“Come here, let me hold you……”
My heart lurched.
For a split second, I wanted to delete everything on my phone.
Pretend none of it had ever happened.
As long as he was awake, that was all that mattered.
I walked to the bed but didn't take his hand.
I just set the thermos on the nightstand.
“How are you feeling? The doctor said you're recovering well.”
“I'm fine. Just a little sore.”
Ronald's hand hung frozen in midair, but he didn't look the least bit embarrassed. If anything, his gaze grew softer：
“I'm sorry I worried you. The wedding's going to have to be pushed back, isn't it? It's my fault for being careless behind the wheel.”
I was so calm it frightened me.
“It's fine. The wedding can wait.”
“All that matters is that you're okay.”
Ronald let out a breath, relief washing over his face.
“Millie, you're so good to me. The second I'm better, we'll get married right away. I'm going to give you the biggest, most beautiful wedding and make you the happiest woman in the world!”
He sounded so sincere. His eyes were brimming with love.
If I hadn't seen those messages, I would have been moved to tears.
But now, all I felt was revulsion.
The door swung open.
Hope rushed in carrying a thermos, her pretty face tight with worry.
“Ronald, you're finally awake! You scared me half to death. After Millie called, I was up all night!”
She darted to the bedside, snatched the cup right out of my hand, and lifted it to Ronald's lips.
The motion was practiced. Effortless. Like she'd done it a thousand times.
“Drink. Look at your lips, they're completely cracked.”
Ronald parted his mouth and took a sip without a second thought.
Then Hope pulled out a tissue and reached over to dab the water from the corner of his lips.
I stood right where I was, watching them.
Like a stranger who'd wandered into the wrong room.
Hope seemed to notice me only then and gave an apologetic little smile：
“Sorry, Millie, I just got so worked up. Don't be mad. I was worried for your sake too.”
“I mean, you're the one marrying him. If something had happened to him, I was afraid you wouldn't be able to handle it.”
“I'm not that petty.”
I leaned against the wall, arms folded, and watched them perform.
Ronald immediately furrowed his brow and put on a stern look, scolding Hope：
“See what you did? You upset Millie. Don't be so forward next time.”
“Okay, okay, I get it.”
Hope stuck out her tongue playfully and gave Ronald a light punch on the arm.
“It's only because I was worried about you, you ungrateful jerk.”
Ronald laughed and caught her wrist：
“Alright, alright, thank you for worrying about me. Happy now?”
They kept play-fighting until Hope's hand accidentally brushed against Ronald's wound.
Ronald sucked in a sharp breath, and Hope immediately leaned in close, her face taut with concern.
“Are you okay? I didn't mean to! Let me see!”
She bent over him, her face nearly pressed to his chest.
Ronald reached up and ruffled her hair, his eyes so full of tenderness it was spilling over.
“I'm fine. Doesn't hurt. Don't worry.”
I watched them, the way they acted like no one else existed in the room.
And I remembered the last time he'd been hurt. I had leaned in the exact same way, trying to check his wound.
He'd flinched away.
Told me it didn't look right, doing that in a hospital.
It was never about how it looked. It just looked wrong because it was me.
Hope seemed to remember something and lifted her head, her smile bright and teasing：
“Oh, Ronald, do you remember? Three years ago when we went to the beach, you tripped and fell just like this. Your knee was bleeding everywhere, and I carried you on my back for two miles to the hospital.”
