Chapter 591

The night had deepened, and the villa area of Marigoldia Resort was gradually quieting down, leaving only the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore.

After seeing Celine and the others off, Henry gently closed the villa door and turned to check on Gabriel and Travis in the children's room.

Pushing the door open, he saw Gabriel and Travis each clutching a toy submarine, curled up in their small beds, sleeping soundly under the warm yellow nightlight.

Travis had a bit of drool at the corner of his mouth, glistening in the light.

Henry tiptoed over, tucked them in, and planted a light kiss on each of their foreheads before quietly leaving the room.

Back in the master bedroom, the sound of running water came from the bathroom, and the frosted glass was covered in a layer of steam.

Henry loosened his collar and sat on the edge of the bed, waiting.

Soon, the water stopped, followed by the sound of Zoey softly humming a tune.

A smile tugged at Henry's lips. If she was humming, it meant her cold was indeed getting better.

Suddenly, there was a dull thud from the bathroom, followed by Zoey's cry of pain.

"Zoe?" Henry's heart tightened at the sound of her cry. He rushed to the bathroom door, his hand hovering in mid-air, ready to knock. "What happened? Can I come in?"

After a brief silence, Zoey's voice came, tinged with embarrassment. "I'm fine, just slipped a bit."

Henry knew her too well; that tone was far from "fine."

Without hesitation, he pushed the door open. The sight before him made his heart clench. Zoey was sitting on the floor, her wet hair clinging to her cheeks, wrapped only in a towel, with her right ankle already showing signs of redness.

"Don't move." He quickly stepped forward and scooped her up in his arms.

Zoey's skin was warm and soft, still carrying the scent of body wash and the dampness of the shower.

She instinctively wrapped her arms around Henry's neck, almost losing her grip on the towel, and hurriedly used one hand to hold it in place.

"I told you to wait for me to shower together," Henry said, his voice full of concern. "You just got over a cold and now this."

Zoey pouted. "Who wants to shower with you?" Her voice grew softer, and her ears turned red.

Henry gently placed her on the bed and turned to get the first aid kit. "Does your ankle hurt? Can you move it?"

"It hurts a bit, but I don't think it's sprained." Zoey tried to move her ankle and winced.

"Don't move." Henry returned with the first aid kit, knelt by the bed, and was about to examine her injury when he suddenly paused.

Following his gaze, Zoey looked down and realized she was still only wrapped in a towel, with much of her skin exposed.

"I'll put on a robe first." Her cheeks flushed as she reached for the robe at the foot of the bed, but the movement pulled at her ankle, causing another jolt of pain.

Henry sighed, went to the bathroom, and brought back a clean robe. "Lift your arms."

Zoey obediently complied, letting him help her into the robe.

His fingers occasionally brushed against her skin, sending a slight shiver through her.

After tying the belt, Henry knelt again, gently placed her foot on his knee, poured some medicinal alcohol into his palm to warm it, and then applied it to her slightly swollen ankle.

"Bear with the pain," he warned softly before starting to massage with moderate pressure.

"Be gentle..." Zoey gripped the bedsheet, her toes curling from the pain.

Henry didn't stop, but his touch became gentler. "I need to work out the bruising so you'll feel better tomorrow."

He looked up at Zoey's scrunched-up face and couldn't help but tease, "Where's the fierce Zoey who scolds Helena? Can't handle a little pain?"

Zoey threw a pillow at him. "That's different!"

She laughed despite herself.

After treating her ankle, Henry fetched a hairdryer and plugged it in by the bed. "Turn around."

Zoey obediently turned her back to him, feeling his long fingers comb through her wet hair, the warm air brushing against her scalp.

In the vanity mirror, she saw Henry's focused expression, his brows slightly furrowed, lips pressed together, as if he were handling a delicate instrument.

Sensing her gaze, he looked up and met her eyes in the mirror, a gentle smile curving his lips.

"What are you looking at?" He asked softly.

"You," Zoey replied candidly, her eyes full of love. "My fiancé is so handsome."

Henry chuckled, turned off the hairdryer, and kissed the top of her head. "Your hair's dry now." He glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "It's almost midnight. Time to sleep."

Zoey snuggled under the covers but lay wide-eyed. "I slept too much during the day. I'm not sleepy at all now."

Henry lay down beside her, pulling her into his arms. "Then let's talk for a bit."

"Sure." Zoey adjusted to a comfortable position and suddenly remembered something. "By the way, did anyone call for me today? I forgot to check my phone since I woke up."

"Your dad called this afternoon." Henry's fingers absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair. "He was really worried about you, almost sent a private jet to pick you up."

Zoey felt a warmth in her heart. "I'll call him back tomorrow. He must be super busy lately, right?"

"Yeah." Henry's tone grew more complex. "Besides the company stuff, he's also dealing with Helena."

Zoey immediately understood, a cold glint flashing in her eyes. "He's still exposing Honghe Film and Television Company's scandals?"

"Not just that." Henry held her tighter. "I had some friends back home look into it. Your dad is investigating their tax issues. Looks like he's determined to bring Helena down."

"Serves her right." Zoey sneered. "Helena thinks she can do whatever she wants just because she looks like my mom? Coming to Marigoldia to seduce my dad, it's disgusting."

They talked for a while longer until Zoey finally felt sleepy.

Henry's fingers gently stroked her back. "Sleep now, don't think too much. You promised Gabriel and Travis you'd build sandcastles with them tomorrow."

Zoey yawned softly, the effects of the cold medicine making her eyelids heavy. "Remember to wake me up in the morning..."

Her voice trailed off as her breathing became steady and deep.

Henry carefully adjusted his position to make her more comfortable.

Outside, a bright moon hung high, casting a silver glow over the sea, the waves gently swaying as if singing a lullaby for the lovers.

Henry gazed at Zoey's sleeping face, recalling the pain in her eyes when she spoke of Ophelia, and silently vowed to protect her and the children.

No matter who it was, he wouldn't let anyone harm his family.

As the night deepened, Henry kissed Zoey's forehead one last time and closed his eyes.

Tomorrow would be a new day, and for now, with his love in his arms and the children sleeping soundly, it was enough.