Rosalind instinctively looked at Ulric, but he had already shifted his gaze and walked ahead carrying their daughter.
Lowering her eyelashes, she took her son’s hand and stepped forward to follow.
By the end of the day, although Ulric had been looking after the children most of the time, Rosalind was still so tired that she fell asleep on the return journey.
She had no memory of how they got back to the hospital room, though she knew Ulric must have carried her.
When she woke again, it was already two in the morning.
She slowly opened her eyes and could hear Ulric’s steady breathing behind her.
He was sleeping deeply, lying properly in place, no longer placing a hand on her waist as he used to, as if afraid she might run away.
Rosalind quietly took her phone and got out of bed, only to discover an unread text message when she reached the couch.
It was a flight confirmation from the airline, from Sweden to Northville City, first class, departing at noon the next day.
This was exactly the last day she and Caesar had agreed upon.
She instinctively looked toward Ulric on the bed, knowing he had booked the ticket.
He had said, after these three days, I’ll let you go.
Ulric never lied to her, and this time was no different.
Rosalind bit her lower lip hard, not wanting to let her emotions show.
She was grateful that he was willing to give her the flash drive with the complete video. Expecting more would be asking too much! After all, on the other side was Ulric’s mother. She understood how difficult his position was.
Fearing she couldn’t hold back her tears, Rosalind wanted to leave the room.
Just as her hand touched the doorknob, she felt a warm palm grip her arm.
Looking up in surprise, her eyes met Ulric’s.
“Where are you going?”
Rosalind hadn’t expected him to wake up. He had seemed to be sleeping so soundly just moments ago.
“I-I’m going to check on the children.”
“Rosalind, you’re not good at lying.”
In the unlit room, his eyes could still find her accurately in the sparse moonlight.
Rosalind hadn’t intended to lie, but she could hardly tell him she was planning to go outside to cry, could she?
In the end, she stuttered without offering any reasonable explanation.
Suddenly, Ulric’s arm tightened, pulling her firmly into his embrace.
Before Rosalind could say anything, his lips had already begun their conquest.
Today, Ulric was completely different from before.
Like a man possessed, he lifted Rosalind and threw her directly onto the bed.
“Ulric…”
“Be quiet. I don’t want to hear you speak.”
As if he was deliberately trying to silence her, Ulric’s kisses never stopped, regardless of whether she could breathe or not.
At first, Rosalind instinctively struggled, because this version of Ulric frightened her.
But gradually, she wrapped her arms around his waist, allowing all his recklessness…
She joined Ulric in their shared descent, intense and passionate. Sweat mingled with her restrained moans as he seemed determined to take away all reason, to keep her confined forever, never to leave.
They lost track of time as Rosalind found herself repositioned, sometimes straddling him, sometimes firmly pressed beneath him, gasping for breath.
Finally, she felt her earlobe gently caught between his lips, heard that low growl, felt the release, and then everything returned to stillness, with only the sound of breathing remaining.
“Ulric… I want to take a shower…”
After a long while, she pushed the person on top of her.
But Ulric held her waist and turned, trapping her against his chest.
“Wait.”
It was still early before dawn.