Chapter 831
[ 494 words ]
Chapter 831:
“Have you eaten breakfast yet?” His deep voice carried the familiar blend of concern and quiet authority.
I instinctively glanced at the clock on the wall and blinked in surprise. It was already close to noon. I’d been so consumed by work that breakfast had completely slipped my mind.
“I… I just finished everything,” I admitted in a smaller voice, then added sheepishly, “I was just about to eat. Don’t lecture me, I promise I’m going right now.”
“Come down to the parking garage,” he said. “I’m waiting for you.”
The line went dead. I stared at my phone for several seconds before his words fully registered.
Wasn’t he supposed to still be at the hospital?
Without another thought, I hurried to the elevator and headed for the underground garage. Sure enough, his car was parked in its usual reserved space.
Ethan leaned casually against the driver’s door. He’d changed into a perfectly tailored navy suit, his hair neatly styled, making it obvious he’d stopped by the house before coming here.
As I walked closer, my heart tightened at the sight of the faint shadows beneath his eyes. “You were up all night.” I frowned. “Why didn’t you go home and rest? You drove all the way here just to make sure I ate? I’m not a child.”
Without saying a word, he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me against his chest. “You’re right,” he said with quiet amusement. “You’re not a child. But whenever you’re out of my sight, you worry me even more than our children do.”
Fо𝘭𝘭𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝘀 о𝘯 𝗴a𝘭no𝘃𝗲𝘭𝗌.с𝗈𝗺
Resting against him, I inhaled the cool, woody scent that always clung to him and couldn’t resist teasing him. “That’s because when you’re not around, I finally get some freedom. Of course I’m going to let loose.”
“Which is exactly why I had to come watch over you myself.” He lightly pinched the back of my neck in mock punishment before opening the passenger door. “Get in. I’m taking you to lunch.”
He drove us to my favorite restaurant.
During the entire meal, he barely ate. Instead, he patiently cut my steak into bite-sized pieces and kept placing food onto my plate, reminding me over and over to eat more.
Watching the fatigue lingering across his face, I finally asked quietly, “How’s Rola?”
“She’s out of immediate danger.” His answer was flat, making it obvious he didn’t want to keep talking about it.
“So… are you going back to the hospital this afternoon?”
“No.” He set his fork aside and held my gaze without flinching. His next words landed with such honesty that my breath caught. “I can’t sleep when I’m alone at home.” His voice was steady, gentle, but left no room for argument. “Lianne, don’t go back to the office this afternoon. Come home with me.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks. Even after everything we’d shared, hearing him admit so openly that he wanted me beside him still made me blush like someone falling in love for the first time.
Noticing my reaction, Ethan smiled faintly.
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