The office was quiet again.
Too quiet.
Broken glass still glimmered across the floor, catching the dim light from the hallway. The overturned desk, the cracked wall, the dark stains of blood — everything looked like the aftermath of a storm.
In the middle of it, Izana was still holding Leah.
His grip hadn't loosened.
His breathing had steadied slightly, but his body still felt tense against hers, like he was afraid the moment he let go everything would collapse again.
Leah gently ran her fingers through his hair.
"Izana."
He didn't respond.
Just held on.
Her voice softened.
"We should go to the bedroom."
A pause.
Then he murmured against her shoulder.
"…I made a mess."
She glanced around the destroyed office.
"It's just a room."
Another pause.
His voice was quiet.
"…It was my fault."
Leah carefully lifted his head from her shoulder so she could look at him.
His eyes were red.
Exhausted.
"You're not cleaning this tonight," she said gently.
He didn't argue.
That alone told her how drained he was.
She reached down and carefully took his injured hand.
"Come on."
He let her guide him.
They stepped out into the hallway together.
The door creaked softly behind them.
Elias and Dante were still there.
Both men straightened immediately.
Their eyes went straight to Izana.
To the tear-streaked face he hadn't bothered to hide.
To the blood still staining his hand.
Elias spoke first.
"Do you need help?"
Leah shook her head calmly.
"I've got him."
Dante studied Izana carefully.
For once, he didn't make a sarcastic comment.
He just nodded once.
"Call if you need anything."
Leah gave a small nod back.
Then she guided Izana down the hallway.
The mansion was quiet again.
Only their footsteps echoed faintly through the corridor.
Izana walked beside her in silence.
But halfway down the hall he slowed.
Then stopped.
Leah looked back at him.
He was staring at the floor.
His voice came out rough.
"I should've known."
She sighed softly.
"Izana—."
"I should've seen it," he continued quietly. "Something must've been wrong."
She gently squeezed his hand.
"Stop."
His jaw tightened.
"You were bleeding and I didn't—."
"Stop," she repeated, firmer this time.
He went silent.
She stepped closer to him.
"You're not doing this again tonight."
He looked at her.
There was still guilt sitting heavy in his eyes.
"I left you," he whispered.
"You left to protect us."
"That doesn't change what happened."
"No," she said quietly.
Then she took a step closer.
"But hurting yourself won't change it either."
He didn't respond.
Just let her guide him the rest of the way down the hallway.
When they reached their bedroom, she pushed the door open.
The room was dim and calm.
A complete contrast to the wreckage they had just left behind.
Leah led him inside and closed the door quietly behind them.
"Sit," she said softly.
Izana obeyed.
He lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, shoulders slumped slightly.
Leah disappeared into the bathroom and returned with a small first-aid kit.
When she came back, he was staring at his injured hand like he had only just noticed it.
She sat down in front of him.
"Give me your hand."
He hesitated.
"…It's not bad."
Leah raised an eyebrow.
"You punched a wall twice."
He looked away slightly.
"…I didn't feel it."
"I know."
That answer made him glance back at her.
She gently took his hand before he could protest again.
The dried blood had already started to darken around the cuts across his knuckles.
She soaked a cloth and began wiping it away.
Izana flinched slightly.
Leah noticed immediately.
"Does it hurt?"
"…Not as much as it should."
She carefully cleaned another cut.
"You're allowed to hurt."
He watched her silently for a moment.
Then his voice came out low.
"I failed you."
Her hands stopped.
Slowly, she looked up at him.
"No."
"I wasn't there."
"You didn't know."
"I should have."
Leah set the cloth down.
Then she reached up and gently cupped his face with one hand.
"Look at me."
His eyes lifted to hers.
"You didn't fail me."
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"…I wasn't there when you needed me."
"You would have been."
"That doesn't change it."
Her thumb brushed away a tear that had escaped down his cheek.
"You protected me," she said softly.
His expression tightened.
"I should've protected both of you."
His breathing trembled again.
Leah quickly returned to wrapping the bandage around his hand before he could spiral further.
"You're not God, Izana," she murmured.
He didn't answer.
"You can't control everything."
"I promised."
"And I never blamed you."
He went very still.
"...You should hate me," he said quietly.
"Why would I hate you?"
"I wasn't there."
She finished tying the bandage.
Then, without thinking about it, she leaned down and pressed a small kiss against the white wrap.
Izana stared at her.
The gesture was small.
But something about it made his composure crack again.
His breathing hitched.
Leah saw it immediately.
Before the tears could fully return, she moved.
She climbed onto the bed and leaned back against the headboard.
Then she gently pulled him toward her.
"Come here."
He hesitated for a second.
Then he allowed it.
She guided him down until his head rested against her chest.
His body relaxed slowly into her arms.
Her fingers slipped into his hair, brushing through it slowly.
He didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just listened to the steady rhythm of her heartbeat.
After a few quiet moments, he murmured weakly,
"…I should've been there."
Leah gently pressed his head closer against her.
"Shhh."
His breath caught.
"You don't have to keep saying it."
"…But it's true."
She continued running her fingers through his hair.
"Not another word tonight."
He tried to speak again.
But she softly shushed him.
"Rest."
His grip tightened slightly on the fabric of her shirt.
"…I'm sorry," he whispered.
Leah kissed the top of his head.
"Sleep."
He went quiet again.
Minutes passed.
His breathing slowly began to steady.
The tension left his shoulders little by little.
Eventually his grip loosened.
And his body grew heavier against her.
He had finally fallen asleep.
Leah kept holding him.
Her fingers still moved slowly through his hair even though he was no longer awake.
She looked down at his face.
Peaceful now.
Exhausted.
She brushed another tear away from the corner of his eye.
"You didn't fail us," she whispered softly.
He didn't hear her.
But she hoped some part of him felt it.
Leah leaned her head back against the headboard, still holding him against her chest.
And for the first time that night, the mansion was completely silent.
No anger.
No shouting.
Just the quiet sound of Izana finally sleeping.
And Leah staying awake, holding him together.