A small victory
1285 Words
Ariana pov
I took the cup of ginger tea to his room and knocked softly on the door.
“Who is that?” His voice was slightly hoarse.
“It’s me Ariana ,” I replied. “Please open the door.”
There was a pause before the door creaked open. His hair was messy, and there was a flush on his cheeks—but somehow, the disheveled look only added to his charm. For a moment, I forgot how to breathe.
“I, um… brought you some ginger and honey tea. For your cough. Mind if I set it on the table?”
His brows lifted in surprise. “You made that for me?”
“Of course. I’m a nurse, remember?” I offered a small smile, trying to ignore the way my pulse picked up when his eyes lingered on me.
“Oh. Right.” He stepped aside, creating space for me to walk in. “Just… put it on the table.”
His room was just as I expected—simple, clean, and luxurious. Everything was black and white, sharp lines and cold tones. It looked untouched, like a hotel room. The only sign someone lived there was the open laptop and the faint scent of his cologne.
I gently placed the cup down. “Make sure to drink it while it’s still hot. And… maybe get that cough checked out. It sounds kind of serious.”
“Yeah. Sure,” he muttered, his voice low.
“Well… I’m just going to go then.” I turned to leave, my heart pounding for some reason.
But right as I reached the door, my foot caught on the edge of the rug.
“Ah—!” I stumbled forward, catching myself awkwardly on the doorframe.
I felt his hand grab my arm quickly to steady me. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine. I’m sorry,” I mumbled, cheeks burning in embarrassment.
Ethan’s gaze dropped to my hand. Gently, he caught it before I could hide it. “What happened to your thumb?”
I tried to pull it back, but he held on firmly—though not unkindly.
“It got injured while I was using the grater,” I admitted. “I’ll go and treat it better now.”
“Sit down,” he said, turning toward the bathroom.
“I can do it—”
“I said sit.”
His tone was calm, low, but the authority in it froze me in place. And then, his lips quirked—just slightly. “Don’t let me repeat myself, clumsy princess.”
My face flamed. If I wasn’t already red, I definitely was now. At this point, I might as well be a tomato.
I sank onto the edge of the bed, feeling awkward and flustered, watching as he grabbed a small first-aid box from his bathroom.
He knelt in front of me, his fingers brushing mine as he examined the cut.
“It’s not too deep,” he murmured. “But next time, try not to lose a finger making tea for someone who didn’t even ask.”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “Noted.”
He cleaned the wound with surprising gentleness. I couldn’t help but stare at him—how focused he looked, how different this side of him was from the cold and distant man I’d seen before.
“Done.” He finished wrapping my thumb in a band-aid and looked up at me.
Our eyes met.
For a second, neither of us said anything.
“Ethan,” I said softly, almost in a whisper. “Can I talk to you about something?”
He looked up from where he was packing away the first-aid kit, his expression unreadable. “What is it?”
I hesitated, biting my lip. I hated to spoil the moment, but the thought had been weighing on me for days.
“I was going to wait until after the wedding to bring this up… but I can’t keep it in anymore.”
“But what?” he asked, his brows drawing together slightly.
“I’d like to go back to work once the wedding is announced.”
His eyes narrowed just a bit, he didn’t look angry just trying to process what I just said. “Work?”
“Yes,” I nodded quickly. “I know this arrangement is unusual, and I understand there’ll be expectations, but… I can’t just stay at home doing nothing all day. I need to work. Being a nurse—it’s not just a job for me, Ethan. It keeps me grounded. It keeps me… me.”
He leaned back slightly, arms crossing over his chest. “You do know being married to me comes with responsibilities.”
“I know,” I said, meeting his gaze. “And I’ll be there for everything—the galas, the dinners, the events… I’ll play the part. I’ll show up and stand beside you. But if I don’t have something of my own, something real, I’ll lose myself.”
He was quiet for a long moment, eyes flickering over my face like he was searching for something.
“I’m not used to people negotiating terms with me,” he finally said.
“This marriage is already a negotiation,” I replied gently. “Let me have this one thing, Ethan.”
He stared at me. Then, after what felt like a century, he gave a single nod.
“One condition.”
“What is it?”
“A bodyguard?” I blinked. “Isn’t that a bit much?”
“I’m not risking anything happening to you. Especially not now.”
I wanted to argue, but I saw the way his jaw tightened. This wasn’t up for debate.
“Okay,” I said quietly. “Deal, but I don’t want to see him around me.”
And there are some books I need to get from my parents’ house,” I added, shifting a little on the couch.
Ethan raised a brow. “We have a library here. You can pick whatever book you want.”
At the mention of books, my ears practically stood straight. “Yes, but the ones at home are… special.”
“What makes them special?” he asked, crossing his arms with that signature Cole curiosity.
I smiled, hugging my knees slightly. “Well… I can’t tell you.”
His brow arched higher. “You can’t?”
“Nope.” I shook my head playfully. “It’s a secret.”
“A secret, huh?” His lips twitched, almost like he was amused. “You do realize this is my house, right? Secrets aren’t allowed.”
“Well,” I said, standing slowly, “I guess you’ll just have to live with the mystery, Mr. Cole.”
“Well, I guess I’ll be going to my room now,” I said, offering him a small smile. “And… the ring is absolutely beautiful.”
I didn’t wait for his reply. I stepped out of the room, closing the door softly behind me.
I don’t know why, but for some reason, I felt lighter—happier, even. Maybe it was the way he tended to my thumb. Or the way he didn’t argue too much about me going back to work. Or maybe… It was the ring. The one he didn’t have to give me, but did anyway.
Humming softly under my breath, I walked down the hall toward my room—just a few doors down from his.
Tomorrow, the real drama would begin with his mother’s arrival.
But tonight?
Tonight felt like a quiet victory.
- Writer
