Chapter Eleven- The Woman Who Stayed

Liora’s POV

Sebastian was brought home after spending two days in the hospital.

I was there to receive the doctor’s instructions, then take him home. He looked so pale, and barely uttered a word to me.

Not that I could blame him.

‘Babe!’ Vivienne ran into him with open arms.

The impact made him hiss in pain.

‘Oops, sorry,’ she pulled away immediately.

‘You weren’t at the hospital,’ Sebastian said to her, his voice hoarse.

‘I couldn’t,’ her reply had a dramatic tone to it. ‘Have you seen the way the hospital is? Icky!’

‘Will you help me to my room?’ He asked her.

‘Let your baggage do it,’ Vivienne waved at me.

I didn’t need an invitation anyway. One of the maids and I helped Sebastian move upstairs; every step made his hiss and groan louder.

By the time we reached the bedroom, his breathing was uneven.

‘You can rest now,’ I murmured, guiding him gently to the edge of the bed.

He lay down, pressing his hands to his ribs briefly before letting them fall.

‘Do you need anything?’ I asked him. ‘Water, food…’

‘I need you to leave,’ he replied. His voice wasn’t harsh, but demanding.

‘And who’s going to take care of you?’ I placed my hand on my hip.

He didn’t answer, so I left the bedroom. Within minutes, I had a maid prepare a light meal and I brought it to him.

‘Here,’ I set the food by his side. ‘Let me help you up so you can eat. You need to take your medications.’

‘Didn’t I say you should leave?’ He glared at me.

I didn’t reply, and in annoyance, he kicked the tray of food, which sent the silverware and ceramic shattering on the floor.

None of us spoke for a while, and I stood, stunned. I left the room after that, my chest feeling heavy. So what if he didn’t want my help? I wasn’t going to force him. After all, I was just a wife. Let his fiancée take care of him.

All through that day I stayed in my room, trying to distract myself from thoughts of him.

But I couldn’t sleep that night. I kept on thinking that something bad had happened to him. After many failed attempts to a peaceful sleep, I got up in the middle of the night, and walked towards his bedroom.

I knocked several times but there was no response. Alarmed, I opened the door and walked into the room. There, on the floor, was Sebastian eyes wide open in pain.

I rushed to him, but paused before helping him to the bed. He didn’t argue or push me away, but his body was stiff.

‘I thought I told you to stay away,’ he ground his teeth.

‘What happened?’ I ignored his remark. ‘Where’s Vivienne?’

He merely scoffed, and as I glanced around the empty bedroom, I got the hint. She wasn’t there; probably didn’t even spend the night in the house.

‘Hang on,’ I made him comfortable on the bed, then headed to the kitchen.

I returned with food on another tray, reluctant to set the food by him due to the earlier incident. But he received it without any grudges, this time, and I sat on a sofa and watched as he ate every morsel.

After eating, I gave him his medication and left when he had drifted to sleep.

The next morning, I was meant to give him a bed bath, since he couldn’t have a normal bath.

I entered the room with a bowl of water and towels. I could see the reluctance in his eyes as I explained to him what I was about to do, but he had no choice.

Stripping him to only his boxers, I began to clean his body. As I gently stroked his chest, neck, and legs, I couldn’t stop myself from noting how well built he was; the way his strong sinews bulged with energy, even while he wasn’t in his best condition.

To stop myself from staring was difficult, but I finished the process and proceeded to give him breakfast.

He grumbled a little, but he didn’t smash plates, and he took his medications with ease.

During the day, his parents came to visit and check on him- Reginald barely saying much and Eleanor offering some chiropractic advice.

The next day was the same routine. I left him to sleep while I went to attend to a few things in the house.

When I returned, he was lying back, jaws clenched and his eyes shut tight like he was trying to fight the pain.

‘Doctor said you shouldn’t do that,’ I said softly as I held the water and pills. ‘You’re allowed to rest.’

He gave a humorless huff. ‘I don’t rest.’

‘I know.’

That made him open his eyes. He studied me for a while like I was mocking him.

I wasn’t.

After he swallowed the pills, I adjusted the pillows behind his back. He stiffened at first, then relaxed later on- surprisingly.

‘You don’t have to hover,’ he muttered.

‘I know,’ I muttered. ‘I want to.’

‘Why?’ He looked at me longer, his tone tired, not sharp.

I hesitated before answering honestly. ‘Because when you were in that hospital bed, you didn’t look like someone who needed control. You looked like someone who needed help.’

Silence stretched between us.

‘People don’t usually stay when I’m like this,’ he said quietly.

I didn’t know if he also referred to Vivienne but something in my chest tightened.

‘I’m still here,’ I smiled.

‘Pretty stupid of you,’ he scoffed.

A wan smile crossed my face, and I simply left the room. He was hurting, I knew. But I wasn’t going to stand and listen to him anymore.

We didn’t have much conversation the rest of the day, and the next morning was silent between us.

I gave him a bed bath, and after that, watched him finish his breakfast.

Minutes passed after he finished eating. His breathing slowly evened, and I watched as the tension left his shoulders.

‘You don’t look at me like the others do,’ he said suddenly.

‘How do they look at you?’

‘Like I’m indestructible. Or dangerous,’ he paused. ‘Or useful. But you don’t.’

‘I’ve seen you beyond that,’ I said simply.

The words surprised both of us.

For the first time since I met him, Sebastian Carvers looked unguarded.

‘Stay,’ he said quietly. It was not a command; it was a request.

I went to the bed and sat beside him without a word. When his hand shifted, I let him find mine.

He didn’t squeeze my hand; he just held on, and we both stayed silent for a while. Later on, he removed his hand, and the chill I felt made my hands miss the warm feeling it gave.

‘I’ll be back,’ I stood up to leave.

‘Liora?’ He called out.

I turned.

‘Thank you,’ he said.

And when he slept that night, his hand slept in mine.