She couldn’t help but inwardly sigh with complicated emotions at the news about Lynch’s death. But
Lynch deserved death and didn’t deserve any form of sympathy.
After regaining her composure, Ariana berated Theodore unhappily, “You just went through an
operation, yet you got the news before me. Can’t you have a good rest without having to worry about
what others are up to?”
Theodore chuckled and patted the space on the bed beside him.
“Why are you standing? Come and sit here.”
Ariana walked over slowly and sat down. She took Theodore’s exposed arm and gently tucked it back
under the warm quilt.
“No. It’s hot.” Theodore pouted and complained like a child, but one sharp look from Ariana
immediately shut him up.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAriana picked up an apple from the bedside table and began to peel it, chattering, “The doctor says you
should get some rest for now. Don’t focus on your work. Oh, and if you need anything, just let me
know.” ©
“What about you? Do you feel well?” Theodore asked.
Ariana paused and raised her eyes to look up at Theodore. Maybe it was because of the pain from his
injuries that Theodore’s handsome face looked haggard, which made his expression softer and less
indifferent than usual.
It was because of this rare gentleness she saw in him that Ariana mustered the courage to sit close to
him. She nodded her head and said, “I’m fine. It’s my fault you got hurt so badly. He had planned to
come after me.”
“But you saved me, too,” Theodore comforted Ariana in a soothing voice. He stretched out his fingers
from under the quilt and touched Ariana’s hand.
However, Ariana didn’t seem to notice at all. Her eyebrows furrowed as she blamed herself. “But you
got hurt anyway. I really am useless. I couldn’t do anything right. If Sarah hadn’t asked Aziel to locate
us because she couldn’t reach me, we could be dead by now.”
Theodore was about to comfort Ariana further, but she suddenly changed the subject. “I’m sorry. To be
honest, I always suspected that you were pretending to be disabled. From now on, I won’t doubt you
anymore. You don’t know how desperate I felt when you were stuck in that car. When it happened, I
really hoped your legs were okay.”
Ariana’s voice trembled. She looked pale and frightened.
Theodore froze, hesitating. He silently put his hand back under the quilt. He went quiet for a long time.
At some point, he broke the silence and said bitterly, “Would you be angry if I were pretending?” ©
Ariana sobbed, tears dripping from her lashes. She wiped the corners of her eyes with the back of her
hand and said exasperatedly, “Of course, I’d be angry! Wouldn’t that be making fun of me? After getting
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmto know you for so long, I think of you as my friend. If you were making a fool out of me behind my
back, I wouldn’t know how to face you. Luckily, it didn’t turn out like that.” ©
Theodore avoided looking at her. He was caught in a dilemma. He fell into an even longer silence.
Ariana raised her head. Her eyes were wet and puffy from crying.
She tilted her head at Theodore curiously, confusion in her glossy eyes.
“By the way, you said you were hiding something from me at that time. What is it?” ©
Theodore let out an awkward cough and made up a lame excuse.
“It’s nothing. I just wanted to tell you that Horace broke the water heater in your hotel room last time.”
@
Ariana was taken aback. Was such an insignificant piece of information pressing enough to tell her in a
life-or-death situation?
She felt a tinge of disappointment and pursed her lips. She said disparagingly, “I thought you were
going to tell me you have an illegitimate child or something.”