Gregory’s eyes were already rimined with red. He rested his forehead gently against the back of Anathea’s head, trying to suppress the lump in his throat.
“Then at least let me stay with you for tonight. Just one night. That’s all I ask.”
His tone carried a hint of pleading, tinged with a quiet humility.
He didn’t dare ask for forgiveness. He just wanted to be near her, even if it was only for this one night.
Anathea didn’t respond. She neither agreed nor refused.
Because she knew that she would leave this place behind for good after tonight. She would leave behind everything that had worn her down.
It was just one night, after all.
She closed her eyes and let him hold her.
Sensing her silent acquiescence, Gregory smiled faintly. He held her a little tighter, like he wanted to fuse her into his bones. Yet his grip was so careful and controlled, as if he was afraid she would break.
“Annie, please eat well and rest properly. Take care of your body and stay healthy, okay?”
He pressed his lips against the back of her neck and closed his reddened, moist eyes. His voice came out hoarse as he continued, “Forget everything that hurt you. Live a good life…”
Anathea’s fingers curled into a tight grip. Her eyes stung too. But she held the tears back.
She shouldn’t cry. Nothing here deserved her tears.
She just needed a good night’s sleep to face tomorrow with a clear head, so she shut her eyes, forcing herself to breathe calmly and sink into sleep.
But she couldn’t.
One short night stretched endlessly long.
The morning sun filtered through the curtains, scattering the last chill of dawn with its warmth.
Neither of them moved. Anathea and Gregory remained like that, locked in an embrace through the night.
Suddenly, Gregory’s phone rang.
He finally loosened his hold and answered the call.
“Greg, we’ve found a lead on Michael.” Theo’s voice came through the line.
Upon hearing that, Gregory stood up at once. “Got it. I’m on my way.”
He quickly got dressed and washed up. Before leaving, he turned and looked at Anathea lying on the bed reluctantly.
She was awake, but she refused to open her eyes. She really didn’t want to look at him.
Gregory’s eyes dimmed with sorrow. Yet a second later, he quietly walked around the bed and stood in fr of her.
His tall frame blocked out the sunlight behind him, casting her entire world into shadow.
Anathea’s fingers twitched, but just barely.
And then, the cool scent of cedarwood surrounded her.
1/2
Chapter 463
+25 BONUS
Gregory leaned down, cupping her chin gently as he lowered his head. His lips brushed against hers, cool to the touch.
Anathea’s curled fingers tensed, and her lashes fluttered slightly, but she stubbornly kept her eyes shut.
Her subtle resistance didn’t go unnoticed. Gregory’s gaze darkened. But it seemed like he had made up his mind. He closed his eyes and deepened the kiss.
She didn’t respond, so he kissed her as if pouring all his emotions into it, until even the air they shared grew warmer between their breaths.
Just when she was about to suffocate and open her eyes, he finally pulled away.
“Annie, may your days be filled with peace, and your years be free of sorrow.”
With that, he turned and walked away.
The sunlight spilled through the sheer curtains onto his back, casting a long silhouette across the floor. The morning breeze lifted the hem of his dark coat.
The door clicked shut behind him, and his footsteps slowly faded into the distance.
Anathea finally opened her eyes. A single tear slid from the corner of her eye and landed on the pillow, blooming into a faint wet patch.
Just that one tear. Nothing more.
At that moment, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Theo. “A car will pick you up at the hospital in 30 minutes. It’ll take you to the airport.”
“Okay,” Anathea replied.
After setting her phone aside, she wiped the tear from her cheek, sat up, and began to get ready.
