but seeing the ring made her heart ache for reasons she couldn’t explain.

Driven by curiosity, she asked, "Are you married?" while pointing at the ring.

He gave a slow smile and replied, "Umm, yeah." The words just slipped out before he even realized it. He felt a rush of guilt; why had he lied? It was too late to take it back.

Inside his head, he thought, "I wish I could rewind to when I got engaged. Back then, I thought I’d never fall for anyone and that I’d end things after sorting out my life. Now I’m here, feeling all this regret. Can I really break off the engagement just because I’m falling for someone?" The confusion and longing hit him hard, leaving him feeling stuck.

He then asked with a grin, "So, are you married?"

She laughed and said, "Do you really think I’d be here if I were married? I’m Turkish, and Turkish guys don’t exactly like their women being with someone else, especially their wives."

He smiled back and said, "I don’t think any guy likes the idea of his wife being with another man. I sure don’t."

She brushed her hair back and chuckled, "But they seem to enjoy chasing after someone else’s wife more than dealing with their own!"

He paused for a moment, pondering her words, then replied, "I don’t think that’s how it goes. Most guys would feel the same about being faithful."

With a playful eyebrow raise, she shot back, "Really? That’s your take on it?"

He smiled, but his smile slipped a little as he started to realize what she was getting at. She was basically nudging him, pointing out that he had just mentioned he was married while chatting with her, kind of highlighting how weird it was that he was talking to another woman despite being in a relationship.

He narrowed his eyes at her and said with a serious vibe, "Are you pointing at me?" He gestured to his chest.

She replied, matching his tone, "Yeah, why? Aren’t you just like the other guys who want their wives to keep quiet and not talk to anyone? But here you are, chatting and having a good time with me. Does your wife know about this?"

He shot her a sharp look and retorted, "Seriously? You’re the one who was running around the forest, scared and desperate, trying to escape those guys. I jumped in to help you, gave you shelter, clothes, and food. And now you say I’m enjoying hanging out with you? Come on! Just the other day, someone came here to kill you, and I saved your life. Last night, because of you, someone broke into my cabin and froze my CCTV cameras, and I didn’t even ask you about that. Am I really enjoying this? I’d help anyone in need, whether they’re lost in the woods or anywhere else. If it were someone else in trouble, boy or girl, I’d do the same." He knew it was a bit of a lie; he wouldn’t personally rush to save anyone; he’d just send his guards. He didn’t want her to remember that he had saved her, but he couldn’t figure out why he felt annoyed when she compared him to other guys.

She was caught off guard by his response, so he shifted to the topic of last night, which she had been avoiding since she woke up. Relief flooded her; at least she finally had a reason to leave. She took a breath and said, "Sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you. I know you’ve been helpful..." She paused, trying to find the right words, looking into his eyes where he still showed hints of pain. "Um, I was just trying to say..."

He cut her off, saying, "Forget about it."

She thought to herself, "Alright, so finally, after two days, Mr. Rude is back. Why did I offend him? Ugh, I don’t get it, but his rudeness is driving me crazy. I really prefer his kinder, softer side." She’s really kicking herself for what she said. Looking back, she wishes she could rewind time and think things through before blurting them out. Now, that conversation keeps spinning in her head, and she wishes she could’ve handled it better, but still, now she has the reason to run from here.