Chapter 115 Fire Beneath the Surface
“I… I’m so tired. My eyes feel so heavy. I just want to sleep for a little while… but I’m scared. What <b>if </b><b>I </b>close my eyes and never see you again?”
They sat side by side–he in the driver’s seat, she in the passenger seat. The way he held her was <b>awkward</b><b>. </b>
But blood still clung to the corner of her lips, and the brightness that once defined her features had <b>faded </b>into a sickly pale. She really didn’t look well.
John was afraid something might actually happen to her. He didn’t want any regrets. He tightened his arms around her, holding her even closer.
“John, I love you… so, so much.”
Elsa rested her face against his chest like a fragile Persian cat, soft and clinging.
“Promise me… don’t leave me. Never leave me, okay?”
Never leave her…
John only meant to stay by her side through thisst stretch.
But she didn’t have a “forever.” At best, a few months left. He didn’t want to disappoint her. So he said gently,
“I won’t ever leave you.”
Hearing that promise, Elsa’s lips curved slightly–so subtly he couldn’t see it.
<i>He </i><i>said </i>it.
<i>Forever </i>
She would never let him break that promise. Once she had his baby, the three of them would be together. Forever.
Lily’s attention was focused on Nancy. She hadn’t even noticed John and Elsa not far off.
After dinner, she returned directly to the room she shared with James–unaware that Grace was about to explode with rage.
The servants cleaned James and Lily’s room every day.
That afternoon, one of them reported to Grace: the bed in the study was made up, with folded clothesid out–James had apparently been sleeping theretely.
Grace genuinely liked Lily.
She knew very well the whole idea of finding a wife for James while he was in aa <b>was </b>a <b>desperate </b>move. It was absurd from the beginning.
Chapter 115 Fire Beneath the Surface
But Lily had agreed to marry into the family anyway, and for that, Grace was truly grateful.
After meeting her, she’d felt Lily’s clear, steady gaze, her thoughtful manners, her calm and considerate nature. Beyond gratitude, she began to truly like the girl.
In her eyes, her cold, aloof grandson was lucky–lucky to marry someone as lovely and sweet <b>as </b>Lily.
And she was sure that someone as kind as Lily would eventually win over James, even if he wasn’t ready right away. Once he calmed down, their rtionship would blossom.
Who would’ve thought the boy would pull something like… separate bedrooms!
Separate bedrooms! No talking, no hand–holding, no kissing, no cuddling–how were they supposed to build any connection?
Grace felt like James was trying to piss her off until she dropped dead–so he could burn incense <i>at </i>her grave!
Since waking up, James had been following the nutritionist’s n. Every night<b>, </b>a servant brought <i>a </i>ss of milk to his room.
Seeing the servant heading that way, Grace’s eyes lit up with an idea.
“Wait. Don’t bring it yet.”
She whispered a few more instructions to the servant, her expression gradually clearing like the sky after a
storm.
<i>Heh</i>.
Her grandson had no idea the milk he’d drink tonight would be… a little different.
He was a young man in his prime. His new wife was beautiful and elegant. If they didn’t get close–what a waste!
Grace was convinced that tonight, with a little nudge, the two would definitely spark something.
James had been working in the nc study for a long time.
By the time he returned to his room, the servant arrived with the milk.
He didn’t care much for milk but wasn’t picky either. He drank it all in one go.
Maybe the room was a little <i>too </i>warm tonight. His body started to feel ufortably hot.
Worried Lily might already be asleep, he wanted to say <i>a </i>few words to her before he showered.
But the heat was rising fast. Afraid it might affect hisposure during their talk, he decided to take a quick cold shower first.
The cold water sshed over him–but it did nothing <i>to </i>douse the heat.
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Chapter 115 Fire Beneath the Surface
Even after his shower, he still felt like his whole body was on fire.
His throat was dry, his vision blurred, and his skin burned like it was set aze.
Lily had already showered and was lying in bed.
Fevers were tricky. During the day she’d felt fine, but by night, it red up again.
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Her head was foggy and heavy. She wasn’t feeling great. When she checked her temperature–39.5°C.
She didn’t want to move at all, but she also didn’t want to be cooked into a vegetable by a fever. So she dragged herself out of bed.
She poured a ss of warm water, swallowed a fever reducer, and only then noticed James copsed on the couch outside the bathroom. His usually pale, handsome face was flushed red, his brows tightly furrowed like he was in agony.
Her heart skipped a beat.
James had only juste out of aa–and he’d had some awkward aftereffects. What <b>if </b>something more serious was happening now?
The Luke family had treated her so well. She couldn’t just sit back and ignore James.
She set the cup down and quickly went over to check on him.