Lahat ng Kabanata ng Opening My Eyes to Reality: Kabanata 601 - Kabanata 610

Rowan had been waiting outside. When Natalie appeared, he instinctively stepped forward and draped a coat over her shoulders.The weather was still chilly, especially after last night's rain, and the temperature had dropped noticeably.Natalie pulled the coat tighter around herself as Rowan said, "Looks like Susan's doing better now."She nodded, her eyes drifting toward the glass window of the ICU. "Thankfully, the worst is over. Everything's going to get better."He reached for her hand and intertwined his fingers with hers the way he always liked. Softly, he said, "I need to make a trip to Velmont, Natalie. Will you be okay on your own?"That suddenness caught her off guard, and she looked up at him in surprise. That was when she remembered the call from Jane while Susan had been in surgery yesterday. She'd asked if something was wrong, and he'd said he would tell her after the surgery.The pieces connected in her mind. "Is it because of Jane's call?"Rowan never intended t

The look in Rowan's eyes grew increasingly sinister. As he shifted slightly, the ash from his cigarette sprinkled to the floor and left tiny white spots in the dust.Still, he remained silent. He slowly brought the cigarette to his lips, took a deep drag, and exhaled the smoke right onto the top of the man's head.The man's shoulders jerked violently as if choked by the smoke or simply paralyzed by fear. His Adam's apple bobbed, but he dared not utter another word.The man watched Rowan warily. The latter's gaze fell upon the man's tightly clenched hands, which once wielded surgical scalpels. Now, the knuckles were white with strain and the palms smudged with dust and blood, though whether it was his own or not was unclear. His fingers were trembling slightly.After a long pause, Rowan finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a penetrating force that overpowered the sound of the wind outside the window. "Dr. Ashworth, you've been the Mattels' family doctor for about t

Jason had been cautious from the start and kept a card up his sleeve.Rowan could force his way into the Mattel residence with Magnus if he wanted, but the property was under Jason's name now. There was no way in if he refused Rowan's entry. Forcing their way would constitute trespassing, and law enforcement would likely arrive before they could even finish dealing with the mercenaries.As Rowan held the cigarette, he asked, "Who said I was going to use force?"Landon's eyes lit up. "Do you have a plan?""We've got a witness, don't we?" Rowan calmly replied.Landon glanced back at the abandoned building, and it immediately clicked. No wonder Rowan had gone straight after Cassian instead of confronting Jason at the Mattel residence tonight.Just then, Magnus emerged from the dark, abandoned building and strode up to the car window. When Rowan rolled it down, Magnus reported, "Mr. Mattel, Dr. Ashworth has agreed to turn himself in. I'll have someone take him to the police station

In the cool late-night air, Rowan's heart felt thoroughly warmed. "You have the best cooking, babe."As he spoke, he took a few more sips of the stew. Accidentally, a drop of broth clung to the corner of his lips, which he failed to notice.Natalie sat across from him with her chin propped in her hand and watched him with eyes full of smiles. She reached out and gently wiped the broth away with her thumb. "Where's your supposed elegance, Mr. Mattel?"He teased, "Are you getting sick of me now?"She playfully nodded. "You know what? A little."Rowan wasn't offended by the joke at all. If anything, his smile widened.They chatted for a while longer before Natalie realized she'd barely touched the stew in her bowl because she'd been too busy watching Rowan. His beauty was to blame!As the thought crossed her mind, she picked up the largest piece of beef and placed it in his bowl. "You haven't been eating your meals properly, have you? This is a larger piece of beef. Eat up."He lo

Rowan didn't say much and hummed softly as his eyes stayed fixed on Natalie's back. It was only when she disappeared from view that he withdrew his gaze, feeling a hollow ache spreading through his chest.After a long while, he slowly turned and trudged out of the airport terminal in heavy steps. Dawn had broken by then. The sky was turning a soft shade of gray-white, but it did little to lift the heaviness weighing inside him.40 minutes later, he was back home. The moment he opened the door, a room full of silence rushed out to greet him. It felt especially stark and lonely, just hours after he and Natalie had shared a meal here.He walked over to the spot where Natalie had been sitting and gently stroked the couch, as if he could still feel the lingering warmth of her presence.With a deep sigh, he sank onto the couch and pulled out his phone. As he scrolled through their chat history, every sweet word now turned into a small refuge from the ache of missing her.He couldn't h