Fake Date, Real Fate-Chapter 72: The Warmth After

ISABELLA’S POV

The hotel lobby wasn’t anything special; it smelled of cheap air freshener and polished wood, and it was quiet. It was a kind of quiet that felt padded. A quiet that felt like a wall against the world.

I hovered a few feet behind Levi, the oversized sweatshirt he had given me hanging long around my thighs.

My hair was still damp with water from the rain; strands were stuck under my neck, but at least I felt dry. Mostly. Definitely not shivering anymore.

Levi walked up to the front desk with quiet confidence, saying something to the receptionist that I couldn’t fully comprehend because of the reverberating blood pumping in my ears.

The receptionist — a woman with tired eyes and a polite smile — nodded and tapped at her keyboard. There was a short exchange, and then Levi turned slightly, eyes meeting mine.

"They only have one room left," he said gently. "But it has two beds. Are you okay with that?"

His voice was low, careful, like he didn’t want to scare me off with even a syllable too much.

I nodded. "Yeah. That’s fine."

He gave the woman a polite smile and completed the check-in. A few minutes later, he had the key card in hand, and we headed toward the elevator in silence, the soft hum of fluorescent lights above us the only noise between our footsteps.

The hallway was quiet as we walked, the carpet softening our steps. I could hear all the little sounds—the buzzing of the lights, the elevator door creaking, and the way his shoulder brushed against mine as we squeezed through the narrow space.

When we reached the room, Levi opened the door for me. I hesitated before stepping inside. It wasn’t much—just beige walls, soft yellow lights, and two beds with a nightstand in between—but it felt cozy. Really cozy. And dry, which was a relief.

I stood at the entrance, not quite sure what to do with myself, with my body, or the mess in my head.

"You should take a hot shower," he suggested in his calm voice. "Warm water helps, even if it doesn’t seem like it."

I looked at him but he didn’t how much reaction.

Then he walked over to one of the beds and placed a black bag on it.

"When did you get that?" I asked, curiosity creeping in.

He gave me a faint smile. "Had someone drop it off while we were on the way. I figured you didn’t have anything to change into."

I blinked. "You figured right."

"There’s a clean dress inside. It should fit you. You can change into it after your shower."

Then he stepped back and was already walking towards the door. "I’ll be right outside. Just text or call me if you need anything, okay?"

My throat was tight, but not because I had been crying. I was just... overwhelmed.

Before he left, he paused at the door, placing his hand on the knob. "Isabella?"

I looked up.

"You’re safe now."

He didn’t wait for me to say anything. He closed the door behind him with a soft click, and the silence that followed somehow felt not so empty anymore.

I pressed my palm to my chest, just above where the borrowed sweatshirt settled, and for the first time in hours, I let out a slow breath.

Then I picked up the bag and walked toward the bathroom.

The bathroom was small, but clean. White tiles, a slightly chipped sink, a mirror that was mercifully, fogless. I locked the door behind me, the little click of the lock a small comfort.

I turned on the shower, waiting a moment for the water to warm up. once it did, it was a wave of pure, blessed heat.

I peeled off the damp, borrowed sweatshirt and removed the cold clothes underneath, letting them fall in a heap on the floor.

Getting under the spray felt like shedding skin. Hot water poured over my head, slid over my forehead, washed the dirt off of my face and through my hair, dissolved the rain, washed those tears, washed off some of the echoes of accusations and fears I’d been carrying.

I closed my eyes, letting the steam fill the room, waiting for the heat of the water to push away everything I’d been smelling like. It turned to air in my lungs and renewed me as it stirred and was pushed down.

I scrubbed my skin until it was pink except in areas where it was tingling. I tangle my fingers through my hair until the knots from the rain and dried tears were gone.

I stayed under the water until the adrenaline wore off, down to the radiating warmth I was exchanging, until my skin was almost too hot to touch.

When I finally turned off the faucet, the silence felt different. Less like an accusation, more like a quiet space to just be.

I stepped out onto the bathmat reaching for the fluffy, white hotel robe hanging on the rack. Not plush, typical hotel robe, but dry and warm from the steam. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com

I wrapped it around myself, catching a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. Still pale, still fragile-looking, but the redness around my eyes had faded a little. The tightness in my chest had loosened a bit.

My hair had become wet again, though now it was in a clean and comfortable way.

Once I had gathered my soaking wet clothes, I shoved them back into a plastic bag. I had no idea what to do with them, but at least, I couldn’t leave them dripping on the floor.

The bag Levi left sat on the bed, untouched, the dress inside still folded neatly. I’d get to it. Just... not yet.

I lay down for a second — just to catch my breath. The bed felt warm and soft, and steady like I had just about melted into it, as if it had wanted me to do this all day. I’d message Levi in a moment. Or five. Just... after I closed my eyes for a second.

Just a second.

That just a second, ended up being something else all together. The moment my head touched the pillow, the dam I had built to hold back exhaustion broke.

The bed was comforting, but it was absolute warmth. It seeped into my bones; heavy and sweet, and chased away the cold clinging to my body longer than it should have.

My muscles which was probably tight for so long began to loose, releasing tension I hadn’t even realized I was holding. The pounding in my chest slowed, replaced by the steady, rhythmic beat of my own heart.

The sound of the hotel’s air conditioning and the faint rain outside became a soft background noise, allowing for a peaceful quiet inside my head.

It felt like sinking, but in the best way. Sinking into softness, into safety, into the nothingness. Each thought I tried to vocalize felt too heavy to lift, too complicated to deal with, too tiring to try to even get out. Later, a voice whispered from the back of my mind. You can think about it later.

My eyelids felt heavy. I didn’t fight them. I let them close, letting go of the alertness, readiness and fear.

The last thing I remember is feeling the plush duvet pulled up to my chin, a borrowed cocoon in a strange room. And then, nothing. The darkness, thick and absolute, flat out enwrapped me.

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