All of a sudden, Aaron hears Katrina's steady and even breathing behind him.
He feels a little speechless.
How could she fall asleep so quickly? Is she not afraid that he will do something heinous to her? She is always on her guard against him, why is she so quiet right now?
Although Aaron is dumbfounded, he relaxes a great deal.
Whether she is drunk or not, she can trust him with such confidence that she feels comfortable losing consciousness in his presence.
After a long walk, Aaron reaches his car.
Balancing Katrina carefully on his back, he opens the door and gently places her in the passenger seat and fastens the seatbelt around her. Just as Aaron is about to pull away, Katrina suddenly grasps his hand.
The action surprises Aaron.
Katrina is still fast asleep. Her delicate brows are twisted tightly. As if his departure frightens her, she grabs his hand tightly and refuses to let him go.
Her subconscious reaction softens the expression on his face. He gets an inexplicable feeling of happiness in his heart.
But if she doesn't let him go, how can he drive?
Aaron touches Katrina's forehead and says softly, ""Hey, let me go, I'm not going anywhere."" His tone is soft as if he is coaxing an innocent little girl of four or five. In her sleepy state, Katrina resembles one.
But Katrina isn't listening. Sensing that he is about to pull away, she tightens her grip more frantically. There is unspeakable urgency and sadness in her voice as she cries, ""Dad, don't leave me!""
Aaron's brows twist, his face darkening at the words, he thought that she didn't want to let go of him because she trusted and depended on him. But she just mistook him for someone else, and she thought he was her father.
Katrina always has a way of bringing him down when he is in a good mood. Aaron is so upset that he wants to throw her out of the car.
In spite of his anger, he doesn't have the heart to leave her. He takes a small pillow from the backseat and carefully puts it in her arms.
Drunk and sleepy, Katrina thinks that the pillow in her arms is her father's arm. She lets Aaron go and hugs the pillow closely.
Aaron feels complicated emotions stir within him.
This stupid woman!
Katrina usually puts up a strong, independent faade. She lives alone, earns a living for herself, and doesn't seem to have a need for anyone.
In the end, she's just a weak girl who yearns for her family. The lack of a family's love is what probably made her who she is today. Without parents and relatives, she must have learned to be strong at a very young age, relying on a strong disguise to survive.
Remaining strong for so many years must have been very difficult and exhausting.
The realization makes Aaron's heart soften in sympathy.
Despite how much he likes her, despite how much he wants to protect her, he is also the one who hurts her the most. His possessiveness and lack of knowledge in courting a girl keep making him express hi