Chapter 155 A bizzare bond

The early morning light filtered through the curtains, rousing Mariama from her fitful sleep. For a moment, she lay still, disoriented, before the events of the previous day came rushing back. She sat up abruptly, her heart racing. Andre. Was he still here? Cautiously, she made her way to the living room. To her surprise and, if she was honest, relief, Andre was still on the couch. He was awake, his good eye fixed on the window, his body tense. "You're still here," Mariama said, her voice a mix of accusation and concern. Andre turned to look at her, his face a mask of pain and exhaustion. "Didn't have much choice. Tried to leave in the night, but..." He gestured to his battered body. "Turns out I'm in worse shape than I thought." Mariama sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair. "How bad is it?" "Bad enough," Andre admitted grudgingly. "Think I might have a couple of cracked ribs. And my knee..." He trailed off, grimacing. Mariama moved closer, her nurturing instincts over