AM I PERFECT

CHAPTER 19: LOVE, LIES, AND LIMITS

"Ah!" she screamed.

"Oh no… how did he get here?" he said in shock.

"How did all this happen? Who did this?"

"Oh, my God…" she cried, breaking down in tears.

"You know him, don't you?" he asked, unfastening the

belt strapped around her waist.

"Yes… I know him. This is exactly why I came here,"

she said through her sobs.

He got off the bike, held her hand, and helped her

down. Without thinking, she rushed toward the body.

"How did this happen?" she cried.

"You were completely fine last night…"

From behind her, he spoke cautiously,

"Is it possible that he came here looking for you… and

my enemies killed him?"

She turned to him in horror.

"What are you saying? I killed someone… what have I

done?" she sobbed uncontrollably.

The body lay before their eyes in a terrible state.

His throat had been cut, and the blood had already

dried, staining across the road and his neck.

The sight froze them both in place.

He placed a hand on her shoulder and said softly, "It's

okay. None of this is your fault."

The moment his hand touched her, she broke down.

Tears spilled uncontrollably as she clung to him tightly, crying

onto his chest.

"I didn't do this… I didn't do anything… how did all of

this happen?" she sobbed.

She pulled back slightly, looked straight into his eyes,

and said desperately, "I didn't kill them. I didn't do it."

He looked into her eyes and asked gently, "You didn't?"

"You're not at fault," he said firmly. "I promise you,

whoever did this will not escape."

Saying this, he pulled her into his arms again. With his

other hand, he took his phone from his pocket and called the

ambulance.

"There's a dead body here," he said into the phone,

while his hand continued to rub her back reassuringly.

She slowly pulled away from him. He gently wiped her

tears with his hands.

"You're very kind," she said softly.

At her words, his hands froze.

Did she just praise me?

I can't believe it… I've been waiting for this moment so

desperately.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice when she drifted

away emotionally.

He placed his hand on her shoulder again.

"Oh… I've never met a better human being than you,"

she said. "I don't know why, but I like you as a human. It's an

honor for me to praise you."

She looked into his eyes and replied, "Any girl who

comes into your life will be lucky."

"She already has," he added with a faint smile. "I'll

introduce you very soon."

Before she could say anything, a voice came from

behind them.

"The ambulance is here."

He turned back at once. Both stood up. Seeing the

guard being taken into the ambulance, she broke down again.

Her heart felt unbearably heavy with sorrow.

"Let's go," he said gently.

She looked at him, then both started walking forward on

foot.

They had reached very close to her destination.

"You should go," she said. "If someone sees you, I

don't know what they'll think."

"And where will I go?" he asked.

She paused for a moment, then said, "You have a safe

place. What need do you have to stay with me now?"

"I'm nothing when I'm alone," he replied. "With you, I

feel complete… and safe."

She grew nervous and began adjusting her hair, even

though it was already perfectly fine.

"I should go," she said.

"Hmm… we'll meet again, right?" he asked from

behind.

She stopped and turned to look at him.

"Maybe," she said softly.

She walked toward the main gate, stopping there briefly

before heading toward her destination. He stood there, watching

her leave.

She paused near the gate and glanced at the bench

beside it.

You told me to come back early… I wish I hadn't been

late, she thought before going inside.

"Where were you?" Hanna asked the moment she saw

her.

Her friend rushed toward her, and she grew uneasy.

Now she'll ask me a hundred questions… and honestly,

I already have too many people to answer.

"Are you okay?" Hanna asked. "I went to your room

last night it was locked. And now you're coming from outside.

And you know what? The guard has been missing since

yesterday."

Her friend fired questions nonstop.

"Slow down," she said. "How am I supposed to answer

all of this at once?"

"Oh, sorry, "Hanna replied.

"Listen… did anyone ask about me?" she asked

carefully.

"No. I'm the only one worried about you," Hanna

answered.

"Who told you that?" she said.

Her friend was about to respond when she smiled and

said, "Oh, I was just joking. Anyway, I should go now."

"Hey, at least tell me something," her friend called after

her insistently.

"There's nothing that important to tell," she replied

without turning back and continued walking.

Night had fallen, yet a strange restlessness lingered

inside her.

My entire life feels so strange, she thought. Everything

that has happened to me… sometimes I can't even believe it.

There was a time when he was a part of her life, when

she was genuinely happy. And then came a moment when

everything was taken away from her, leaving her empty-handed.

She had wanted to do so much with her life.

Maybe I still can, she thought. Maybe…

But why did it feel so suffocating?

I can't spend my entire life locked inside this building. I

want to breathe freely. I want open air, open skies.

Her thoughts drifted back to him.

He touched something deep inside my heart. He's a

good man.

She had lost all her colors long ago, yet the colors he

unknowingly showed her felt… comforting. Real.

What am I even thinking? She scolded herself. He can't

possibly be single. And even if he is, what does that have to do

with me?

Lost in these thoughts, she lay awake, no longer even

trying to sleep.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn't realize when sleep

finally calmed her and pulled her into a deep slumber.

Morning broke with a sudden noise outside her room,

jolting her awake.

"Ah… what's wrong? What is this noise?" she

murmured sleepily.

A sharp knock followed at her door.

"Open the door. Quickly," someone called from

outside.

"Okay, okay, I'm coming. Who is it?" she said, forcing

herself to sit up and stumble toward the door.

The moment she opened it, Hanna stood there

"What are you doing here? You're still sleeping?" Hanna

snapped.

"What do you mean? Why what happened?" she asked,

her voice heavy with sleep.

"Ma'am is calling you. A guest is coming, and she wants

to talk to you about something," Hanna replied.

A guest? Her heart skipped.

Why would Ma'am talk to me? Oh, no… what if it's

about last night? What if they know everything? What if she's

calling me to throw me out of here? She thought

"Come on," her friend urged.

"Hmm… I'm coming. Let me freshen up," she said

weakly.

But just as she turned to close the door, she grabbed her

arm from behind and pulled her out.

"Ouch! What kind of behavior is that?" she snapped,

glaring at her.

"There's no time to freshen up. She's been calling you

for an hour now," Hanna said.

At those words, her hands began to tremble.

I knew it. This is it. Why does this always happen to me?

She looked at her friend, who raised her eyebrows and

gestured for her to go.

"Okay," she whispered and started walking toward

Madam's office.

The worry was clearly etched across her face as she

moved forward, each step heavier than the last.

She stood outside the office door, trapped in the

struggle between opening it and walking away.

When will my life stop testing me? She wondered

bitterly.

There is no peace in my existence; perhaps my life

simply does not allow me to live in peace.

She thought for a moment, then slowly pushed the door

open.

voice.

"May I come in?" she asked in a trembling, frightened

The woman looked up at her and smiled warmly.

"Come in. I've been waiting for you," she said, flipping through

the pages clipped inside a file.

Why is she behaving like this? She wondered. Is she

feeling alright? She has never smiled at me like this before.

"Why are you still standing there? Sit down," the

woman said lightly. Then, smiling again, she added, "Very soon,

everyone will be calling you ma'am."

"What?" she blurted out in shock.

"I was just as surprised as you are," ma'am continued

casually. "By the way, how did all this happen?" she asked.

"How did what happen?" she asked, completely

confused.

"Oh, when did you meet him? We really weren't that far

apart," she said, laughing softly.

She has truly gone mad, she thought helplessly.

"Ma'am… what are you saying?" she finally spoke, her

voice unsteady. "I don't understand anything at all."

"Alright," she said with a knowing smile. "You do look

innocent enough. But you want to hear it from my own mouth,

don't you? " mam said.

She had no words, only a silent nod in response.

"A proposal has come for you."

"What?!" she shouted, jumping up from her chair in

shock.

"What happened? Are you alright?" the woman asked

anxiously, rising from her seat as well.

Her heart was pounding so loudly it felt as if it might

burst out of her chest.

"A… proposal?" She repeated, her voice barely steady.

"For me?"

"Yes," the woman replied calmly. "Sit down first."

But her legs refused to obey her. Her mind was spinning

with questions crashing into each other.

A proposal? For me? Now? From where? From whom?

"This isn't possible," she whispered more to herself

than to anyone else. "You must be mistaken."

The ma'am looked at her carefully, as if trying to read

the storm raging inside her.

"No mistake," mam said softly. "This is very real."

Her fingers tightened around the edge of the table.

When did my life decide to turn upside down again? She

wondered.

"What are you saying?" she demanded, her voice

trembling with tension. "Who is he? Where is he from? And

how can you tell me something like this so casually?"

"I thought he had already told you," Mam said,

confused. "He said he knows you."

"Knows me?" she echoed sharply. "How is that

possible? I've never met anyone. I haven't even stepped outside

of these four walls. Then how could he know me?"

She searched the woman's face, desperate for answers,

desperate to quiet the chaos inside her.

"If you truly don't know anything," Mam said gently,

"then maybe it's for the best. He wants to surprise you."

"What kind of surprise is this?" she cried. "I don't even

know this man. Why would I accept a surprise from him? And

trust me, the moment he sees my frightening face, he'll reject me

himself. You shouldn't have done this."

Tears filled her eyes as anger and humiliation took over.

She turned and rushed out of the room.

"Wait!" mam called after her. "There's nothing wrong

with meeting someone. You're about to receive a diamond."

A diamond? She thought bitterly, stopping mid-step.

She turned back. "Do you even know who he is?" she

asked.

"The whole world knows, "ma'am replied with a

knowing smile. "Come on, you'll tell me everything, anyway.

He'll be here shortly. Go get ready."

She ignored her words, turned away again, and stormed

out, her footsteps echoing with frustration as she left the room.

She sat in her room before the mirror, staring at herself

with eyes full of hatred and anger. She didn't have a large mirror,

only a small, finger-sized one whose origin she couldn't even

remember. It lay forgotten in her drawer.

How ugly I am, she thought bitterly. How could anyone

ever like me? And why should I even go in front of him? I won't

dress up. Dressing up would mean lying to someone.

No, this was all a trap. The madam wanted to throw me

out of the building. I'm useless, that's why. She wants to ruin me

by marrying me off to someone.

I won't let her succeed in her plan.

Consumed by these thoughts, she hurled the mirror

against the wall. It shattered instantly.

What is my fault?

I should die.

Yes… I should die.

Muttering to herself, she walked toward the scattered

Shards of glass. She bent down and picked up a sharp fragment

in her trembling fingers. She raised her right hand toward

herself.

Today, I'll end my life, she thought. And the whole

The world will be responsible for it.

Just as she was about to cut her wrist with the shard of

glass, suddenly