Chapter 26
[ 490 words ]
Chapter 26:
To make sure he wouldn’t suspect anything, I had already swapped the original label with one from a stomach medication bottle.
“Uh… my stomach hasn’t been feeling great lately,” I said, forcing my voice to stay steady as I reached for it.
Right then, the oily scent from the food drifted up.
My stomach twisted instantly, and a wave of nausea surged up my throat.
Without thinking, I pushed the tray aside and bent forward, unable to hold it back.
F𝗂𝘯𝘥 𝗻𝘰𝗏𝗲𝗅 P𝖣𝖥𝘴 𝗼𝘯 𝘨аl𝘯оv𝖾𝘭s.𝖼о𝘮
Ethan stopped what he was doing and placed the bottle down, his brows drawing together as he watched me. “Is it really that bad?”
“I already told you,” I replied, grabbing a tissue and wiping my mouth as a cold sweat formed across my forehead.
Before he could question me further, I quickly shifted the focus. I pointed toward my ankle, my voice turning rough. “My ankle’s starting to hurt again. I think the medication’s worn off. Can you help me change the dressing?”
Ethan stayed silent, studying me for a while, but in the end, he let it go without asking anything more.
Without saying a word, he turned away, picked up the first-aid kit, and sat at the edge of the bed.
Reaching out, he took hold of my injured foot with his hand.
The moment his skin met mine, a faint shiver ran through me before I could stop it.
His touch felt warm, his palm firm, and the light roughness of his skin brushed against mine, leaving behind a subtle, tingling sensation.
Lowering his head, he focused on his task, his movements unexpectedly careful.
As he began removing the bandages, his fingers would occasionally graze my ankle, and each brief contact stirred something I couldn’t ignore.
My eyes stayed on him, tracing the lines of his face, from the sharp bridge of his nose to the eyes that usually held nothing but distance, now carrying a quiet concentration.
He dipped a cotton swab into the ointment and applied it slowly over the swollen area.
Watching the way his fingers moved with such precision, I felt a strange sense of being looked after.
Just as he was about to finish, his hand suddenly paused.
The shift in his expression was immediate, turning serious in an instant.
I knew at once. Ivy was reaching him again through the mind link.
Without warning, he rose to his feet and tossed the ointment back into the kit.
“I’ve got something to deal with,” he said, already heading toward the door.
“Ethan!” The name slipped out before I could stop it.
His steps halted, but he didn’t turn around.
“Will you… come back tonight?” I asked, my voice low, and that faint trace of hope in it made me hate myself.
“I’ll try,” he answered, his tone flat.
Something tightened in my chest. “Is it about Ivy?” I asked. “What happened to her?”
Only then did he glance back, his eyes turning cold. “Don’t ask about things that have nothing to do with you. Just rest.”
After that, he walked out without another look.
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