“I didn’t talk to you!” Ranita held her breath, her eyes widened like an about-to-explode cat.
Brendon found it cute.
Unable to resist teasing her, he said, “There’s nothing wrong with my ears!”
“Well, I didn’t say anything…”
“You said, ‘Brendon, can I tell Ayaan that you’re…’ ”
Ranita interrupted him hastily when she realized he could actually repeat it. “Stop, stop, stop! I said it!”
“How much did you hear?” Ranita asked, and seeing Brendon’s smile deepen, she regretted asking that question.
Ranita blushed, feeling embarrassed.
“You didn’t hear everything, did you?” Ranita thought about the other things she said, which were fine, except for the last sentence, which was a bit delicate.
It seemed like she was threatening him.
“More or less!” Brendon pinched her wrist and pulled her closer. “I’ve always wanted to tell you, I’m grateful that you’re willing to let Ayaan recognize me as his father!”
“Just say what you want to say and stop beating around the bush!” Ranita felt uncomfortable being looked at like that. Brendon had always been cold and unyielding, but now he suddenly became so gentle… it felt like there was a trap!
“Ranita, it hurts!” Brendon gasped.
Ranita immediately became anxious. “Where does it hurt? I’ll call the doctor.”
“No need!” Brendon reached out. “I want to hold you. Holding you will make the pain go away, Ranita.”
Ranita grimaced. “I’m not a painkiller. It’s not that magical that the pain will go away just by hugging!”
She didn’t believe him!
He just wanted to trick her into coming closer, right?
Ranita ran out not far and happened to meet a nurse.
“Is this the family of Room 5?”
Ranita had been there before, and the nurse recognized her.
“What’s wrong?”
“Is there any problem?” Ranita pursed her lips. The nurse shook her head. “No, no! I just wanted to tell you that the doctor stopped his pain medication today. The patient might feel some pain. If it’s unbearable, I’ll ask the doctor to resume the previous medication.”
The nurse’s words made Ranita freeze in place.
Was Brendon really in pain?
“If there’s no pain medication, will it be very painful?” Ranita asked, pressing her lips together. The nurse nodded. “It’s definitely uncomfortable. If the patient is in a bad mood, the family should comfort them more. Let us know if there’s anything.”
Ranita stood for a while, then went back to find Brendon.
“Why are you back?”
“Well…” Ranita approached Brendon and looked at him. In just a few days, Brendon had become visibly thinner, his nose looked sharper, and the only thing that hadn’t changed were his deep, pitch-black eyes.
“Do you really feel a lot of pain?”
“Well…” Brendon made a sound and stared at her blankly. “What’s wrong with you? Why do you have that expression? Who bullied you…”
The man’s voice was unusually gentle, and Ranita felt her eyes welling up with tears. She leaned forward and hugged him before he could react.
Brendon seemed to freeze for a moment.
After a while, he asked, “Ranita, what’s wrong with you?”
“Didn’t you say that the pain would go away if I hugged you? Are you… feeling better?” As Ranita finished speaking, she heard the man take advantage of the situation and whisper in her ear, “If you could kiss me, the effect might be even better.”
This despicable man!
Ranita tried to push him away but realized she was being held tightly. She couldn’t catch her breath, and she muttered in a hoarse voice, “Let go, I can’t breathe.”
“Ranita, I don’t want to let go! It hurts so much, let me hold you more!” The man spoke pitifully, sounding quite miserable.
Ranita thought about how he had become like this because of Ayaan, and her heart was in turmoil.