Chains of Desire, Bonds of Love のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 91 - チャプター 100

Lily Parker always harbored an inexplicable fear of hospitals, with their stark white walls and the pungent smell of disinfectant. The people moving in and out always seemed pale and dazed, as if a white fog enveloped them, leading them astray, changing them forever. Her grandfather was in the late stages of stomach cancer. Towards the end, he couldn't eat and alternated between unconsciousness and pain. Even at her young age, Lily found it terrifying. On his lucid days, he was mostly silent, occasionally looking at her and sighing. Her uncle was infertile, making her the only grandchild. People said her grandfather adored her to the bone, partly because she resembled her grandmother. During those days by his bedside, she often heard him murmur "Blossom," her grandmother's nickname. It was then she first understood what enduring love meant. Eventually, her grandfather didn't survive that winter, as cold as the one now. Her father had just been moved from the emergency room to the IC

Ethan Hart's heart tightened bit by bit, a dull pain throbbing within. The envelope in his hand was unconsciously crumpled into a ball. He clenched his jaw, staring fixedly at Lily Parker's face. Her eyes shimmered with a layer of moisture, devoid of any color, blending palely with the hospital walls. His intense gaze almost suffocated Lily. She turned her head towards the window, where she saw people feeding fish in the garden below. Koi swam leisurely, and she recalled Eleanor Brown's words, speaking with a bitter smile, “Ethan, someone once told me that fish are happy because their memory lasts only seven seconds. No matter how intense those seven seconds of encounter are, after they pass, it's a new beginning, a new cycle. Maybe... our seventh second has arrived...” “No...” Ethan's expression changed drastically. He grasped her shoulders too forcefully, causing her to wince in pain, and only then did he realize his overreaction. He hugged her tightly, oblivious to the stares of

Julian Sterling's face was expressionless, his voice cutting through the moist air to reach Lily Parker: "What are you doing here all alone in this storm? Where's Ethan?" He was completely unaware of how bitterly jealous his tone sounded.Lily, woodenly staring at the bridal shop window now shadowed by Julian's reflection, obscuring the white gowns, bit her lip and slowly turned around. She passed him without a word, determined not to engage with him.Julian wasn't one to be easily dismissed. His face darkened as he suddenly grasped her arm, his voice deep and slightly hoarse, "Isn't it polite to greet a friend before leaving? You know that, don't you?" The rain had almost stopped, but the wind persisted. Her wet hair brushed against his hand, a chill seeping into his heart, contrasting with the warmth of his fingers.His dark, shining eyes intensely fixed on her, forcing her to turn back. Her brows were tightly knit, not in anger at him, but focused on an elderly couple crossing the

Julian lifted his face with a satisfied smile, "Everyone says I've been acting out of character lately, like a lovesick fool. I don't even know when I started to fall for you, but I can't help thinking about you, even just seeing you once would be enough. I thought you had left just now and was about to lose my temper, but then you appeared, Lily. You don't know how happy that made me." Lily quietly let Julian hold her, and then neither of them spoke again. Julian patiently waited for her response. His cheeks were flushed from the fever, and the hallway was a bit chilly, but holding her in his arms, his heart slowly warmed. His gaze was tender as he looked down at her from this angle. Her eyelashes seemed exceptionally long, her eyes as clear as mountain spring water, deep and reflective. He remembered the first time he saw her; it was those eyes that had caught his attention. He had thought then, how could a woman's eyes be so bright, almost capturing his soul? Something deep insid

Standing there again, Lily Parker felt as if she had stepped into another world. She stood frozen at the door, tears blurring her vision as memories flooded back. They lived on the fifth floor, and she disliked climbing stairs. Every time she went out with Ethan Hart, she'd insist on being carried up, refusing to get down at the door until she'd fished the keys from his pocket to unlock it, then let him carry her inside. After washing her hands, she'd direct him in preparing vegetables and meat while she cooked. When he left, she'd clean and mop. Their upstairs and downstairs neighbors thought they were a newlywed couple. A couple – how much had they wished to be just that? But they couldn't. Wiping her tears haphazardly, Lily turned, intending to flee this place that had shut out all her happiness. But after just a few steps, she heard a clatter from inside. Not knowing whether to be happy or not, she instinctively searched her bag for the keys, her hands trembling as she unlocked