Chapter 18
978 Words
"Lex, a man should be gentle with a lady. You'll scare my precious darling by acting like that," a lazy, cocky voice interrupted as Serena's uninjured arm was gently taken into another warm hand.
"What are you doing here?" Alexander growled, recognizing the intruder instantly, his mood darkening further.
"Why wouldn't I be here? The better question is, why are you here?" Julien smirked, though his hand continued to stroke Serena's arm in a deliberately slow, intimate manner.
"I think it's obvious. She's the lead designer for the upcoming fashion show. If something happens to her, my investment goes down the drain," Alexander shot back, his eyes blazing with anger as he stared daggers at Julien's hand.
If he had a knife, he wouldn't hesitate to cut it off.
"HA! The show is fine, no issues there. Now, why don't you kindly leave?" Julien's smile remained cool, but there was an edge to his voice, a silent warning.
Messing with the woman he had his eyes on was unforgivable.
"Whether I leave or not is none of your business," Alexander said icily. "I've got more to say."
"Please don't disturb my employee's rest." Julien's voice was calm, but his grip on Serena's arm didn't loosen.
"You're wasting your breath. From a business standpoint, she's as important to me as she is to you," Alexander retorted, his glare unwavering.
"What the hell are you two doing?" Serena's voice finally cut through the tension, though the two men continued to stare at each other like territorial lions.
"I said, what the hell are you two doing?!" Her voice was sharper this time, loud enough to snap their attention.
Both men turned their heads in unison. "What's wrong?" they asked, their voices filled with concern, oddly synchronized.
"You're disturbing my rest. If you want to fight, go outside and do it. I'm a patient, and this is a hospital room," she said coldly, her irritation barely concealed.
She yanked the covers over her head with a huff, effectively blocking them out. Peace, at last.
The two men looked at each other, shoulders slumping like chastised schoolboys. Without another word, one sat at the foot of her bed, while the other took the chair.
The room fell into an awkward, heavy silence. The only sounds were the soft rustling of the curtains in the breeze and the quiet breaths of the two men.
"Serena?" Julien whispered after a while, growing uneasy from the prolonged stillness.
"Is she asleep already?" Alexander's temper flared again, the fire in his eyes reigniting.
"Shhh." Julien put a finger to his lips, motioning for quiet. He gently lifted the edge of the blanket, revealing Serena's peaceful, sleeping face. Her pale complexion contrasted sharply with the dark circles under her eyes.
"Let her rest," Alexander murmured, his voice unexpectedly soft as guilt pierced him at the sight of her exhaustion. "Look at those dark circles."
"Yeah." Julien tucked the blanket back around her, for once without his usual playful attitude.
"Let's go grab a drink," Alexander suggested, giving Julien a hard pat on the shoulder before rising.
"Yeah, let's." Julien grabbed his jacket, following him out. The room returned to its deep, tranquil quiet.
A week later, Serena, still not fully recovered, insisted on leaving the hospital.
She claimed the smell of disinfectant was driving her insane. Knowing how stubborn she could be, Ethan had no choice but to take her home.
"Ah, finally, no more disgusting hospital smells!" Serena exclaimed the moment they stepped out of the hospital. She threw her arms wide, as if embracing the sky, her expression full of childlike joy.
Ethan pushed her wheelchair slowly, her happiness infectious enough to bring a smile to his face. The surrounding air was fresh, filled with the scent of flowers and grass.
"What do you want for dinner? I'll stop by the store," he asked softly, looking down at her with obvious affection.
"Anything RJ cooks, I love." Serena smiled sweetly, running her hand along the green leaves of a nearby evergreen tree.
Ethan chuckled, wheeling her towards the car. As he opened the door, a voice rang out, causing Serena's expression to instantly freeze over.
"Rena!" Vivienne called, her face lighting up with joy as she rushed toward them.
"EJ, let's go," Serena said, her voice icy, her beautiful face hardening like frost, cold and unapproachable.
Without a word, Ethan scooped her up and placed her gently into the car, closing the door behind her. He circled around to the driver's side, but before he could shut the door, Vivienne reached them.
"Rena, please, let me explain! Just hear me out!" Vivienne pleaded, knocking on the window, her eyes filled with desperation.
Ethan glanced at Serena, silently asking if she wanted to talk. Her only response was a quiet, "Drive." Her gaze stood fixed forward, cold as stone.
Ethan pressed his foot on the gas without hesitation, ignoring the woman pounding on the window behind them.
The car smoothly glided down the road, but inside, Serena crumpled like a deflated balloon, curling up against the seat, her arms hugging herself tightly. Her face was etched with deep pain.
"Rena…" Ethan's voice was thick with concern, his brow furrowed as he glanced at her.
"Don't… Just give me a moment," she whispered, her eyes closing as she exhaled a long, shaky breath, exhaustion evident in her features.
"Get some rest. I'll wake you when we're home," Ethan said gently, brushing a hand through her hair, his heart aching at her vulnerability.
"Mmm." Serena murmured a soft reply, but her lashes trembled, betraying her unease.
The car continued down the road, Ethan's grip tightening on the steering wheel.
In all the years he'd known Serena, he had never seen her so shaken, so fragile. It hurt to see her like this.
Ethan's heart was heavy with worry.
- Writer
