Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed. “Shouldn’t we be sharing a room?” she asked in a clipped tone.
Willow quickly replied, her voice bright with feigned cheer, “Mrs. James, you’ve misunderstood me! I only meant to ask if you and Mr. James are reconciling. I’m genuinely happy for both of you!”
Elizabeth’s lips curved in a faint smile, her response calm but firm. “Seeing that I’m back, of course, we’ve reconciled.” Taking the backpack from Willow’s hands, she added, “I’ll take this upstairs myself. I’m a bit tired and want to catch up on some sleep, so don’t call me for dinner.”
Without waiting for a reply, she turned and made her way upstairs.
“Heat up the milk in the fridge and bring it to the master bedroom,” Elijah instructed Willow as he followed Elizabeth.
Upstairs, Elizabeth closed the bedroom door and locked it. Moments later, the sound of the door unlocking startled her. She turned around to see Elijah standing there, a key in hand, staring at her.
Caught off guard and half-dressed, Elizabeth hastily pulled on her pajamas.
Her back was smooth and graceful, her waist slender and delicate, with firm, curved hips.
Elijah didn’t respond immediately. Instead, his eyes scanned her exposed back, noting the red marks scattered across her delicate skin.
His jaw tightened as anger and guilt welled up inside him. Those marks were evidence of the suffering she had endured—suffering he hadn’t been able to prevent.
“Why didn’t you make any noise before coming in?” she asked in an accusatory tone.
Without a word, he approached her and gently pulled her to sit on the bed.
“What do you want now?” Elizabeth asked impatiently, her tone irritated. “I’m really tired and just want to sleep.”
She collapsed onto the bed, exhaustion overwhelming her.
Elijah sighed softly, his gaze softening with a mix of helplessness and affection.
He reached out to adjust her disheveled clothes, but the moment his fingers brushed the fabric, Elizabeth grabbed his hand tightly.
Her eyes flashed with anger. “Are all men just controlled by hormones? Is your mind filled with nothing but indecent thoughts? Look at my state! Do you want to push me into PTSD to satiate your desire?”
Stunned by her outburst, Elijah withdrew his other hand from the bedside drawer and pulled out a first aid kit. “I’m only here to help you apply ointment, not whatever you’re imagining.” He took out some iodine from the kit, grumbling, “You’re such an ingrate.”
Elizabeth froze, realization dawning on her face. Flustered, she grabbed the oversized custom-made bunny from the bed and buried her face in it, avoiding his gaze.
“Do you know what you look like right now?” Elijah chuckled softly, dipping a cotton swab in iodine and dabbing her wounds.
Elizabeth didn’t respond, her head still buried in the plush toy.
He continued, his voice laced with teasing amusement, “When an ostrich encounters danger, it buries its head in the sand, thinking it’s invisible to the threat.”
Elizabeth turned her head slightly, her tone defensive. “That’s nonsense! Ostriches bury their heads in the sand to aid digestion and incubation, not to hide!”
“Oh, is that so, little ostrich?” Elijah teased, his tone playful.
He was implying that she was like an ostrich.
Elizabeth’s cheeks flushed. She turned to hit him but accidentally bumped her injured arm against the first aid kit. She winced in pain, drawing a sharp breath.
“Don’t move,” Elijah said firmly, his tone gentle but commanding.
Elizabeth obeyed, lying still.
He applied ointment to the more severe red marks on her body. Some areas were inflamed, and others showed signs of swelling.
“Did they tie you up with ropes?” he asked, his voice colder now, his anger barely restrained.
Elizabeth replied nonchalantly, “The two who kidnapped me in the underground garage tied me up. If the seawater hadn’t loosened the ropes, I’d probably be at the bottom of the sea by now.”
Elijah’s eyes darkened, a murderous glint flashing in them. His voice dropped to a menacing calm. “I’ve already contacted the police in Byburn. There’s also a bounty on their heads—”
The bounty was specifically for the underworld.
“They won’t leave the country alive.”
Elizabeth didn’t respond, her exhaustion catching up to her. Her breathing evened out, and she drifted into a deep sleep.
Elijah looked at her peaceful expression, her long lashes casting shadows on her cheeks.
He gently adjusted her position on the bed, covering her with a blanket before settling onto the sofa nearby.
A soft knock sounded at the door. Elijah stood up, opening it before the sound could disturb Elizabeth.
Willow stood there with a glass of milk. Elijah took it from her and said in a low voice, “When dinner is ready, don’t call me. I’ll come down myself. Elizabeth is asleep, so make sure no one disturbs her.”
With that, he shut the door and returned to the bedside.
Placing the milk on the nightstand, he looked at her serene face.
