Chapter 1569:

She reached for the blanket, lifting it carefully to check the injury on his chest.

The warmth of her touch spread through him, and his eyes quivered. This wasn’t some cruel trick of sleep. She was real—right here, with him.

Tears welled without warning. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her.

“Lydia,” he whispered, voice breaking, “it’s really you.”

His hold was desperate, as if letting go would make her vanish forever. The air tightened in her lungs, but she didn’t resist. She stayed in his arms and let him cling to her.

It had been far too long since she’d felt the strength of his embrace, and she realized she’d missed it more than she wanted to admit.

Her eyes slipped shut as she…

Breathed in his familiar scent, and it felt as though she had been wandering endlessly—only to finally come home.

Then a damp warmth brushed her neck. Lydia stiffened in surprise.

Tears.

Jeffry was crying.

The truth wrenched at her heart, and her voice broke as she whispered, “Jeffry…”

Before she could say more, he cut in, his words rushed and rough.

“Don’t push me away. Just let me hold you for a while. That’s all I need.”

Jeffry’s reddened eyes, paired with the pale strain in his face, told a story of joy tangled with fear—hope weighed down by dread. For him, this closeness felt like stolen happiness, a fragile moment that could be snatched away at any second.

After a while, Lydia pressed her hands gently to his chest, worried the tight embrace might pull at his injury. Carefully, she tried to ease him back.

Jeffry’s shoulders trembled faintly, but he didn’t stop her as she withdrew from his arms.

With his eyes lowered, he sank deeper into the sheets, his face so pale it looked drained of all strength.

𝘾𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙪𝙛𝙡𝙖𝙜𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙨 𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 → gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⧸𝖼𝗈𝗺

Concern immediately tightened Lydia’s voice.

“Did I hurt your wound? I’ll call for the doctor right away.”

“No,” Jeffry murmured, refusing to look at her.

“You can leave now.”

Lydia’s breath caught. Why was he dismissing her so suddenly? Didn’t he long to see her? A moment ago, he had clung to her as if she were his lifeline, and now he wouldn’t even meet her eyes.

She froze.

The silence in the room stretched unbearably thin.

Jeffry swallowed the urge to beg her to stay. He told himself that if she remained, it would only be out of pity—and he didn’t want to bind her with that. So he forced out the words that would set her free.

But time passed, and no footsteps followed.

When the stillness became too much to bear, he finally lifted his gaze.

Lydia was still there, standing beside the bed, watching him with steady eyes.

.

.

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