Ch. 411..420

Chapter 411 A Sprained Ankle

However, that smile vanished in a flash as she started to worry about Adrian again.

Seeing the quick change in her expression, Jacob hurried to reassure her, "Don't worry, Ms. Hansen, really, there's no need. Mr. Blackwood never does anything he's not sure of." "I know." Eva nodded, understanding Adrian's character well after knowing him for so long.

But knowing his character was one thing, and worrying for him was another.

In reality, Adrian had stayed behind to handle things, which is why their journey had been smooth. Once they reached a safe location, Jacob escorted all three of them to a room. They had spent quite some time traveling, so just before Jacob was about to leave, Eva stopped him to ask, "When do you think he'll be back?"

"Well..." Jacob shook his head. "I'm not sure. He'll return once he's finished."

"Hasn't he updated you yet?"

"Ms. Hansen, you've been with me the whole way, and my phone has only rung once, which was when Miss Jones called."

Hearing this, the light in Eva's eyes slowly dimmed.

Just then, Jacob's phone happened to ring. Eva's eyes brightened, "Is it him?"

Jacob checked the caller ID and then said, "No, it's not."

The light in Eva's eyes faded immediately.

After glancing at the caller ID, Jacob tentatively asked, "Ms. Hansen, if there's nothing else, may I take my leave to attend to my duties?"

Eva nodded, "Go ahead with your work."

Jacob left and Eva sighed, then closed the room door.

The room was tidy and she had initially thought it was prepared for them. But on entering, she realized there were signs of someone having stayed in this space. A man's clothes hung in the wardrobe, clearly belonging to Adrian. That is to say, Jacob led her directly to Adrian's room.

By this time, it was already late, and the two children had been running around with her all day. They were exhausted and were slumped on the sofa, haphazardly lounging. At her return, they both summoned the strength to weakly call out to her.

Seeing them like this, Eva's heart ached terribly for them. She was about to walk over when she suddenly thought of something, turned around, and ran back to push the door open, just in time to see Jacob returning. "Jacob, Ruby, she..." Eva began.

"Right, Ms. Hansen, the doctor is already on his way and should arrive shortly. Before treating Miss Ruby's foot injury, would you like something to eat?" Jacob asked thoughtfully.

Having rushed around all day, Eva was truly tired and had no appetite.

It didn't matter for her, but not for the two children.

So, she nodded her head, "Yes, please prepare something for them to eat."

Soon, food was brought to the room. Taking advantage of this time, Eva dressed the children in clothes the servants had prepared and washed their feet.

When the doctor arrived, Ruby was seated on the sofa with a bowl and spoon in hand, eating, while her tender white feet swayed in the air.

Witnessing this sight, the doctor instantly understood a bit more of the situation.

"Ms. Hansen, the doctor has arrived." Jacob announced.

Eva gestured for Ruby to put down her bowl, and Ruby obediently placed it on the table, then moved further away from the dining table before settling down. This prompted a chuckle from the doctor.

"Just relax, it's a casual check-up." he said.

Then the doctor squatted in front of Ruby and gently held her right ankle. "Did you injure this foot?"

The moment her ankle was grasped, Ruby immediately became tense, clutching the hem of her dress, and she nodded her head.

The doctor examined her pale ankle and pressed gently at a spot, causing the little girl to shiver from the pain and instinctively cry out for Mommy.

Eva, pained by this, stretched out her hand for Ruby to hold.

"It seems this is the sore spot. What about here, does this hurt too?"

After checking for a while, the doctor said, "Nothing serious, just a sprained ankle. I'll prescribe some medicine, and she needs a few days of rest. However, be careful not to walk on it for the time being." Eva thanked him, and after the doctor provided a prescription, he left.

During this half hour, once the doctor had departed, Eva carried Ruby back to her original spot and earnestly instructed, "If you're hurt next time, you must tell me right away, don't try to bear it alone, understand?" Ruby, having learned her lesson, obediently nodded her head.

"I got it, Mommy."

"Alright, finish your food, and then it's time for you to go to bed."

Ruby held a spoon but didn't move an inch. Instead, she stared at her mother and asked, "Mommy, why isn't Uncle NightA with us? Where did he go?"

Eva wanted to ask the same questions. They had been back for so long, and including the travel time, it was odd that there was still no word from Adrian.

She was worried but knew she couldn't show it in front of her children.

So, Eva simply stroked her daughter's head and explained softly, "He had to attend to something. Go to sleep for now, and you will see him once you wake up tomorrow, okay?"

"Mhm." Ruby nodded obediently.

Once Eva finally got them both to bed and the room fell quiet, confirming they wouldn't wake up again, she stood up, opened the door, and stepped out.

The place looked like a small base. The house was well-structured, difficult for outsiders to infiltrate and equally challenging for those inside to leave without notice. There were guards everywhere. As she emerged, everyone greeted her politely with a nod.

"Ms. Hansen."

She encountered someone every few steps, all of them speaking to Eva in unison. At first, she acknowledged their greetings with a smile.

But after a while, she couldn't keep up with the formality any longer and said to them awkwardly, "Please, go about your business. I'm just walking around, you don't need to worry about me."

One of the leaders came forward and said, "Ms. Hansen, you're welcome to walk around, but it's best not to step outside the main gate. Mr. Blackwood hasn't returned yet, which means the crisis isn't over. Until Mr. Blackwood is back, it'd be

best if you stayed in your room or within our protection perimeter."

If these words had come from Michael's subordinates, Eva would have felt they were trying to detain her. But coming from Adrian's people, it felt like they were protecting her for her safety.

Upon reflecting on this, Eva pursed her lips, deep in thought.

Was she being too unfair to Michael?

But then again... if he didn't restrict her movements, would their relationship have deteriorated to this extent?

 

Chapter 412 Could it be he likes me?

After some thought, Eva decided not to venture outside.

It was late, and they were still on guard for her safety. Wouldn't wandering around be a nuisance to them?

Having realized this, Eva spoke directly to the man, "I won't wander off, but there's a favor I'd like to ask of you."

"Ms. Hansen, Mr. Blackwood told us your requests come first. So please, just tell us what you need."

"If Jacob comes by later, could you let him know I'd like to see him?"

"No problem, I'll inquire his whereabouts from him right now."

"There's no need to go out of your way."

She had meant to say that there was no need to explicitly look for him, it would suffice to call him over when seen. But unexpectedly, that man fetched his phone and immediately called Jacob. After the phone connected, he said, "Jacob, Ms. Hansen is looking for you. Could you come over right away?"

In her mind, Eva couldn't help but marvel at their alarming efficiency.

"Ms. Hansen, Jacob says he will be here shortly. You may return to your room to wait."

"Thank you, I'll head back inside to wait." What else could she say? She had no choice but to head back to the room until Jacob arrived.

Once back in her room, Eva settled down on the sofa to wait.

After a few minutes, there was a knock on the door.

Eva hesitated for a moment before opening the door, the weight of anticipation heavy in her chest.

Jacob inquired, "You were looking for me?"

"The first thing I have to ask is about Adrian. Any news?" Eva went straight to what mattered most.

At her words, Jacob sighed and shook his head slightly.

"Not yet, Ms. Hansen. It's getting late. You should get some rest, and should there be any news, I promise to inform you immediately."

Eva knew very well that if he had returned, he would have come straight to her without needing any prompting from Jacob.

But still... she couldn't help but worry.

If this had been back home, it would be one thing, but being abroad, if something had happened...

With this thought, Eva bit her lower lip and said, "I know it sounds impolite, but I have to ask, with so many people here, can't we get some men to go help?"

Hearing this, Jacob shook his head helplessly. "Ms. Hansen, Mr. Blackwood wouldn't go for that idea. I need to stay here to ensure your safety, as a precaution and for security reasons."

Eva understood. If it weren't for the need to ensure her safety here, he would have already gone to look for Adrian.

With the direction the conversation had headed at this point, Eva felt that further persistence might seem annoying. After a moment's thought, she finally lowered her gaze and remained silent.

Upon seeing her expression, Jacob felt a surge of awkwardness. How could Ms. Hansen suddenly look so disheartened? Had he said something wrong?

Or perhaps, was his tone too harsh?

Just as he was about to apologize, a surprised and joyful call echoed from a distance behind him.

"Eva!" The familiar voice caused Eva to lift her head abruptly and look towards the source of the sound.

Emily ran towards her, excitement gleaming in her eyes.

A wave of joy washed over Eva as she wrapped Emily in a warm embrace.

Jacob watched the two hugging each other, then silently withdrew himself from their company.

After Emily and Eva finished their embrace, they realized Jacob had already left. Eva's gaze dimmed slightly, but thinking there was no use in pressing him further, as he had his own affairs to tend to, she let it go. Emily, detecting her best friend's dampened spirit, immediately asked with concern, "What's wrong?"

Eva snapped back to reality and gave a small smile, "Nothing much. You're just getting back now, is your car fixed?"

"The car's still not fixed. Mr. Stingy was worried about you, so he had someone bring me here so long." After saying this, Emily quickly corrected herself, "I can't call him Mr. Stingy anymore, I promised I wouldn't use nicknames for him. From now on, I'll call him Mr. Powell."

"Nicknames?"

"Yes, I've spent more time with him since he accompanied me here to find you. I sometimes accidentally call him Mr. Stingy to his face."

Eva couldn't help but laugh, "Didn't he get mad?"

"Mad? The nickname isn't only for fun, there's truth to it. He often has me work overtime to the point where I don't have time for a relationship. I'm the one who's really suffering. And most importantly, I don't think he dares to get mad. Do you know, when I said I was going to find you, he offered to come with me? That surprised me. I thought he was just a stingy guy, but turns out he can be quite principled."

"Principled?" The adjective made Eva's lips curl into a smile, "So you think he came with you out of a sense of principle?"

"What else could it be?" Emily retorted before propping her chin in her hands and pondering seriously, "If it's not principle, then what? Oh! I got it, he doesn't want to lose me! An employee he can exploit."

Her earnest deduction left Eva speechless. "How did you come to that conclusion?"

"I said I would quit, and then he said he'd come with me. Isn't that because he doesn't want to lose an employee like me? He probably wants to sort this out quickly so I can go back to work peacefully and continue being exploited by him." Eva sensed something was amiss with Emily's theory.

This trip to find her was not a simple search.

After all, it involved unlawful confinement, and without reporting it to the police, Nathan was still willing to come with her. Was this risky endeavor really just to solve the issue so he could continue exploiting her at the company? It all seemed far-fetched.

But according to Emily's way of thinking, exploitation was the only motive she seemed to consider.

With this in mind, Eva kindly suggested, "Have you ever considered that he might actually be worried about you?"

At those words, Emily's expression froze, and after a moment, she looked shocked and exclaimed, "How could that be possible? Eva, you must be mistaken. He's a stingy guy, how could he possibly be worried about me?" Eva laughed. "Really? Then how do you explain him coming with you, if not for being worried about you? After all, this is no ordinary trip."

Hearing this, Emily fell silent.

She stared at Eva, and Eva returned her gaze.

After a long time, Emily suddenly blurted out something surprising.

"So, according to you, he actually might be worried about me? But why would he worry about me? Could it be that he likes me?"

 

Chapter 413 No Word Yet

Eva, standing to one side, raised her eyebrows with a hint of amusement.

When she doesn't think about it, she doesn't care at all, but when she does, her thoughts leap wildly.

She arched an eyebrow, then said, "It's hard to say, maybe he does like you?"

"Impossible!" Emily shook her head immediately in denial. "How could a miser like him actually like me? No, no, I misspoke. I mean Mr. Powell. We agreed not to give him nicknames. He would be out of his mind to like me?" "Then why do you think he wouldn't like you?"

"It's simple. I'm just an ordinary employee. And he's surrounded by beautiful women who boast looks, figures, and status. It would be madness for him to like me."

Eva was slightly upset upon hearing her friend belittle herself, and she retorted with a bit of dissatisfaction, "You aren't half bad yourself."

"I know, I know." Emily hugged her, smiling warmly. "Of course, I know I'm not bad, but compared to those rich and beautiful women, I fall far short. With so many of them around Mr. Powell, how could he possibly like me? If he came with me, it's either because he wants to exploit me, or it's out of his sense of morals."

But Eva disagreed, shaking her head. "Sometimes, feelings are not just about the other person's attributes. I tend to value long-term companionship or the impact of a specific moment, the people and events you encounter, feelings can be sparked in an instant."

Emily considered this and found it quite reasonable.

"Mm, you have a point, but I still think it's impossible. You really don't know how many women are around him, no, actually you should know. Adrian also has so many women constantly flocking to him."

Eva decided not to argue anymore. Whether he liked her or not, it wasn't for her to say.

If Nathan really liked Emily, his willingness to accompany her here meant that he would likely seize future opportunities on his own.

There was no need for others to interfere or worry about them. Perhaps Eva's nudging might even take away some of the fun from their relationship.

With that thought, Eva smiled and played along, "Mm, you're right. Just take as it comes then."

Seeing that she didn't bring it up again, Emily lost interest in the topic and started asking about other things.

"Right, wasn't it Adrian who saved you? Where is he now? After so long without seeing each other, how can he stand not coming to find you?"

Throughout their conversation, Eva had already been distracted with thoughts of this. Now, as Emily brought it up again, Eva's emotions were stirred. "He didn't come back with us."

"What?" Emily was surprised, "He didn't come back with you? Then, what did he go off to do?"

Eva lowered her eyes. "He had just found me when Michael's men showed up."

Hearing this, Emily understood everything. If they had encountered Michael's people, that meant Adrian stayed behind to deal with them, sending Eva back to safety.

As for what happened after that with them, it was completely unpredictable from their side.

"How long have you been back? Has he not sent any messages at all?"

Eva shook her head. "No."

"Then," Emily looked at Eva, suddenly biting her lower lip and reaching out to embrace her, "I'm sorry, I didn't know things were like this. If I had, I wouldn't have come and just started to talk so much." "It's not your fault."

But Emily still felt very upset, "I feel like if he doesn't send a message all day today, you won't be able to sleep. So, I won't sleep tonight either. I'll stay here with you, waiting for news. Once Adrian is back and you're at ease, then I'll go." "There's no need, Emily." Eva shook her head, "I'm fine being here on my own. You've been running around all day, you should go back and rest."

"Shut up, you're not sending me away anymore. I'm your friend, aren't I? After such a long time not seeing each other, am I not allowed to stay over and keep you company? Or am I someone you don't want to be around?" "Of course not, then stay if you'd like to." Eva said, smiling as she held her hand.

In the end, Emily stayed with her, waiting together, because neither could sleep. Emily had food and some wine brought in, and they drank in a room near the balcony.

"It's been such a long time since we sat together and had a drink. Though you stopped drinking after getting married, today is special. To celebrate your safe return, how about we toast just this once?"

Eva didn't want to drink, but she didn't want to dampen Emily's spirits, especially since she had traveled internationally to rescue her. She raised her glass to meet Emily's.

"Alright, I'll join you for just this one toast." she agreed.

After they downed their glasses, Emily started munching on the snacks laid out on the table.

"Have some too. You must not have had much to eat since you were taken. I was the same, barely touched my dinner, just a few bites before I had to run out. I'm actually quite hungry now." Emily said while swallowing, noticing that Eva had not eaten. She picked up a pastry and placed it into Eva's bowl, urging her, "Just keep me company and have a little."

"Emily, I'm not hungry."

"I know, but you have to eat. Without food, you won't have the strength to keep going." Emily insisted, and with her persistent urging, Eva finally ate something.

They stayed together until late, both exhausted, leaning back against the couch.

Emily suddenly stood up. "Eva, you rest here for a bit. I'll go check if Mr. Powell has returned."

Since she had arrived to check on Eva, she had been contemplating when to look for him. It hadn't even been an hour and she couldn't wait any longer.

"Alright, go on and sort out your things. But don't worry about coming back later if it's too late, just head to bed." Eva said.

Emily thought about it and eventually nodded, then left Eva alone on the couch, waiting.

Time passed, so much so that Eva almost dozed off on the couch when she finally heard footsteps outside.

Half-asleep, she wondered if she was hearing things. Her head felt heavy, and she didn't bother to get up to check. She just leaned there, listening to the footsteps stop at her door, followed by the sound of the doorknob turning. The noise cut through the silent night, jolting Eva fully awake.

She sat up abruptly, her gaze fixed alertly towards the door.

 

Chapter 414 Won't You Spare Me Another Glance?

Who could it be at this late hour?

Despite the secure surroundings, Eva was instantly on high alert.

What if it was someone else?

As these thoughts raced through her mind, the door opened, and a familiar figure appeared before Eva.

With his handsome features and tall stature, his deep eyes immediately met hers.

For a moment upon seeing him, Eva nearly thought she was hallucinating.

"You..."

But she had hardly spoken a word when Adrian rushed in like an arrow, bending over to envelop her in his embrace.

His familiar scent enveloped her instantly.

Eva involuntarily closed her eyes, raising her hands in response.

The moment her hands grazed Adrian's back, he drew her even closer.

Suddenly, Eva caught a faint scent of blood.

She opened her eyes and gently but firmly attempted to pull away, "Let me go."

But the person in front of her seemed not to hear her, Adrian's voice was raw with emotion, "Just let me hold you a little longer."

Whether or not to hold each other wasn't of much significance at the moment. What mattered was that he was injured. Thus, Eva didn't accommodate him. If he wouldn't let go, she would have to exert a bit more strength to struggle free. Her repeated resistance compelled Adrian to release his grip.

Once freed, Eva stepped back and began to look him over from head to toe, her brow furrowing as she did so.

Noticing her expression, Adrian asked softly, "What's wrong?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Eva stepped forward and reached for his collar, attempting to undo the buttons on his shirt.

However, as soon as she touched the first button, her hand was seized by Adrian.

"What's this about?" Adrian asked, his intense gaze softening, voice tinged with concern.

This demeanor only tightened the knit of Eva's brows. "I'm not doing anything but checking where you're injured."

It turned out she only wanted to see his wound, Adrian had thought she wanted to...

"What's with that look? Do you think I was going to do something to you?" Eva said, as she slapped his hand away from hers. "Let go, let me see."

She scolded him in a hushed tone, then moved Adrian's hand aside and went on with unbuttoning his shirt.

Given the strong scent of blood on him, his injury must be severe.

Eva's brows were nearly twisted together in concern.

Unfortunately, her efforts to unbutton Adrian's shirt were in vain. She had only managed to unfasten the second button when her hand was grabbed by Adrian again. Forced to stop, she looked up at him.

Adrian spoke, "It's just a minor wound, no need to take off any clothes."

Eva wasn't convinced. "If it's just a minor wound, why is the smell of blood so strong?"

"Because it's not my blood. It's someone else's."

Eva felt her heart skip a beat upon hearing that it was someone else's blood. "Someone else's?"

Her subtle reaction did not escape Adrian's notice, which prompted him to narrow his eyes slightly and say what came next.

"Concerned? What if I told you that it's Michael's blood?"

Judging by his tone, Eva felt he was joking, yet her heart still sank. Having been away for so long, he must have had an altercation with Michael.

With this in mind, Eva began to examine Adrian's face more closely.

Previously, she had been solely focused on the blood on his body and had not taken a good look at his face, but now she noticed that his face was also injured.

Around the eyes, the corners of the mouth, and the jaw, all showed signs of injury.

If the visible injuries were this serious, what about the ones underneath his clothes?

Thinking this, Eva became anxious. "Where exactly are you hurt? Take off your shirt and let me see."

Adrian watched her silently, his handsome face etched with helplessness. "Didn't I tell you? That's Michael's blood."

Eva's hand tightened around his neck, gripping the collar of his clothing with force, biting her lower lip.

All these actions were keenly observed by Adrian, his gaze becoming obscure and even bitter.

"Are you worried about him?"

"Adrian!" she called out harshly, right as he finished speaking. "What's the point of saying that now? Even if he's injured, I can't fly to him right at this moment. I'm standing in front of you, wanting to see your wound." Adrian paused for a moment.

"Or are you saying that you lied to me, that you're the one who's seriously injured? You're scared to let me know, so you say these things to placate me, is that it?"

After she finished speaking, Adrian fell into a prolonged silence, taking a while before he reached out to grasp her wrist and bowed his head.

"So, did you get placated? Are you worried about him, or are you more worried about me?"

Eva met his gaze for a moment. Unable to tolerate his behavior any longer, she asked, "Why are you being childish?"

Adrian held her hand even tighter. "Is it childish to want to know the true feelings of the woman I love?"

Adrian suddenly became very stubborn. Speaking directly and passionately, he overwhelmed Eva.

Especially when he mentioned the woman he loved.

When had he become so fervent and unrestrained?

"Answer me." Seeing that she remained silent, Adrian didn't let her off the hook, but held her hand and continued to inquire, "Is it so difficult to answer this question?" "No, it's just that..." she hesitated.

"Just that you're worried about him more than me? You want to be by his side?"

His question made Eva frown, looking at Adrian. "Do you really need to ask this?"

"Mhm, I won't let you unbutton my shirt until you answer." Adrian said, protecting his collar as if her answer were some sort of switch.

After watching him for a long while, Eva decided not to indulge him any further.

"Fine, if you don't want me to see, then forget it."

With that, Eva let go and turned away without another glance.

Adrian's expression changed, not expecting her to be so impervious to teasing. Watching her about to leave, he hastily reached out to pull her back. "Don't go."

With her back to him, Eva heard him speak in a low voice, "I'm injured, and you still won't give me another look?"

A trace of grievance laced his voice.

Eva turned her head. "Is it that I don't want to give you another look, or is it you who won't let me?"

Adrian pressed his lips together, "Besides wanting to look at me, you're also worried about someone else."

"So do you actually want me to check you or not?"

He remained silent, merely watching her quietly, an undercurrent of dissatisfaction still apparent in his gaze.

Eva stared back at him for a long while. Had it been any other time, she might have turned on her heels and left, indifferent to his sulking petulance.

But the thought that he had come to rescue her and was now seriously injured because of her softened her heart. As tenderness took over, she approached him and said softly, "Alright, let me see your wound."

 

Chapter 415 Let Her Come Over

She softened and approached him on her own.

She even coaxed him in a gentle tone.

"I was harsh earlier, and I apologize. To think you're injured like this because of me... I shouldn't have spoken to you that way. Let me see your injury now, okay?"

She spoke soothingly, in a way she hadn't since they reunited. Hearing the change in her voice, Adrian felt a tug at his heartstrings, easing them.

He had been missing her terribly, and now, as he watched her lips move in front of him, the color in his eyes deepened instantly.

Swallowing hard, He suddenly reached out, pulling her toward him as he leaned in.

"You don't have to apologize to me." Adrian said with a voice so hoarse it was almost a whisper, his hot breath closing in on Eva.

Eva's eyelashes fluttered as he leaned in, about to kiss her, but the overpowering scent of blood invaded her senses, startling her back to clarity.

Before their lips could meet, Eva instinctively put her hand between them.

Adrian's movement paused, clearly not expecting her to block him. After a brief two or three seconds, he didn't pull away but instead kissed the palm of her hand.

The tender sensation almost made Eva withdraw her hand, but before she could react, Adrian quickly pulled back, the hand around her waist also retreating as if swiftly detaching himself from the emotion. He spoke indifferently, "I'll clean up and come back in a bit."

With that, he turned and walked away.

It wasn't until the door closed behind him that Eva came to her senses.

He hadn't shown her his wound, not only that, he had rather audaciously taken a liberty with her.

At the thought, Eva lowered her gaze to the palm he had kissed, where the trace of his breath seemed to linger.

She remained standing for a while before remembering to follow him.

Upon opening the door and stepping out, Adrian's figure was nowhere to be seen. She hadn't expected him to disappear that quickly.

Closing her own room's door, she proceeded down the corridor to ask the patrolling guards where he had gone.

"Excuse me, where did Adrian go? He just left."

"Ms. Hansen, Mr. Blackwood went down the hallway to the left."

Eva's gaze briefly swept over to the corridor on the left, after which she thanked the man. He promptly replied, "No need for thanks, Ms. Hansen." Walking down the corridor, Eva spotted Jacob hurrying with the doctor they'd seen earlier into a room.

From that mere glance, Eva was certain that the doctor was there to see Adrian.

He must have been seriously hurt and wanted to keep it from her. Otherwise, he wouldn't have suddenly left and bolted out on his own.

With this thought, Eva quietly followed them.

Fortunately, after Jacob led the doctor inside, they didn't close the door completely. Thus, as Eva approached, she could clearly hear the voices coming from within. "Mr. Blackwood, where are you injured? Let me take a look. The wound needs to be disinfected."

A moment of silence followed, soon replaced by the sound of both the doctor and Jacob sharply inhaling.

"How could it be so severe?" Jacob exclaimed, his voice tinged with frustration and anger as he cursed Adrian's adversary, "That damned Michael, did he do this?" But all that came in response was a muffled groan.

The doctor frowned as he cleaned the wound. "Mr. Blackwood, after your wound is cleaned, you should avoid getting it wet for the next few days, otherwise, the infection could worsen." Adrian sat with little reaction. Aside from an initial pained grunt when he was caught off guard, he had been enduring the pain silently.

Jacob stood by, and if it weren't for the beads of cold sweat rolling down Adrian's forehead, highlighting the taut veins, he might have thought the wound wasn't painful.

But how could it not be? The wound was so deep, merely a glance at it was terrifying.

"Mr. Blackwood, does Ms. Hansen know you're injured like this? I heard that you went to Ms. Hansen immediately after returning without tending to your wound." Adrian hesitated briefly before pressing his thin lips together, then replied, "She knows I'm injured, but she hasn't seen the wound."

Hearing this, Jacob breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good to hear. The state of your wound is truly frightening. It would be best if Ms. Hansen doesn't see it."

No sooner had he spoken, than an inquiring voice came from the doorway.

"Really? What kind of wound is it that you don't dare let me see? I'm quite curious to see just how scary it can be."

The sudden appearance of a female voice drew their attention immediately.

Upon seeing who it was, Jacob's face changed, and he quickly stepped forward to block her.

"Ms. Hansen, what are you doing here?"

Adrian was also quickly fastening the buttons of his clothes, concealing the wound that the doctor had only half-treated.

The doctor paused, sighing helplessly in a low voice, "Mr. Blackwood, your wound hasn't been fully treated yet."

"I know." His voice lowered, he cast a coercive glance at the doctor, "I'll have it treated later, remember to cover for me in a while."

The doctor thought, "With the wound being this severe, how am I supposed to cover for him? Isn't treating the wound the priority?"

But since Adrian was his employer, and the wound wasn't life-threatening, the doctor didn't say anything more as putting off the treatment for a short while wouldn't pose a danger.

He stood to the side, arms folded, quietly waiting.

On the side, Eva's gaze grew a fraction colder looking at Jacob blocking her path.

"Can't I come over? Jacob, didn't you say you would tell me immediately once there was any news?"

"Yes, Ms. Hansen, hasn't Mr. Blackwood just returned? I haven't had the chance to inform you."

Eva looked at him, her lips twitching slightly, "That's right, you're so busy you obviously wouldn't have spare time to notify me, so I came by myself."

It seemed Jacob had fallen into a trap Ms. Hansen had set.

While he was dazed, Eva walked past him. Realizing what had happened, Jacob quickly moved to stop her.

"Ms. Hansen, Mr. Blackwood is getting his wound treated, and the scene is somewhat gruesome, perhaps... you shouldn't look."

"I'd like to see just how gruesome it is." Eva's gaze met Jacob's blockage. "When he had severe gastric bleeding back in our country, didn't you beg me to see him, fearing he might die? Now that he's injured, I can't see him?" "Ms. Hansen," Jacob smiled awkwardly, "It's not that you can't look, it's just Mr. Blackwood..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a resigned voice came from inside, "Let her come."

 

Chapter 416 Concern

At these words, Jacob's face changed.

He turned to look at Adrian, and seeing Adrian nod at him, Jacob stepped aside.

With the obstruction gone, Eva's gaze finally met Adrian's in the air.

Their eyes locked for a moment, then Adrian suddenly said, "Everyone, please step outside."

Hearing this, the doctor instinctively raised his hand to point at himself, "Are you asking us to leave, Mr. Blackwood?" Adrian nodded.

"But your wound..."

"My wound isn't a major concern at the moment; it can wait to be treated."

"If that's the case, then... alright..." The doctor was about to agree when Eva, standing there, interrupted him.

"Treat it now." The three of them looked at Eva as she walked over with a stern face, somewhat displeased as she spoke to Adrian, "You've been injured and if you don't tend to it now, what do you plan on doing? Do you think the pain isn't enough, or do you believe you have plenty of blood to spare for a while longer?"

Adrian mumbled, "I..."

"Sir, wherever he's hurt, please attend to him now. I'll be watching." Eva said, not even acknowledging Adrian, as she turned and instructed the doctor. Under her serious tone, the doctor instinctively nodded.

"Okay, I'll treat his wounds now." He then fetched the first-aid supplies, approaching Adrian, "Mr. Blackwood, please take off your clothes."

Adrian glanced at Eva and met her glaring eyes.

"Aren't you going to undress?"

Under Eva's watchful gaze, Adrian reluctantly began to unbutton his shirt, his movements deliberately slow, as if to stretch out every second he could.

Eva, initially standing by, became slightly irritated at the scene and sat down beside him, reaching out to help him strip off his shirt.

Her movements were far from gentle. As soon as she pulled his shirt off, her delicate wrist was caught by Adrian.

Eva looked up, "What?"

Confronted with her inquiring gaze, Adrian shook his head and with a touch of guilt said, "Nothing, just be gentle."

Eva sighed, "Please hurry up with the treatment, Sir."

"Of course." The doctor resumed attending to the wound that was half-treated. Now that Eva was sitting so close, the stench of blood was more intense. She frowned and looked down at his wound.

But before she could see clearly, a pair of hands gently covered her eyes.

Eva paused and asked, "What are you doing?"

"There's really nothing to see. Let the doctor handle it."

"I'm not going to react even if I see." Eva said.

Adrian pursed his thin lips, "I don't want to worry you."

Eva's response was to pull his hands away.

With just a glance, she froze on the spot.

There was a large gash on Adrian's abdomen, seemingly inflicted by a knife.

Not only was the injury extensive, but it also looked very deep.

As the doctor treated him, the wound kept bleeding profusely, presenting a terrifying sight.

After a few moments, Eva placed her hand over her mouth, and seeing her reaction, Adrian again covered her eyes.

"You claim you're not scared, but you look frightened, don't you?"

His voice was soft, teasing in tone, but Eva could hear a trace of helplessness in it.

It was as if he was saying, "I told you not to look for your own good. You didn't listen, and now you see I was right, don't you?"

Eva had considered the possibility that he'd sustained a severe injury, knowing his penchant for playing the victim, he'd never conceal it otherwise. However, she never imagined it could be this serious.

With that thought, Eva bit her lower lip, abruptly pushed Adrian's hands away and turned to the doctor, "His wound isn't life-threatening, is it?"

"It's not fatal." the doctor replied.

"But the wound looks terrifying." Eva frowned.

"Yes, it does look quite fearsome, and had it been any deeper, it could've been fatal. Thankfully, it's not that severe. I'll take care of it, and he will just need to keep it dry afterward."

While the doctor spoke lightly, Eva could only feel relieved that Adrian's wound wasn't fatal, but she sent him a fierce glare.

Adrian pondered and eventually vented his frustration towards Jacob standing nearby.

Jacob wondered, "What's wrong with him? Did I do something?"

If he could hear Adrian's thoughts, he would probably hear Adrian blaming him, "It's your fault for not closing the door when you brought the doctor. She overheard everything from outside, didn't she?" After treating the wound and prescribing some medication, the doctor, at Eva's insistence, gave Adrian a full examination to ensure there were no other injuries before leaving.

Adrian flipped through the medication prescribed by the doctor, the sight of the many white tablets piled together giving him a headache. He pondered whether to throw them away later, when he heard some soft, indistinct voices from the door.

He looked up and saw Eva following the doctor to the door, asking, "Are you sure there's no need for another check? Like, internally, or other wounds that aren't visible?"

The doctor appeared exasperated by her questioning. "Ms. Hansen, we've checked everything necessary, and even the unnecessary. Generally speaking, there shouldn't be any major issues."

"Generally speaking? So, there are other possible scenarios? What about these other scenarios?" Eva was still feeling uneasy about his condition.

"Ms. Hansen, normally, the 'other scenarios' you're referring to wouldn't happen. Besides, if there really is 'another scenario', I'm still around. Just give me a call or come find me, and I'll be right over, so please rest assured that it won't come to that."

Hearing that he would be staying put, Eva finally felt at ease.

She had thought he might leave, and that Adrian could have emergencies that wouldn't be attended to in time.

"That's good, then. Could you give me your phone number, so I can save it?"

The doctor smiled resignedly, "Alright, I'll give you my number."

Watching the two exchange phone numbers at the door, Adrian was initially tempted to toss out his pills. But now... Ah well, he realized that he had better keep them. He needs to take his medication diligently to recover quickly, otherwise she'll end up worrying herself to death over him.

Having swapped contact details, Eva bid the doctor farewell, and Jacob followed suit, departing the scene.

Now, in the sanctuary of the home, only the two of them remained. Adrian captured a glimpse of Eva storing away her phone, her face a stern mask as she approached him, triggering an ominous hunch within him.

Sure enough, when Eva halted in front of him, her gaze swept across his face only briefly before settling on the pills beside him.

She walked over and picked up the pills without hesitation.

"The wound has been treated, now it's time for your medication."

 

Chapter 417 As You Wish

The night wore on, and the room was bathed in light, as bright as day.

Sitting on the couch, his shirt partially removed, Adrian watched his beloved painstakingly peruse the medication instructions, meticulously sorting his pills while alternating between looking up and down.

Though his abdominal wounds throbbed painfully, the sight of her concern, her dedication to understanding the instructions for his sake filled him with an overwhelming sense of contentment that didn't merely skim the surface but was etched deeply into his heart.

As he beheld her face, Eva suddenly lifted her eyes and frowned at him, wrenching him back to reality with her expression. He probed, "What is it?"

Eva bluntly queried, "Have you had dinner tonight?"

Assessing Adrian's expression, Eva deduced, "It seems you haven't. These medications should be taken after eating, you..."

"Is that so?" Adrian responded nonchalantly, "If they're supposed to be taken after eating, we can wait until tomorrow."

"That won't do." Eva immediately dismissed his suggestion. "With your wounds in this condition, you need to take your medication now."

During the exchange, Eva rose to her feet and headed towards the door.

Adrian's face shifted subtly, an urge to follow surged within him, but Eva pressed him back to his original spot.

"Just wait here; I'll see what's in the kitchen to eat. Take your medicine after that."

Adrian said, "Why trouble yourself? What sort of food could possibly be found in the kitchen at this hour?"

Having said that, he reached for the pills himself, "I'll simply take them on an empty stomach."

"Absolutely not." Eva refused without a second thought. "Have you forgotten about your stomach bleeding incident recently? These pills are already harsh on the stomach. If you take them without eating, your ulcer might recur. With these new injuries on top of that, are you trying to kill yourself?"

Adrian, in truth, had long relegated his previous stomach bleeding to the back of his mind and was reminded only when she mentioned it, casting his thoughts back to his recent bleeding episode.

It was because of this matter that she was willing to take another look at herself.

Pondering this, Adrian asked her in a low voice, "Is it because I'm injured?"

Eva was initially puzzled by the sudden question. "What?"

"Is it because I'm hurt that you're concerned about me? If I hadn't been injured today, would you..." Adrian paused briefly, then laughed at himself. "I mean, do you care because I've been hurt?" At first, Eva didn't grasp his meaning, but after he finished, she finally understood.

After a moment of thought, she realized why he would think that, probably because she had mentioned the stomach bleeding.

The last time she visited him in the hospital, it seemed like he thought she only came because he was in a pitiful state, and she had made it sound like she was only visiting to see her grandmother. He must have been bothered by it all this time, which is why he brought it up now.

With that thought, Eva lowered her eyelids.

After a moment, she looked up at him. "I'd come to see you even if you weren't hurt. So now, I'll go to the kitchen and bring back something to eat. Can you wait here?"

Adrian pursed his lips, "I'll go with you."

"You're injured. Didn't the doctor say you shouldn't move around too much to avoid aggravating the wound?" Eva said softly.

"But the doctor also said it's not life-threatening. If it gets pulled, it'll just hurt for a bit. After you're done, we can come back." Before Eva could object, Adrian had already stood up. "Let's go." "Do you really want to come with me? Your injury..." Eva questioned.

"Let's go." Seeing her still standing in place, Adrian simply said, "The sooner we go, the sooner we come back. If you keep delaying with me, when will I be able to take my medicine?" Finally, Eva was persuaded and went to the kitchen with him.

Along the way, Jacob heard some noise and specifically came to check. Discovering they were heading to the kitchen, he suggested calling the chef.

But it was really late, so Eva politely declined, and Jacob didn't insist further.

In the kitchen, Eva opened the fridge packed full with ingredients, everything that one could need.

Eva glanced over and picked a few simple items.

It was late, so she simply put pasta and some ingredients into the pot to boil. The whole process looked simple enough, and Adrian silently watched from the side.

"It's too late to eat much, it won't digest well, so we just need a little to fill our stomachs before you take your medicine."

Adrian obediently replied, "Okay, I'll listen to you."

His response surprised Eva a bit, but she didn't dwell on it and just turned up the heat and waited a while before turning it off.

She served the pasta and placed it in front of Adrian.

"Eat up."

Adrian looked at the bowl of pasta before him. It was almost a plain bowl of pasta with just a few toppings, some pieces of broccoli, and a fried egg.

Yet, for Adrian, this simple bowl of pasta was superior to all others.

He picked up his fork and twirled some strands of pasta, and as he tasted it, it was just as delicious as he imagined.

After a bite, he looked up at Eva and sincerely said, "Thank you, it's very tasty."

Eva paused, then replied, "It's just a bowl of pasta, nothing special about it."

Once their hunger was satisfied, Eva took out the medicine she had prepared earlier from her pocket and placed it in front of Adrian, then poured him some warm water.

"All the pills are here. Take all of them." Adrian looked at the small packet of pills, dreading the bitter taste they would leave in his mouth, but he knew if he didn't take them, she would probably remain worried. With that in mind, Adrian didn't hesitate anymore. He took the pills and swallowed them with a big gulp of water.

"Now are you satisfied?" Adrian showed her the emptied bottom of the glass.

"Good." Eva nodded. "The wound's been treated, and you've taken your medicine. You should rest now."

At the mention of rest, Adrian also nodded. "Okay."

They went upstairs together, and when they reached the door of the room, Eva was expecting him to walk in. However, she realized he stopped when she did, showing no intention of going in. Eva gave him a curious look, "Go on."

Adrian returned her glance. "This isn't my room."

Eva was perplexed, "If this isn't your room, then where is..."

She stopped mid-sentence as she suddenly remembered that the place that she had been staying in was actually Adrian's room.

The room bore Adrian's presence, which is why Jacob had taken them there.

While she was deep in thought, Adrian kept his eyes on her.

"Didn't they already bring you into my room?"

 

 

Chapter 418 Keeping a Close Watch

After he spoke, Eva fell silent.

The two of them used to share a room, but that was a thing of the past. For a long time, they hadn't seen each other, let alone lived together.

Now, suddenly, they were to stay in the same room.

Seeing her hesitation, Adrian lowered his eyes, then reached for her wrist.

"I've been seriously injured. Are you okay with leaving me alone? What if something happens while I'm asleep?"

Hearing this, Eva glanced at him. Although there was a pitiful plea in his expression and words, she couldn't deny that what he said made sense because he was indeed seriously injured. She had witnessed the extent of his injuries firsthand. When the doctor left, she had asked him about it. Under normal circumstances, it would be nothing, but what if it wasn't?

Regardless, that was his room to begin with. Letting him stay there was only right. Besides, the most important thing was that he was injured and couldn't do much right now. With that thought, Eva felt at ease.

"Let's go."

Seeing her agree, a hint of satisfaction flickered in Adrian's eyes. His lips curled into an attractive arch, and as he followed her, he didn't release the hand he held but pulled her along. Once in the room, Eva straightened up the couch. She then checked the bedroom, ensuring that Ruby and Dylan were sound asleep before coming back out. Adrian, noticing her caution, asked quietly, "Are they asleep?"

Eva nodded. "They've been asleep for a while now. In fact, they waited for you for quite some time, but they've been running around with me all day and are utterly exhausted." After she finished speaking, Adrian stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her. "You all have been through so much. It's my fault for not protecting you well."

Normally, Adrian's embrace was fresh and pleasant to the scent, even mingled with a hint of grass. But now, his body carried only the smell of blood and a faint odor of sweat.

It wasn't particularly unpleasant, but the smell inevitably reminded her of the deep, bone-revealing wound on his body.

With this thought, Eva pushed him away. "You need to change those clothes."

Adrian retorted, "Do you find the smell on me unbearable? Or are you disgusted by me?"

Hearing that, Eva replied candidly, "Both."

Considering his injury, Eva opened the wardrobe to find clothes for him, fetching him a shirt and pants.

Adrian looked at the clothes in his hand and said, "You missed something."

Made aware by his comment, Eva realized what she had forgotten. She hadn't paid much attention while picking the clothes.

Since he was injured, she decided to see it through.

With that, Eva opened the wardrobe again. "Where are they?"

"The top shelf."

Eva opened the top shelf and saw the neatly arranged undergarments. She felt embarrassed to look closely and simply grabbed one to give to him.

"That should be everything, go change."

With that, Eva slammed the wardrobe shut, and the chuckle from Adrian behind her made her face warm.

Biting her lower lip, she asked, "Aren't you going to change? How much longer do you plan to stand here?"

"But I'm injured. Don't you intend to help me?"

At that, Eva couldn't stand it anymore and turned to face him. "You're injured, not handicapped. You can still use your arms and legs."

Seeing her look so indignant, Adrian let out a 'tsk' and finally just reached out to pat her head.

"Alright, I'll go change."

"I can't provoke her further. If I do, she'll surely lose her temper." he thought with amusement.

Adrian, carrying his clothes, went to the bathroom. Eva had intended to wait for him outside but then thought of something and followed him. Before he entered the bathroom, she reminded him, "You haven't forgotten what the doctor said, right? The wound can't get wet for now."

Adrian was about to close the bathroom door when he heard her sudden reminder. He paused, looked at her, and said, "I remember everything he told me, but if you're that worried, why don't you come in and watch over me?" Hearing this, Eva instinctively responded, "Don't even think about it."

After that, she turned and left.

Adrian watched her retreating figure and slowly closed the bathroom door.

Once the door shut, Adrian's face could no longer hide the strain. The smile that had lingered at his lips vanished, leaving only his prominent veins and cold sweat.

The injury was so deep that it hurt even without movement, let alone when changing clothes with all the required arm-lifting and movements.

He'd been enduring the pain the whole time earlier when he was with her, not wanting to worry her.

His shirt, taken off, was thoroughly soaked. Adrian gave it a glance before tossing it directly into the washing machine beside him.

His shirts usually required dry cleaning, but with the current situation being exceptional, he could not fuss about it and just threw it in to get rid of any evidence. After Adrian changed his clothes and came out, Eva was still waiting for him.

Seeing him in a fresh set of clothes, she came over and eyed him from head to toe, then asked, "Your wound didn't get wet, did it?"

"After all your warnings, how could I let it?" he replied.

Then, glancing at his wristwatch, Adrian said, "It's getting late. You should rest."

Eva asked almost reflexively, "What about you?"

"I'll rest as well."

Though he said he was going to rest, Eva, remained in place, motionless.

"What's the matter?" Seeing her stationary, Adrian teased, "Can't bear to leave? Want to stay and keep me company?"

Eva didn't speak, only silently watching him for a long while before she lowered her gaze. "No, I'll go rest then."

A smile appeared on Adrian's lips: "Go on then."

He stood there, not attempting to detain her any further, and watched as Eva walked into the adjoining room and closed the door. Only then did Adrian's shoulders visibly relax.

He looked at the closed door, exhaled softly, then moved slowly towards the couch, eventually sitting down on it.

With an injury like this, an ideal situation would have been to deal with the wound and then see her briefly before being alone, otherwise, being with her would only make her worry needlessly.

But as soon as he saw her, he didn't want to leave her side, couldn't leave her, which led him to follow her to this room, and now he sat on the couch.

Remaining on the couch, he knew she was inside, yet he couldn't be with her, which only intensified the agony in his heart.

However, he had managed to rescue her.

No matter what, as long as she was under his watch at this moment, he should be content.

With this thought, Adrian's lips curved slightly, and he let out a soft chuckle.

As he was about to settle down on the couch for the night, the door that had just closed opened again. Eva walked over with a pillow and blanket, laying them down beside him. He thought they were for him, but the next second, Eva lay down on them herself.

 

Chapter 419 Untouchable, Unreachable

The couch was spacious enough to accommodate Eva's frame, though it appeared much smaller. Adrian remained seated, watching her lie down behind him, quickly taking up more than half the space. His lips tight, he finally couldn't control himself and asked, "Aren't those for me?"

Eva lay there, locking eyes with him. "Yes."

If they were for him, why was she lying there too? And if they weren't for him, why did she say yes?

Adrian was confused.

While he wrestled with his doubts, Eva suddenly said, "I'm here to keep you company."

Adrian paused, and after a moment, his gaze changed subtly. If his eyes were clear before, now they turned dark and intense, fixed on her like a hunter zeroing in on his prey.

Even knowing that moving would cause his wounds to hurt, Adrian still leaned in closer to her and whispered, "Keep me company? Are you sure?"

Eva instinctively recoiled from the closeness of his warm breath, her heartbeat quickening.

Realizing how close his lips were to hers, Eva quickly raised the blanket as a barrier, shielding her mouth in the process.

To prevent Adrian from making an unexpected move.

Indeed, her actions caught Adrian's notice, and he watched her with a smile curving his eyes. "You're here to keep me company; there's nothing to be afraid of, right?"

His words prompted Eva to retort discontentedly, "I'm here because I'm worried you might have a fever or something. It's not for anything else. If you dare to entertain any wild ideas, I'll leave right this second." Having said that, Eva even made a move to get up with the blanket, as if proving her point.

"Don't go." Adrian said, stopping her with his hand, perhaps too abruptly, as it pained his injury, causing him to groan deeply. The pain made him freeze in place.

Hearing his groan, Eva's expression changed. Just as she was about to speak, she saw him giving her a pale, pained smile.

"What are you angry about? Look at me, any movement causes pain. What could I possibly do to you? Even if I wanted to do something, my body wouldn't allow it."

Eva looked at him. Although he spoke lightly, his eyes held a depth similar to that of a wolf, hinting at an intensity that belied his physical weakness. In another second, it seemed he might pounce and devour her whole. With that thought, Eva said, "Then stop looking at me like that."

Caught off guard by her comment, Adrian paused before replying, "How am I looking at you?"

"Just the way you are now." Eva murmured softly.

Although he hadn't done anything, the way he was looking at her was more unsettling than anything else.

At least during their intimate moments, they wouldn't make eye contact, but now his gaze was steadfastly fixed on her, and it was more than she could take.

Adrian chuckled, a low sound. "Eva, isn't that a bit too tyrannical? To sit beside the woman I adore, and not only can I not touch or hold you, now I'm not allowed to look?"

After speaking, his gaze intensified.

Eva had enough.

She had to kneel and rise to her feet, reaching out to push Adrian's head to the side, directing his gaze away from her.

"Can't you just look somewhere else?"

His head, nudged to the side, amusing him, and in less than a second, he turned back to face her. Eva's hand had not yet retracted when his lips brushed softly against the center of her palm.

The soft sensation in her palm made Eva instinctively want to pull away, but Adrian caught her hand in the next instant.

The moment their skin made contact, Eva could feel the warmth of his palm burning like fire.

He bowed his head and reverently kissed the center of her hand.

Eva felt a tickling sensation in her heart as she tried to withdraw her hand, but Adrian's grip was strong, and she had no way to free herself. She could only watch as his lips slowly moved upward, kissing each one of her fingertips. Eva struggled slightly, but to no avail. Despite his injuries, Adrian's strength was more than she could match.

Moreover, Eva was afraid that struggling too violently might hurt his wounds, so she remained in subdued.

Only when he had kissed each of her fingers and was moving on to her neck, with an inclination to continue downwards, did Eva suddenly snap back to reality.

"No... no!" Eva abruptly pressed down on his roaming hands. "You're still injured."

Adrian's Adam's apple bobbed, and he looked at her with deep eyes, his voice hoarse. "It's fine, it's just a minor injury."

Just a minor injury?

Eva could hardly believe it. He had been sweating cold sweat from the pain while the doctor had been treating the wound earlier, and veins had bulged on his forehead. If the wound was a bit deeper, it could have been fatal, and yet now he claimed it was just a minor injury?

"No!" Eva firmly refused, pressing her hand against his chest to stop him from drawing any closer.

At that moment for Adrian, although the wound indeed still hurt, another emotion had gained the upper hand. Now, all he cared about was whether this emotion could continue.

As for the pain of the wound, he had already thrown it to the back of his mind.

"Eva." Adrian whispered her name by her ear, causing him to lean in incredibly close, his voice and tone incredibly intimate. "Just a bit longer, okay? I promise, I won't do anything to you." Not do anything to her?

If Eva truly believed his words, she'd be a fool.

He'd claimed he was injured and wouldn't do anything before, but what happened then? He caught her and kissed her for ages, wandering hands and all.

Based on what she knew of him, if things progressed, he would likely lose all self-control.

And here they were, outside the bedroom where the children were.

The kids might be sound asleep for now, but what if they woke up and came out? If they were seen, the impact would be far too negative.

With this thought, Eva's internal refusal strengthened.

"No!" Seeing Adrian's reluctant gaze, Eva said, "Ruby and Dylan might wake up at any moment. Do you want them to see us?"

Hearing the names of the two little ones, Adrian seemed to sober up a bit. He looked at Eva's fair complexion and her lips, slightly swollen, held back for a moment, but then couldn't help suggesting, "Then... how about we go somewhere else?"

"That's not okay either, I'm not comfortable leaving them alone to sleep here."

If this wasn't okay and that wasn't okay, what else could Adrian say? Ruby and Dylan were his children after all. If they woke up in the middle of the night and saw something untoward, it indeed wouldn't be suitable. With this thought in his mind, Adrian's rationality gradually returned, and certain emotions slowly subsided.

 

Chapter 420 He Slept in Mommy's Bed

Seeing that he finally came to his senses, Eva breathed a sigh of relief.

She got up and poured herself a glass of water to drink. When she turned around, she noticed Adrian's forehead was covered with a lot of cold sweat. "You're sweating a lot; is your injury okay?" While asking, Eva reached out to touch his forehead, "Do you have a fever?"

The temperature of his skin felt somewhat higher, but it didn't seem like a fever.

"No fever." Adrian said calmly, looking at her. "As for my temperature, consider what just happened between us."

After those words, Eva instantly understood his implication and withdrew her hand.

Now she knew why his temperature was high, yet it was not a fever. But he was shameless to state it so blatantly.

"Time to sleep," Adrian said, indicating her previous spot on the couch.

But the recent incident had Eva feeling hesitant. If she were to lie down again, what if Adrian...?

"It won't be like last time, I promise."

"Your promises mean nothing." Eva retorted. "You said earlier that you couldn't do anything to me in your current state."

"Well, that was before, and I never promised then, did I?"

That seemed to make sense, didn't it?

She hesitated for a mere two seconds before finally crawling over and lying down in her previous spot. As soon as she did, Adrian's hand reached out.

Eva's expression changed, thinking he had other intentions, but then she saw he was just pulling the blanket over her.

His actions were awkward, revealing the pain he was in from his injuries. Eva's brows furrowed as she reached out to tug the blanket in place, and then she told Adrian, "Alright, you lie down and rest, stop worrying about me." Having said that, she shifted the blanket slightly, making room for Adrian.

The gesture drew a soft chuckle from Adrian who, moments later, lay down beside her.

To make space for him, Eva lay on her side, her back pressed against the couch to give Adrian more room.

Only when he lay down did Eva realize the unpleasant reality.

The space was so tight that not only was her back against the couch, but her front was pressed against him.

She could tolerate most contact but certain areas were embarrassingly close, and she tried her best to scoot back. After a short while, Adrian lifted his arm and drew her into his embrace.

"Your injury..."

"It's on the other side." came Adrian's deep reply. "I'm using this arm to hold you, it doesn't affect me."

Eva looked up and saw that it was indeed the other side that was injured, which calmed her worries.

"But holding me like this for a long time will make your arm sore."

"It'll just be sore, not broken."

"That's what you think." Eva countered. "If the blood doesn't circulate properly for too long, it could cause permanent damage."

Eva wasn't sure if her words sank in as she just heard a low chuckle from Adrian, who then commented, "If I really did become disabled, would you look at me a little more?"

She knew he was mostly joking, but Eva didn't find it amusing. It felt inauspicious.

She retorted unhappily, "No, if you became disabled, then I wouldn't want you."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Alright, since that's how it is, I'll make sure not to become disabled."

"You better not."

It had been over five years, and the two of them rarely lay together in such serene silence as they did now, chatting about what might seem like 'nonsense'.

Although their conversation lacked substance, Eva's heart felt at peace, a kind of tranquility she hadn't experienced before.

With just a tilt of her head, she could see his perfect jawline, and his scent enveloped her with every breath, giving her a sense of calm.

After changing clothes, he no longer carried the unpleasant smell of blood; his familiar scent comforted her.

Thinking this, Eva's restless hands gradually reached out, and she closed her eyes, resting against his chest.

"I'm tired." she whispered.

"Then sleep." he responded.

"Mmm, wake me if you feel uncomfortable."

"Okay."

Gradually, Adrian heard the breathing from the woman in his arms even out into a deep, rhythmic pattern.

She had fallen asleep.

Adrian adjusted the blanket around her to prevent her from catching a cold if she uncovered herself in her sleep, accidentally touching his wound in the process and almost gasping from the pain. He didn't want to wake Eva, so he endured the pain silently.

Looking down at his own injury, he sighed internally.

An injury like this would have been tough for him, but with Eva by his side, nestled in his arms, the pain seemed like less of a burden and more of a blessing.

With this thought, the corners of Adrian's lips curved into a pleasing smile.

The next morning, when Dylan woke up, he turned to see Ruby sleeping in disarray. He went forward to tuck her in properly.

He had wanted her to sleep in a bit longer, considering the fright she'd had the day before.

But as soon as he covered her up, Ruby awoke, blinking her sleepy eyes at him.

"Dylan?"

Seeing she was awake, Dylan helped her sit up. Still half-asleep, Ruby sat rubbing her eyes. "Why are you up so early?"

Then, she looked around and noticing Eva wasn't there, she asked, "Where's Mommy?"

Dylan had also noticed Eva's absence upon waking up. He had intended to cover Ruby with the blanket and then go out to check, but Ruby woke up before he could leave.

"I don't know. Mommy wasn't here when I woke up."

Hearing this, Ruby's eyes widened, "Did mommy not sleep with us last night?"

Dylan shrugged his shoulders, indicating he didn't know.

"Ah, then Dylan... let's go find Mommy." Ruby said, clenching her little fists.

"Mm." Dylan nodded.

The two little ones then got out of bed, dressed themselves, put on their shoes, and walked outside.

As they opened the bedroom door, the sunlight streamed in, causing them both to squint instinctively.

When they opened their eyes again, they saw two figures lying on the sofa across the room.

The figures had embraced and fell asleep together. Startlingly, they were Eva and Adrian.

Upon first sight, Ruby couldn't help but cover her mouth with her hand, her eyes wide, before whispering to Dylan, "Dylan, look quickly, Uncle NightA and Mommy are sleeping together!"