?<strong>Chapter 367:</strong>


    Back in bed, Verena turned to Ryan and Lucas and said, “Lucas, Ryan, you should both leave. I’m fine now.”


    Ryan frowned. “Leave? So you can start scrubbing yourself again as soon as we’re out the door?”


    Verena paused, uncertain of what to say.


    “I’m staying here tonight. You just try to get some rest,” Ryan stated.


    Verena turned to look at Lucas, her eyes reflecting a flicker of hope.


    “Just go to sleep,” Lucas said in a low voice.


    Pressing her lips together, Verena remained silent and closed her eyes.


    Time flew, and soon, it was past midnight.


    Seeing that Verena had fallen deeply asleep, Lucas rose from the sofa. “I’m heading back now,” he announced.


    Ryan was a bit stunned, having assumed Lucas would stay the night to watch over Verena.


    Just as Ryan was about to say something…


    “Stay away! Don’t touch me…” Verena suddenly cried out in her sleep, her voice tinged with panic.


    Lucas and Ryan made their way to the hospital bed together.


    On the bed, Verenay with her eyes shut tight, perspiration covering her face.


    She moved her hands wildly as if she were trying to escape a terrifying dream, her face contorted with agony.


    “Please… Let me go! Don’t do this! Lucas… Lucas, help me!” she cried out, caught in the struggle of her nightmare.


    “Verena! Verena!” shouted Ryan, trying to break through her terror.


    Verena’s response was a sudden scream as she bolted upright, her eyes wide open.


    She then took shallow breaths, her face drained of color.


    “Verena, there’s nothing to fear. It was just a bad dream. You are safe, and nothing harmful wille to you, I promise,” Ryan said, trying tofort her.


    However, Verena’s response was a nk stare, her eyes reflecting a deep sense of defeat.


    She bit her lip, and in a shaky voiceden with sorrow, murmured, “Lucas…”


    “Everything is fine now,” Lucas said, his voice even but aloof.


    His reassurance was brief,cking any physical gesture offort.


    He didn’te close to her or touch her.


    Verena sped her arms around herself, curling into a fetal position on the bed, her body shaking as she cried softly.


    Watching this, Lucas experienced a twinge of guilt.


    He knew that she had been pulled into this situation because of him.


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