Chapter 331
Chapter 331
Chapter 331 Give It to Me
Lewis didn’t say anything for a long time.
The light in Josephine’s eyes slowly dimmed down. Soon, a hurt expression appeared on her
face.
She went silent for a moment before lowering her hand sadly.
Lewis suddenly lifted her head, his hand caressing her cheek. “You’re right.”
The young woman looked surprised for a moment before staring at him happily.
He was still leaning against the headboard while looking weak. His form seemed to blend into the white wall behind him, but it brought out the color in his eyes.
The slightest trace of a smile was curled on his lips. “You’re right. I like you the most.”
The frown on Josephine’s face relaxed slowly upon hearing the man’s reply. A glimmer of joy flickered in her teary eyes, rekindling a spark of hope within her.
She firmly grasped, nestling even closer and burying her face in the warmth of his palm.
As the vibrant fireworks painted the sky with bursts of color, their shadows danced on the windowpane, flickering and intertwining with each dazzling explosion.
Lewis reached out and picked up the watch on the nightstand, glancing at the dial to check the time. It was already 11.30 pm.
“Sit here.” The man patted the spot next to him on the bed.
Josephine shook her head before gesturing, “No, you’re injured, so we can’t sleep together.”
“I’ll be fine. Come here.” Lewis grabbed her hand gently. He was unable to exert any strength since he had just undergone the operation.
The
young woman hesitated for a moment before getting up to her feet and sitting down right
next to him.
“Take off your shoes and lie down.”
Josephine kicked her shoes off, flipped the covers away, and sat beside Lewis.
She then turned around to stare at him.
The man rested a hand on her head. “Go to sleep.”
She gestured, “No way! I need to watch over you!”
Josephine scolded herself for accidentally falling asleep earlier. She did promise Conrad that
she would take good care of Lewis, after all.
“There’s no use watching over me. It’s not like I can leave on my own anyway. Now, be a good girl and sleep.”
The young woman blinked silently, still looking a little hesitant.
However, she did feel drained. It had been two days since she last rested fitfully, not to mention the one time she managed to sleep, she ended up having a nightmare.
“Listen to me. Just sleep right now. I won’t leave.”
Whenever Lewis issued an order, Josephine felt compelled to obey without question. His words seemed to possess a commanding power that triggered an instinctual obedience within her, as if bound by an invisible curse.
The latter pondered for a moment before shifting to a lying position. Once she made herself comfortable, she stared at Lewis unblinkingly as though he was going to disappear anytime
soon.
She gestured, “Are you not going to sleep?”
Lewis hung his head while caressing Josephine’s locks gently. “I just woke up, so I’m not going to sleep anymore.”
The young woman wanted to gesture something else, but he quickly turned off the light, causing the ward to plunge into darkness.
Surprised, she quickly snuggled into Lewis’ arms and wrapped her arms around his waist before burying her face into his hips.
His clothes smelled of disinfectants, which was something Josephine disliked. Still, she tightened the hug subconsciously.
By then, the young woman was already exhausted, so she fell asleep by Lewis’ side in less than
a minute.
A while later, once Lewis was certain that Josephine was sound asleep, he threw off the covers and got out of bed.
Lewis withdrew a cigarette from his pocket and headed toward the window. Then, he slid it open before leaning against the windowsill and lighting his cigarette.
The lighter’s soft click resounded in the silent ward. The glow emitted by the tiny flame was
cast on the man’s face.
With his cigarette trapped between his fingers, Lewis tilted his head to look at the scenery.
His ward was located on the eighth floor, so he wasn’t able to see much of the horizon. All he could see was the street right outside the hospital, which was still brightly lit despite the late hour.
Hardington was a lot more boisterous and bustling compared to Elysium.
During winter, most of the shops in Elysium were already closed at this hour, which made the city seem quieter than usual.
Conrad dropped by with food the following day.
The first thing he saw was Josephine lying on the hospital bed while snoozing away, whereas Lewis happened to be sitting on the couch with one hand supporting his head. His eyes flew open when he heard the door opening.
“Chairman Alvarez-“Conrad didn’t know what to say at that time.
The aforementioned man inclined his head slightly as an indicator for his assistant to enter the ward.
Conrad softly closed the door behind him and walked in with the food containers. Then, he set the table as quietly as he could.
At the same time, he whispered, “The doctor mentioned that you can only eat light and bland food for now, seeing as you’re just done with the operation. Mr. Harris had a professional prepare this meal for
you and Madam. The food is untainted and clean, so please dig in without any worries.”
Lewis glanced at the containers on the table. “Leave them there.”
Conrad nodded in response. Once he was done placing the containers, he caught a glimpse of the cigarette pack sitting on the table from the corner of his eye.
“Chairman Alvarez, you need to be on bed rest once you’ve undergone the operation. That way, you’ll be able to make a quick recovery.”
Conrad decided to stop speaking once he noticed the look of annoyance on Lewis’ expression. Once he was done arranging the containers, he left the ward quickly.
Josephine slept for a very long time. She only woke up in the afternoon.
Gerald had dropped by to visit Lewis when she was asleep. Upon noticing her on Lewis’ bed, he was so shocked that his jaw went slack on the spot.
He also brought a fruit basket for Lewis, so he put it on the table and left when he saw that Josephine was still asleep.
Sierra visited Lewis as well. Shock wasn’t the only emotion she felt at that time; there were strong hints of jealousy and rage mixed in as well.
Lewis’ attitude toward Josephine had changed significantly compared to the past. Sierra found it difficult to accept this fact, and she had no desire to come to terms with it either.
Instead of causing a ruckus in front of Lewis, Sierra quietly placed the bouquet of flowers she
had brought on the table and left.
She might look dumb, but it was all an act. That woman was capable of observing every little detail and action when it came to Lewis.
All her attention was focused on that man right now. That was how Sierra learned to ensnare his heart.
As time passed, she realized that Lewis was a heartless man. How was she able to ensnare his heart when he didn’t have one in the first place?
Since Sierra couldn’t do that, she could only capture Lewis as a whole.
Josephine rubbed her eyes sleepily, a dazed expression soon surfacing when she noticed the ward’s interior. She stared at the ceiling and thought for a very long time before finally remembering the reason why she was here in the first place.
The
young woman quickly sat up immediately, only to see Lewis standing by the window once she turned her head.
The rays of the setting sun hit his face perfectly, causing his features to blur due to the bright light. All Josephine could see was the outline of his side profile.
She threw back the covers and got out of bed. Clarity had been restored to her mind after she had enjoyed many hours of sleep.
The
young woman approached Lewis and tugged on his arm.
His senses now pulled back to reality; the man turned around to look at her. “You’re awake.”
Josephine gestured, “Why aren’t you resting in bed?”
“I needed to get some fresh air. Tonight’s the eve of the holidays. Do you want to go out?”
The young woman shook her head without any hesitation. Determination flared in her eyes as she gestured, “No! You can’t go out!”
Lewis could feel his eye starting to twitch.
After a brief pause, he reached for a cigarette and tried to light it. © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.
Josephine immediately snatched the cigarette from his hand while shaking her head in disapproval. The doctor told her that Lewis was forbidden from smoking or drinking. If not,
he would die.
Meanwhile, the man could feel his temple pulsating in irritation as he stared down at his empty fingers. “Give it to me.’
Josephine hid the cigarette behind her back while shaking her head as an indicator to deny his request.
Lewis went silent again. Suddenly, he spoke up in a gentle and soft tone. “Listen to me. Give it back.”
However, Josephine refused to comply with his order.
The man pursed his lips tightly while staring at the young woman in front of him unblinkingly. Josephine returned the gaze boldly. Both of them stood their ground stubbornly under the glow of the setting sun.
At that moment, the doctor entered the ward to check on Lewis. That was when the latter ripped his gaze off Josephine’s face.
“How are you feeling, Mr. Alvarez?” the doctor asked.
“Alive.” Lewis sank onto the couch as he spoke. One could tell that he looked very grumpy at the moment.
Josephine squeezed the cigarette pack in her hand. Did the man get mad at her because she didn’t give him his pack of cigarettes?
Still, she couldn’t give it to him.
The young woman would rather Lewis stay mad at her than die.
Naturally, the doctor could see that his patient wasn’t in a good mood. He chuckled dryly and asked Lewis to sit on the bed so that he could check his wound.
However, Lewis refused to move an inch.