Cristelle stood there for a while and started to feel uncomfortable.
“Sweet dreams,” She murmured before she turned away.
However, the next minute, her hand was pulled tightly by someone. Linford opened his eyes, his voice raspy, “Don’t go.”
Cristelle was startled, but she soon calmed down, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you up.”
“It’s okay,” Linford tried to prop himself up, but Cristelle stopped him from getting up, “Don’t move. Your wound might bleed again.”
“I’ve been waiting for you,” Linford stopped moving, his voice sad and gentle.
Cristelle’s façade collapsed. She leaned forward and pulled up the blanket for him, “I really don’t know what to say if I stay here any longer. I really hate it when someone lies to me.”
“I’m sorry, Cristelle. I’ll never do this again,” Linford’s eyes didn’t blink the whole time, “Could you lie down a bit with me?”
“I don’t think so. I still need to go back to sleep,” Cristelle tried to pull her hand away, “I don’t want you to strain your wounds again.”
Linford, however, refused to let go, “You won’t, Cristelle. I just want to hold you a bit. I swear you won’t hurt me. I really need this, please.”
Cristelle looked at him for a while under the moonlight. And then, she sighed and took off her shoes, lifting the blanket and lying next to Linford.
But she regretted her decision the moment she lay down, “What the heck, Linford? Where’s your underwear?!”
“Sorry.” Linford pulled her in against his chest and sniffed her hair, “I didn’t wear anything when I took a shower. It was pretty embarrassing being butt-naked when the doctor performed surgery for you.”
Cristelle chuckled.
Linford smiled and left a kiss on her cheek.
“Did Cody…” Cristelle began.
“No, it was my fault.” Linford explained, “Would you stay with me tonight, Cristelle?”
Cristelle didn’t even dare to move. She didn’t want to hurt him again. Besides, he was naked right now. She didn’t want to touch somewhere she shouldn’t have.
“Stay here and take care of me. What if I suddenly want to drink water or go to the bathroom? No one’s even around.” Linford’s arms tightened around her waist as he said that.
He had worked out the most effective way to make Cristelle yield. This woman seemed pretty fragile, but she was unbelievably tough. The only way to get what he wanted was to play innocent and weak.
Cristelle sighed and nodded just as he expected, “Okay, fine. Just go to sleep. I won’t go anywhere.”
A big smile broke Linford’s face as he held onto her body tighter.
He pressed his forehead against the back of her head, “Sweet dreams, Cristelle.”
Cristelle wanted to sneak out of the room after he fell asleep, but she drifted into a sound sleep before Linford could.
They didn’t wake up until the next morning.
Candace went up to the bedroom alone, and she didn’t see her Mom. She looked around groggily, but she was pretty calm. The little girl climbed off the bed and put on her dress by herself. After brushing her teeth and washing her face, she went to the kitchen directly.
Lily was making coffee.
“Lily, I didn’t see Mom in the room. Do you know where she is right now?”
Lily’s brow jumped as she thought about something. A big smile broke her wrinkled face as she told the girl, “No, honey. I haven’t seen your Mommy since this morning.”
It seems like Linford and Cristelle finally got their problems fixed. That fact made Lily extremely happy. She started to hum a song as she made pancakes.
Candace was so confused.
Cody came out of his room at that moment as well.
Candace jumped off her chair and pulled at her brother’s hand, “Cody… Cody, did you see Mom?”
Cody rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, “No. Why? You didn’t see Mommy when you woke up?”
Candace pouted and leaned in, whispering against Cody’s ear, “I suspect Mommy’s in Daddy’s room right now.”
“What?!” Cody’s eyes widened.
He spun around and ran upstairs. Mommy was not in her room. And then raised his little fist, trying to bang on the door next to their Mom’s room. But his fist faltered.
Cody stood there for a while, combatting himself for a minute or two. And then, the boy just turned around and walked back to his own room.
Candace didn’t even know what was happening to her brother. She caught up with her twin, “Cody!”
Drew happened to walk by at the moment. He knew Cody must have started considering fixing his relationship with his Dad.
The doctor would never miss out on an opportunity like this.
He went downstairs and took a breakfast plate, going to Cody’s room and deciding to guide the boy through his problems.
Candace was kept outside. It took Drew a while to persuade Cody to let him in.
“You need to think in their shoes, boy,” Drew shoved the plate of breakfast before Cody and started to drink his own coffee, “They’re your real parents. You will be a little foolish if you’re determined to prevent them from getting married.”
Cody shook his head, “You don’t know how I feel, Doc. I tried so hard to bring Mom up, and now she’s gonna marry that calculating man. I’m worried, okay?”
“Puff!” Drew almost choked on his coffee.
Bring his Mom up?
“It’s a metaphor,” Cody cast him a look, his eyes filled with contempt.
“Okay,” Drew cleared his throat, “But I still really don’t know why you’re against their marriage so much. I mean Linford Bradley is a decent man, right? He’s powerful and rich, and he’s been following Cristelle around like a little puppy. For Pete’s sake, aren’t you pitying your father? Is it because he found you guys too late?”
Frowning, Cody shook his head, “I don’t mind that. Pop had explained about that. I’m just sad that Mommy won’t be mine and Candace’s anymore.”
Ah… Possessiveness. Like father, like son.
Drew recalled the way Linford had acted since he was little.
He knew where Cody got that trait from.
Drew finished his breakfast in Cody’s room. After that, the doctor and the boy talked a lot.
The weight on her waist woke up Cristelle and that ‘thing” on her thigh. She could feel its monstrous size and heaviness. It was so freaking hard to ignore. She tightly clenched her teeth while looking at the handsome face, quietly sleeping.