Chapter 63 The Wrong Time to Wake Up
Chapter 63 The Wrong Time to Wake Up
The moment something clicked in her mind, Lily’s hand jolted. The towel slipped from her <b>fingers </b><b>and </b>dropped to the floor.
He was in aa. A man in aa shouldn’t… react like that.
Seeing what she saw, her face went red with embarrassment.
Still, she couldn’t exactly stop halfway and walk out. That would be even worse, right?
She stood frozen for a long moment, then finally bent down, picked up the towel, rinsed it out, and decided to finish the job.
That’s when a voice–a low, angry voice–broke through the silence.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
The sound of it hit her like a p. Her heart practically stopped.
She was alone in the room–with a man in aa. <i>Who </i><i>said </i><i>that</i>?
She scanned the room, suddenly tense, wondering if someone had broken in. Then she turned–and locked eyes with him. Dark, steady, and intense.
James was awake.
Lily gasped and dropped the towel again.
-he <i>He </i><i>was </i>awake? How was <i>that </i><i>even </i><i>possible</i><i>? </i><i>They </i><i>said </i><i>he </i><i>might </i><i>never </i><ie </i><i>back</i>. <i>And </i>now<b>–</b><i>seriously</i>, <i>now- </i><i>wakes </i><i>up</i>? <i>While </i><i>I’m </i><i>cleaning </i><i>him</i>? <i>While </i><i>my hand </i><b><i>was </i></b><i>literally </i><i>right </i><i>there</i><i>? </i><i>Of </i><i>all </i><i>the </i><i>moments</i>… why <i>this </i><i>one</i>?
She stood there, stiff and stunned, not even sure what to do with her hands. Before she could speak, his voice came again–cold, furious, every word ground between his teeth.
“Who gave you permission to touch me? Get out.”
James looked livid.
His eyes burned with rage, sharp and deadly. The fury in them was impossible to miss.
He couldn’t believe it. After all this time–after beingpletely unconscious for years–he opened his eyes to this–a woman touching him without consent, acting like she had the right.
His mind ran wild. <i>How </i><i>long </i><i>had </i><i>this </i><i>been </i><i>going </i><i>on</i>? <i>How </i><i>far </i><i>had </i><i>she </i><i>gone </i>while I was <b><i>unconscious</i></b>? His face- usually calm and unreadable–twitched with anger he could barely contain.
He had someone he cared about. Le.
They hadn’t met in person yet, but that didn’t matter. She was the one. The only one he <b>ever </b><b>wanted </b>near him. The only one he trusted. No one else. Especially not a stranger.
“I…” Lily stood frozen,pletely lost for words.
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Chapter 63 The Wrong Time to Wake Up
It <b>was </b>painfully clear–James wanted nothing to do with her.
<b>5 </b><b>Free </b>Coins
Back when she agreed to marry him in name, she’d epted that life with a man in aa would be <b>hard </b>-lonely<i>, </i>even.
After moving into the Luke household, she’d spent plenty of time thinking about how to take care <b>of </b>James, how to meet his needs.
But what she never considered… was what would happen if he actually woke up. <i>What </i><i>do </i><i>I </i><i>even </i>say to him <i>now</i>? <i>What </i>am <i>I </i><i>supposed </i><i>to </i><i>do </i><i>when </i><i>he </i><i>clearly </i><i>doesn’t </i><i>want </i><i>me </i><i>here</i><i>? </i>
“Get. Out.” James snapped again when she didn’t move fast enough. His eyes narrowed as he noticed where her gaze had identally drifted–right back to the part of him she’d just been cleaning.
His expression darkened.
Most people in his condition wouldn’t be able to move much right after waking up. Muscles atrophied. Bodies weakened.
But James wasn’t most people.
He’d had the best doctors, daily physical therapy, and constant muscle stimtion. He couldn’t walk yet, but his arms and hands were still strong.
He reached for the shirt draped nearby and quickly pulled it over his body, covering himself.
Then he spotted his phone on the nightstand. His assistant had always kept it close, just in case.
He snatched it up and immediately called Ivan. “Ivan,” he said sharply. “There’s a woman in my room. She –“He stopped, jaw clenched.
He didn’t even want to say <i>it</i>–it made his skin crawl just thinking about it.
But in his condition, there wasn’t much he could do on his own. He needed Ivan to handle it.
He knew how his family operated. They would’ve assigned a male staff member or his personal assistant, Ashton, to care for him–not a woman. Never a woman.
Which meant this woman was probably a housemaid from the estate. Someone who had slipped his room while he was unconscious–someone who took advantage of his vulnerable state.
He couldn’t let that slide.
“She assaulted me,” James said coldly. “Call the police. I want her out of here.”
Lily’s eyes flew wide open. <b><i>Assault</i></b><i>? </i>He thinks <b><i>I </i></b><i>assaulted </i>him?
Her heart dropped. She was just trying to help, just doing what the family had asked of her.
How had this turned into something so twisted?
“James?” Ivan’s voice came through the phone, stunned.
<b>d </b><b>it </b>was 2/3
He was lounging in the living room with a snack in hand when the call came through. <b>He </b><b>figured </b><b>it </b><b>was </b>
<b>17:52 </b>Thu, 17 Jul GO
Chapter 63 The Wrong Time to Wake Up
It was painfully clear–James wanted nothing to do with her.
Back when she agreed to marry him in name, she’d epted that life with a man in aa would be <b>hard </b>-lonely, even.
After moving into the Luke household, she’d spent plenty of time thinking about how to take care of James, how to meet his needs.
But what she never considered… was what would happen if he actually woke up. What do I even say to him <i>now</i><i>? </i><i>What </i>am <i>I </i><i>supposed </i><i>to </i><i>do </i><i>when </i><i>he </i><i>clearly </i><i>doesn’t </i><i>want </i><i>me </i>here<i>? </i>
“Get. Out.” James snapped again when she didn’t move fast enough. His <i>eyes </i>narrowed as he noticed where her gaze had identally drifted–right back to the part of him she’d just been cleaning.
His expression darkened.
Most people in his condition wouldn’t be able to move much right after waking up. Muscles atrophied. Bodies weakened.
But James wasn’t most people.
He’d had the best doctors, daily physical therapy, and constant muscle stimtion. He couldn’t walk yet, but his arms and hands were still strong.
He reached for the shirt draped nearby and quickly pulled it over his body, covering himself.
Then he spotted his phone on the nightstand. His assistant had always kept it close, just in case.
He snatched it up and immediately called Ivan. “Ivan,” he said sharply. “There’s a woman in my room. She –“He stopped, jaw clenched.
He didn’t even want to say <i>it</i>–it made his skin crawl just thinking about it.
But in his condition, there wasn’t much he could do on his own. He needed Ivan to handle it.
He knew how his family operated. They would’ve assigned a male staff member or his personal assistant, Ashton, to care for him–not a woman. Never a woman.
Which meant this woman was probably a housemaid from the estate. Someone who had slipped into his -room while he was unconscious–someone who took advantage of his vulnerable state.
He couldn’t let that slide.
“She assaulted me,” James said coldly. “Call the police. I want her out of here.”
Lily’s eyes flew wide open. <i>Assault</i>? <i>He </i>thinks <i>I </i><i>assaulted </i><i>him</i><i>? </i>
Her heart dropped. She was just trying to help, just doing what the family had asked of her.
How had this turned into something so twisted?
“James?” Ivan’s voice came through the phone, stunned.
He was lounging in the living room with a snack in hand when the call came through. He figured it was
Chapter 63 The Wrong Time to Wake Up
Lily calling from James’s phone—but that voice?
That voice was unmistakable. James was awake. After nearly four and a half years. <b>James </b>was finally he
Henry, Grace, nc, and Nancy were all seated nearby.
Ivan’s hands trembled as he looked at the others in the room. It took Ivan <b>a </b>few seconds to <b>find </b><b>his </b>voice again.
“Grandpa… Grandma… Dad… Mom…” He looked at <i>each </i>of them, eyes wide, lips trembling<b>. </b><b>“</b><b>I </b><b>just </b><b>got </b><b>a </b>call… from James. He’s awake. He’s really awake!”
“What?” Henry, sharp as ever, shot to his feet.
Grace’s elegant face went stiff with shock. “Ivan, what did you just say? Did you say James is awake??
Nancy clutched her husband’s hand, tears already welling up. “Ivan, are you serious? Please <b>tell </b>me you’re not joking…”
For over four years, Nancy had prayed for a miracle. Every single day.
And now that it was finally happening… she was terrified it might not be real. Terrified this hope would vanish as quickly as it came.