Chapter 19
912 Words
Dinner was abundant, but neither of them felt like eating. Serena picked at her food, chewing without interest.
Watching her, Ethan let out a soft sigh and gently took the fork from her hand.
"If you're not hungry, don't force yourself. I'll cook for you when you feel like eating," he said, standing up and dumping the untouched food into the trash.
"I'm sorry, EJ," Serena murmured, her voice full of guilt as she watched him.
"Go watch some TV," Ethan replied kindly before heading to the kitchen.
After cleaning up, he returned to the living room, only to find Serena staring blankly at a black television screen.
"Rena," he gently shook her shoulder and sat down beside her.
Serena leaned her head against his shoulder, remaining silent, her face showing nothing but sadness.
"I saw her, you know. When I went to get your clothes from your apartment," Ethan said quietly, pulling her closer into his arms, offering comfort without words. "She asked me to tell you she was waiting for you."
"I don't want to talk about her," Serena whispered, her voice tinged with exhaustion. "EJ, I'm tired. I want to sleep."
"Okay," Ethan agreed softly, lifting her in his arms and carrying her to the bedroom.
Just as he turned to leave, Serena's voice stopped him.
"EJ… can you stay with me tonight?" Her voice was small, almost childlike in its vulnerability.
"Of course," Ethan turned back and lay down next to her, pulling her close.
His arm cradled her head as he whispered, "Sleep now. I'll be right here."
"Mm." Serena breathed in the comforting scent of him and closed her eyes. Within minutes, her breathing evened out as she drifted into sleep.
Ethan gazed down at her. Even in sleep, her brow was furrowed, as if she were fighting something in her dreams. His heart ached for her.
He had so many questions, so many things he wanted to say, but the words always got stuck.
All he could do was watch her suffer and feel utterly helpless.
As the night deepened, moonlight spilled through the window, casting a cold, silvery glow across the room like sharp blades of light, cutting through the darkness.
Suddenly, Serena started thrashing in her sleep, her face twisted in distress. "No… don't… don't come near me… don't touch me!" Her voice was panicked, her hands flailing wildly in the air.
"Rena, wake up… wake up, it's just a nightmare," Ethan murmured, gently shaking her, his voice tender yet laced with fear for her.
After what seemed like forever, Serena's eyes fluttered open, a single tear clinging to her lashes.
"Rena, you're okay. You were having a bad dream," Ethan reassured her, his voice soft as a spring breeze, soothing her soul.
Serena let out a long, shaky breath. This time, at least, she wasn't alone.
Under Ethan's care, Serena healed quickly. In just two weeks, most of her injuries had faded, even the scars becoming light and barely noticeable.
"EJ, I think I'm ready to go back to work tomorrow," Serena mentioned at dinner, her tone light but determined.
"Why not take a few more days to rest?" Ethan asked, his gaze locking onto hers with concern.
"I've rested long enough. Besides, the fashion show is coming up. It's my collection— I can't afford to slack off now," Serena smiled, though it lacked the energy it used to have.
Ethan noticed right away—something was missing. The old Serena used to smile coldly, sassily, teasingly, sometimes even seductively, but never this… lifeless.
"But your health—" Ethan began, still worried.
"I'm fine. Strong enough to eat an entire cow, see?" Serena joked, stabbing a piece of steak and chewing it with exaggerated satisfaction. "EJ, you make the best steaks."
"If you like it, have more," Ethan said, smiling softly as he wiped a bit of sauce from the corner of her mouth.
"Mm," Serena's eyes crinkled with pleasure as she popped another bite into her mouth.
"Rena," Ethan's voice softened as he looked at her with a mix of emotions.
"What's wrong? You're not eating—your steak's going to get cold," she replied, raising an eyebrow at him.
"If anything's bothering you… promise me you'll tell me, okay?" He spoke earnestly, his eyes filled with concern, sensing the pain she was hiding behind her smiles.
"I know," Serena patted his shoulder with mock seriousness. "We're best friends, right? If something's up, I'd tell you—even if you didn't ask."
"Friends?" Ethan echoed, his voice barely audible, the word settling like a weight on his chest. In her eyes, he was still only a friend.
"What did you say?" Serena asked, sensing something off in his tone.
"Nothing," Ethan said quickly, lowering his head to hide the sadness that washed over his face. "Let's just finish dinner."
After dinner, Serena insisted on helping with the dishes, no matter how much Ethan protested. She was stubborn as ever.
Once everything was cleaned up, Serena, as usual, nestled herself into Ethan's arms, looking more childlike and playful than ever.
"EJ," she sighed contentedly.
"Mm?" Ethan responded, gently winding a lock of her hair around his finger.
"If only we could stay like this forever…" Serena said softly, her voice filled with a sudden wistfulness that seemed to catch in the air.
"If you want, we can," Ethan murmured, his words filled with more meaning than Serena could have imagined.
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