Falling For My Ex’s Brother-In-Law のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 281 - チャプター 290

Anna’s POV The room is quiet in a way that feels earned like everything loud has already been said and all that’s left is waiting. Rissa is asleep again, her chest rising and falling steadily beneath the thin hospital blanket. Miss Flora had stepped out minutes ago to take a call, promising she’d be right back. For once, it’s just me and him. Alex. I sit beside his bed, close enough that my knee brushes the metal rail every time I shift. My fingers are wrapped around his hand, careful, reverent, like I’m afraid too much pressure might scare him further away. His skin is warm. That alone feels like a victory. I rub slow circles over his knuckles with my thumb, the same way I used to when he was anxious, when words failed him and touch had to step in and speak instead. “Hey,” I whisper, leaning closer. “It’s me.” My voice sounds smaller in here. Softer. Like the room swallows half of it before it ever reaches him. “I know you can’t answer,” I continue, swallowing the lump

Anna’s POV The next thing Alex did when he woke up was cough. It startled me so badly I almost dropped his hand. A weak, dry sound tore from his chest, his brows knitting together like waking itself hurt. Rissa and I froze at the same time, our breaths catching, our eyes snapping to his face as if we were afraid that if we blinked, he’d disappear again. “Alex?” My voice came out smaller than I meant it to. Fragile. His lashes fluttered. Once. Twice. Then slowly…so slowly it felt unreal…his eyes opened. For a second, there was nothing behind them. Just confusion. Dullness. Then his gaze shifted, unfocused, drifting across the ceiling, the machines, the pale walls. His breathing hitched again, another cough shaking his body, and instinct took over. I leaned forward immediately, one hand rubbing his arm, the other tightening around his fingers. “Hey. Easy. You’re okay. You’re safe.” His eyes found me. Really found me. And for a moment, everything in the room fell awa

Anna’s POV The car is quiet in that soft, comfortable way that only comes after surviving something terrible together. I turn my head slightly, watching Alex from the corner of my eye. He’s sitting back against the seat, pale but alert, his gaze fixed on the road ahead like he’s afraid the moment might disappear if he blinks. “Are you excited to get home?” I ask gently. He smiles..small, tired, but real. “You have no idea,” he says. “I’m sick of hospitals, Anna. Two… maybe three months of nothing but white walls, machines, and beeping sounds.” He exhales. “I just want to be somewhere that doesn’t smell like antiseptic.” I smile and reach for his hand. He opens his palm without looking, and I slide my fingers between his, threading them together. His hand is warm. Solid. Alive. The kind of warmth that grounds you, that tells you this…us…is real. The car moves on. Less than thirty minutes later, the driver slows and hoons lightly at the gate. The gatesman steps out, recog

Anna’s POV The house feels alive. Not in the quiet, breathing way it usually does but buzzing, restless, like it knows something important is about to happen. Ribbons trail across the living room floor, half-used rolls of tape sit abandoned on the coffee table, and balloons sway gently from the ceiling, bumping into one another as if whispering secrets. I’m on my toes, fingers aching slightly as I secure the last string of decorations near the staircase banister. “Nolan likes blue,” I mutter to myself. “And yellow. Not green. Definitely not green.” One of the planners chuckles softly behind me. “You’ve said that three times already, Mrs. Abiros.” I smile, embarrassed, and nod. “Sorry. I just…today matters.” Everything matters today. I move from room to room, checking and rechecking. The snacks are arranged. His favorite cartoons are queued up. The small toy car Alex bought weeks ago sits on the table by the window, untouched, waiting. My chest tightens every time I look

Anna’s POV Nolan was still awake when I tucked him into bed. His eyes were bright, curious, darting around the room like he was afraid the day might slip away if he blinked too long. I pulled the duvet up to his chest, smoothing it down carefully, the way I always did. “So,” I said softly, brushing my knuckle against his cheek. “How was your welcome party, huh?” His lips curved into a smile instantly. “It was good,” he said. “Aunt Flora kept giving me too much food.” I laughed under my breath. “That sounds like her.” “And Grandpa Quinn let me sit in his chair,” he added proudly. “That’s a very big deal,” I teased. He nodded seriously, then tilted his head, watching me as I straightened up. I reached for the light switch, already preparing to leave. “Goodnight, my love.” “Mummy?” I paused. He shifted under the covers, fingers tightening around the edge of the duvet. “Can you read me a story?” My heart pinched. “I thought you were tired.” “I am,” he said q