CHAPTER058 OLIVIASPOV Thatsactuallywhathappened,IsaidtoAdrian,myvoicesteadybutmyheartracingbeneathmy chest.Ihoped,desperately,thathewouldbelieveme.
Adrianseyesdarkenedwithsuspicion,hisbrowsfurrowingdeeper.SoevenaftereverythingItoldyouaboutseeingJulian,yourestillseeinghim,hesaid,steppingclosertome.Hispresencewasalwaysoverwhelming,butatthismoment,itfeltsuffocating.
No!Ididntgotoseehimdirectly,Idefendedquickly,shakingmyheadaspanic threatenedtocreepintomyvoice.LikeIsaid,mymaingoalwastogetthisfromthehospital.IpulledoutthesmalltubeofointmentthatDr.Jayhadgivenmeearlier,holdingituplikeevidenceinacourtroom.
Adriansgazenarrowedasheeyedthe ointment,buthedidntspeakrightaway.Instead,heasked,Thenwhydidyoulie? Ifeltmythroattighten.Theanswerdancedontheedgeofmytongue,butIcouldntgiveittohim.IdidntwanttoadmitthatmyrealreasonforgoingtothehospitalwastocheckifIwaspregnant.Thatwastoopersonal,toovulnerabletoconfessinthis moment.
I…Icantseemtorememberwhy,Isaid,forcingastraightface,pretendinglikeIwasindifferent.
Hisjawclenchedvisibly,andhiseyeshardened.Areyouseriousrightnow?heraisedhisvoice,frustrationdrippingfromeveryword.
WhywouldntIbeseriousaboutsomethinglikethis?Ishotback,tryingtosoundconfident,butevenI couldheartheslighttremblein myvoice.
Heletoutasmallsighandwithoutanotherword,Adriansteppedevencloser,hiseyesfixedontheointmentinmyhand.Hetookitfromme,inspectingitlikeitwasthekeytounravelingamystery.Afterabeat,heraisedhiseyestomineandsaidfirmly,Takeoffyourtop.
Myheartstoppedforasecond.

Ifroze,mybreathcatchinginmythroat.Washeserious?Fearcrawledupmyspineasathousandhorriblescenariosflashedthroughmymind.Washegoingtopunishmeagain?Myhandstrembledslightly,andIhesitated.
Hisvoicecameagain,sharper,leavingnoroomforargument.Idontwanttorepeatmyself.
Successfullyunlocked ! Iswallowedhard,mythroatdry.Slowly,reluctantly,Ireachedforthedownofmytopandpulleditovermyhead,leavingmeinjustmybra.Eventhoughhehadseenmenakedcountlesstimesbefore,thistimefeltdifferentlikeIwas moreexposed,more 1/3 CHAPTER058 vulnerablethanever.Myarmsinstinctivelycrossedovermychest,tryingtoshieldmyselffromthecoldairandhispenetratinggaze.
AdrianseyesdidntlingerwhereIfearedtheywould.Instead,hesteppedbehindme,andIbracedmyself,shuttingmyeyestightly,expectingthefamiliarsting ofthebeltoraharshslapacrossmyskin.
Butthensomethingunexpectedhappened.
Ifeltacoldsensationonmyback,makingmeflinchslightly.Whatsthat!Iexclaimed,startledbythesuddenchillonmybruisedskin.
Itstheointment,Adrianreplied,hisvoicecalmernow,almostgentle.
Myeyesflutteredopeninsurprise.Hewasnthurtingme.Instead,hewascarefullyrubbingthesoothingointmentintomyback.Hishandswere surprisinglysoftandwarmagainstmyskin,massagingthebruiseswithanunexpectedtenderness.
Justrelax,hesaid,histonesofterthanIdheardinalongtime.
Forabriefmoment,Iactuallydid.Histouch,thoughfirm,carriedacertaincarethatIhadntfeltfromhimsince…well,sincebeforeeverythingfellapart.Itwasstrangeandunfamiliar,butcomfortinginatwistedway.Ashispalmswentovermyback,downtomywaist,andthengentlyuptomywrists,Ifeltmybodyslowlyreleasethetensionithadbeenholding.

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Icouldhardlybelieveit.Thisman,whohadinflictedsomuchpainonme,wasnowtendingtomywoundswithanalmostdelicateprecision.Ihatedtoadmitit,butpartofmelikedthefeelingmaybeitwasthehumanneedforcomfort,ormaybeitwasthesmallsliverofhopethathestillcaredinsome way.
Hishandslingeredjustamomentlonger,andthen,asifsensingthatIwasenjoyingthemomenthepulledawayabruptly.
Okay,thatsenough,hesaid,hisvoicereturningtoitsusualfirmtone.Youcanputyourtopbackon.
Snappingoutofmydaze,Ireachedformytopandslippeditovermyhead,feelingthewarmreliefoftheointmentalreadyworkingitswayintomyskin.Thebruisesdidntstingastheyhadbefore,andIfoundmyselfglancingbackatAdrianwithastrangemixofemotions.
Howdoesitfeelnow?heasked,hisexpressionunreadable.
Itfeels…better,Iadmittedsoftly, myvoicebarelyabove awhisper.
Wasthatit?Whatoftheconsequenceshewastalkingaboutbackatthecafe? My mindwasanythingbutatease.HisactionsconfusedmeandtwistedmythoughtsintoknotsIcouldntuntangle.Wasthisamomentofkindness,orwasitjustanothertacticinhiscomplicatedgameofcontrol?Icouldnttell.Andthatuncertaintyscaredmemorethananybruiseevercould.
CHAPTER053 Itsaysherethatyoushouldwashoffafter45minutes,hesaidstillreadingtheinstructionsontheointment Whydidyoudothat?Iaskedhim.
Dowhat?Hereplied.
Whydidyouputointmentonmewhenyouclearlywereupsetwithmeafewmomentsago?Iasked.

HeclearedhisthroatandjustashewasabouttoanswerthequestionhisphoneranganditwasfromJames,hepickedupthecallandwalkedoutoftheroom,italmostseemedthathedidntwanttoanswerthequestion,butthemainreasonwasthathewastryingtoavoidit.
Hey,James.Hesaid.
YestheyshouldgetgoingassoonaspossibleHeaddedwalkingoutoftheroom Thatwasweird,wellthankfullyIgotawaywithoutanymorebruisestoday,IletoutasmallsighasIadjustedmytop.
SpeakingofbruisesIshouldprobablycallJulianandfindoutifhesok,Ireachedformyphonebesidemeanddialedhisnumber RingRing,hepickedafterthesecondring Olivia,areyouokay?Iheardhimspeak.
IshouldbetheoneaskingyouthatJulian,butamfine,youtookaveryheavyhit,areyouokay?Iaskedhim.
IheardhimletoutasighbeforesayingYesImdoinggood.Hesaid Wellyoudidntlooktoogoodbackthere,IthoughtyouknewKungFusowhathappened,Isaidjokingly.
VeryfunnyOlivia,Iseewhatyouretryingtodo.Hereplied.
AnywaysImgladyoure fine,Isaid.
Whydidntyoutellmehedidthattoyou?Julianwithaserioustone,IforgotIstillhadtoexplainthistohim.