CHAPTER 7

(Olivia's POV)

I woke up from my afternoon nap when the hospital room door swung open.

"Who is there?" I sat up on the bed, feeling a bit better after waking up from my sleep.

My headache had also lessened. However, my eyes widened in shock when I saw Mark return to the room. His yellow eyes met my blue eyes, locking with them, and I became so nervous that I lowered my head.

"Hi, how are you doing?" Mark asked, his voice soft as he walked up to the hospital bed to meet me.

Before I could respond, the hospital room door burst open again, and Dr. Sam entered and peered at us.

"What do you want, Doctor?" Mark asked before I could. His voice was laced with irritation as he peered at Dr. Sam's face coldly.

"I should be the one asking you, Mark. You came here uninvited, and I need to keep watch to ensure that you are not doing anything to harm my patient," Dr. Sam replied ruthlessly, and my eyes widened in shock.

"How can I hurt Olivia? She is my sister, and it's my duty to protect her!" Mark said, and my eyes widened in shock to see him so possessive of me.

Dr. Sam scoffed. "Mark, you and Olivia are not siblings. So don't act like you care!"

"Mmm." Mark gritted his teeth, wanting to retaliate, and I quickly chimed in, "Brother Mark, please, just calm down."

Mark's gaze shifted to meet mine. His expression was cold, clearly not liking how Dr. Sam was interrupting him.

"Dr. Sam, is there anything the matter?" I asked, shifting my gaze to Dr. Sam, as I couldn't remember asking for him.

"Nothing, Olivia. I just want to be sure that you are in a good state," Dr. Sam replied, his voice gentle, while I smiled at him.

"I am fine, doctor," I replied in a nervous voice as Mark walked up to the bed to meet me. He set down the packaged meal that he brought, clearly ignoring Dr. Sam, as he said, "I brought your dinner. Have you eaten?"

My cheeks flushed at hearing Mark's inquiry. I did not know why I was so nervous around him. I wasn't used to acting like this before. So I shook my head and replied, "I haven't."

"Good. We can have our dinner together then," Mark said, his voice gentle as his hand set up the meal.

Dr. Sam looked at us and saw that Mark was not going to leave soon. He looked at me and said, "Olivia, if you need anything, don't forget to ring the nurse bell closer to your bed."

"Okay, Doctor," I replied, lowering my head.

As Dr. Sam walked toward the exit door and pulled it open, he glanced back at Mark, who was busy opening the food that he brought. He said, "Mark, do not forget that the hospital has surveillance cameras."

"I am aware. Do not waste your time with such a pointless reminder," Mark replied, his tone relaxed as he set up the meal before me.

When Dr. Sam left, Mark stood beside my bed and looked at my face. I could feel his gaze crawling over my skin, and it made me uncomfortable.

Mark was supposed to be my adopted brother. So why was he looking at me with desire, like he was a hungry wolf wanting to devour me?

"I wouldn't hurt you if that's why you are acting nervous around me," Mark said, his masculine scent of cedarwood filling my nostrils, and I nodded.

The rain was thrashing against the window, and Mark went to close it as we were left alone in the hospital room. His cedarwood scent filled my nostrils as he returned to stand next to my bed.

"I bought your dinner, but I don't know if you will like it," Mark said gently as he pulled out the package of food for me. His hand reached for the ice cream pack, and my eyes widened in shock.

*Why was Mark buying ice cream for me?* My heart raced at the thought, but I didn't want to dwell on it.

"Thank you," I said once Mark pulled off the ice cream cover for me. The delicious vanilla scent filled my nostrils, and my tongue and throat salivated.

"Do you want me to feed you?" Mark asked, his voice gentle as his hand reached for the spoon to take it out of my ice cream and feed me.

"No… why should you do that?" I asked him, my cheeks flushed at his closeness.

Mark looked at my face in a way that sent shivers down my spine as he said in a gentle voice, "Why shouldn't I feed you? I do not want you to be scared of me or angry with me because of what my mother did to put you in this condition."

My eyes welled up with tears, but I didn't want to spoil the romantic ambiance in the room.

"It's fine. I hold no grudge against your mother," I said as my hand reached for the spoon. I scooped a spoonful of the ice cream and licked it.

I looked at Mark's face, seeing him gulp, his yellow eyes glowing with desire, and I immediately looked away from his handsome face.

I knew that Mark had so many girlfriends, so I swiftly waved any form of unthinkable idea about him away from my head.

Mark was only doing this to make me forgive his family and not move over to Dr. Sam's house, I reasoned.

"Do you like the ice cream? I didn't know if it was your favorite. But I assumed that vanilla ice cream is most women's favorite," Mark said, his voice calm, but my smile and admiration for him faded.

"Yeah, you have so many girlfriends. How can you not know?" I retorted, and Mark grinned as he moved nearer to my bed.

"Do I smell jealousy? Who told you that I have many girlfriends?" Mark asked, his yellow eyes watching me with interest, and it made my skin crawl, as I wasn't used to his care for me.

"But you have many girlfriends," I replied, looking at his face in a challenging stance.

"No," Mark drew near to my face, and he used his right finger to wipe the ice cream off my lips and licked it off his finger.

My eyes widened in shock at his actions, as it felt like he had kissed my lips by touching them and licking his finger.

"I…" I couldn't say the words or meet his face.

*What had come over Mark?* I pondered. Before he could say another word—as I wanted him to leave me alone because I wasn't used to this part of him—I didn't know what had gotten into him. *Did Mark wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?*

Earlier, I had wondered why Mark defended me. And now, he was acting like I was his girlfriend. *Wait, did Mark have feelings for me?*

As I wanted to send him away so that I could eat my food in peace and think about my life, his phone rang; it was an incoming call from his father.

"Excuse me, Olivia. I will join you soon," Mark said as he moved away from me to answer his call.

I breathed heavily as his masculine scent of cedarwood faded away from my nostrils.

Quickly, I grasped the ice cream spoon and licked it faster before he would finish his call, as he answered the call in the room. He stood a short distance away from my bed.