Chapter 8
683 Words
Chapter 008: No More Pretending
The room fell into a comfortable silence after Cole's mother finished arranging the flowers. Their sweet fragrance filled the hospital room, replacing the cold scent of disinfectant.
She looked from her son to Elena, unable to hide the happiness shining in her eyes.
"I've never seen Cole smile like this," she admitted softly. "Not since he was a little boy."
Cole let out a quiet laugh.
"Mom..."
"No, let me say it." She turned to Elena. "Thank you. You brought something back to him that I thought our family had taken away forever."
Elena smiled shyly.
"I don't think I did anything special."
"You did," Cole's mother replied. "You reminded him that love isn't a weakness."
Cole glanced at Elena, his heart warming.
After a few more minutes of conversation, his mother excused herself to speak with the doctor, leaving them alone once again.
The silence returned, but this time it felt peaceful instead of awkward.
Cole pulled his chair closer to the bed.
"So..." he began with a small smile. "Does this mean we're officially breaking the contract?"
Elena looked at him for a long moment before laughing softly.
"I think the contract broke itself."
Cole reached into the drawer beside the hospital bed and pulled out the folded document they had both signed weeks ago.
The paper had once meant everything.
It was supposed to protect them.
It was supposed to keep emotions out of the arrangement.
Now it felt completely meaningless.
"You know," Cole said, unfolding it carefully, "I memorized every rule."
Elena smiled.
"No kissing unless necessary."
He nodded.
"No holding hands in private."
"And absolutely no falling in love," she finished.
They looked at each other.
Then they both burst into laughter.
"I guess we failed every single rule," Cole admitted.
"We definitely did."
He slowly tore the contract down the middle.
Then again.
And again.
The tiny pieces floated into the wastebasket beside the bed.
"No more pretending," he whispered.
"No more pretending," Elena agreed.
Just then, the television mounted on the wall switched on automatically as the afternoon news began.
The smiling news anchor appeared on the screen.
"Breaking News. Businessman Justin Blake has officially been denied bail after yesterday's violent incident at the Harrington Charity Gala. Authorities have confirmed multiple charges, including attempted murder and aggravated assault."
Elena felt a chill despite the warm room.
Cole instinctively reached for her hand.
"It's over," he said firmly.
"You don't know Justin," Elena replied quietly. "People like him don't let things go easily."
Cole's expression became serious.
"Then he'll have to come through me first."
Before Elena could answer, another knock came at the door.
This time it was her doctor.
"Good afternoon," he said with a smile as he checked her chart. "Your recovery is progressing faster than we expected. If everything looks good after tomorrow's final tests, you'll be discharged."
Elena's eyes widened.
"So soon?"
The doctor nodded.
"Yes. But you'll need plenty of rest."
After he left, Cole looked at her with a mischievous grin.
"So... tomorrow you're leaving."
"I guess I am."
"Then I have a question."
She tilted her head.
"What question?"
He gently lifted her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.
"When you leave this hospital..."
He paused just long enough to make her heart race.
"...will you come home with me?"
Elena blinked in surprise.
"Home?"
"My family already thinks you're part of us," Cole said with a soft smile. "But this time, I don't want you there because of an inheritance."
He looked directly into her eyes.
"I want you there because that's where my heart wants you to be."
Tears shimmered in Elena's eyes as she struggled to answer.
Outside the hospital room, hidden just around the corner, a shadow quietly lowered a phone after recording the entire conversation.
A cold smile spread across the stranger's face.
"So the fake couple has become real..."
The figure slipped silently down the hallway before disappearing into the elevator.
Neither Cole nor Elena had any idea that a new danger had already begun watching them.
- Writer
