Chapter 396: Awake to His Tears

Chapter 396: Awake to His Tears
Sophie's POV

I felt a gentle warmth against my side as consciousness slowly returned to me. The first thing I saw was Adam's face, so close to mine, his eyes red-rimmed and filled with tears.

"Adam, you're crying again?" I whispered, my voice coming out raspier than I expected.

He looked startled, then relief washed over his features like a tidal wave. His arms tightened around me, and I felt his body shake slightly as he tried to control his emotions.

He looks so vulnerable when he cries. It almost makes me want to tease him a little more.

"I thought you were going to leave me again," he finally said. The vulnerability in his tone made my heart ache.

I reached up to touch his face, wiping away a tear with my thumb. "I'll never leave you," I promised.

Adam closed his eyes, leaning into my touch. I could feel his fever through my fingertips—he was burning up but still refused to rest properly. Instead, he'd been watching over me, probably all night.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Almost twenty-four hours," he replied, eyes still closed, savoring the contact. "Luke said you'd be fine, but you wouldn't wake up, and I just..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but he didn't need to. I understood what he'd been through—the fear, the uncertainty. I had experienced the same when he was the one lying unconscious.

We stayed like that for a moment, just breathing together, until a commotion outside the door caught our attention. I could hear Jason's voice, sounding irritated, and a woman's voice I didn't immediately recognize.

"Mrs. Pritchard insists on seeing Sophie," Jason was saying loudly enough for us to hear. "I told her Sophie's resting, but she won't take no for an answer."

I tried to sit up, suddenly aware of how inappropriate it might look for visitors to find us both in bed together. "Adam, let me up. Someone's coming."

Adam frowned, reluctant to release me. "You need to rest. Why do you need to get up?"

"We have visitors," I explained, pressing a quick kiss to his lips to soften my insistence. "We can't just lie here like this when people come in. It doesn't look right."

The kiss worked its magic. Adam's expression softened, and he loosened his hold, though he still looked unhappy about it. "Fine. But you're not getting out of this bed."

I managed to sit up against the headboard just as Jason opened the door, looking thoroughly annoyed as he ushered in a middle-aged woman I recognized as Aisling's mother.

It was only then that I realized I was still wearing Julia's black backless dress from the night before, and my makeup was probably smeared all over my face. I must have looked a fright.

Mrs. Pritchard hesitated in the doorway, taking in the scene—me sitting disheveled in bed, Adam hovering protectively nearby.

"Mrs. Pritchard, what can I do for you?" I asked, trying to sound more composed than I felt.

The woman wrung her hands, her eyes darting nervously around the room before settling on me. "I—I came to explain," she began, her voice trembling. "It was all my fault. I stopped Aisling from telling them where you were. Aisling never meant any harm—she's innocent in all this."

I listened as she continued, her words tumbling out in a rush of guilt and fear. "Aisling is in a terrible state now. She hasn't stopped crying since they brought you back. I wanted to ask—to beg, if necessary—would you please come see her? Just for a moment."

The desperation in her voice was unmistakable.

"Of course I'll see her," I said without hesitation.

Mrs. Pritchard looked stunned by my quick agreement. "You will? After what happened?"

I nodded. "I just need to clean up first. Would you mind giving me some time to make myself presentable?"

"Yes, yes, of course," she said, backing toward the door. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

After she left, Adam turned to me with a questioning look. "You're not angry with her? She's the reason you were trapped there longer. She's the reason you nearly died."

I thought about it for a moment. "I think she's been a victim herself," I said slowly. "She has that look in her eyes—the look of someone who's been hurt too many times to believe in hope anymore."

Adam nodded, confirming my suspicion. "She was one of the trafficked women. She's been there for years. She refused to leave when they offered to take her home."

The revelation didn't surprise me. "Then how can I blame her? How can anyone blame someone who's been beaten down so thoroughly that she can't even imagine a different life? She was protecting the only world she knows, as terrible as it is."

Adam studied my face for a long moment before sighing. "Your capacity for forgiveness still amazes me," he said, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "I'm not sure I could be so understanding."

"It's not about forgiveness," I explained. "It's about understanding. We can't judge people without knowing what they've been through."

Adam seemed to accept this, though I could tell he was still struggling with it. He called for Luke to come check on me, and soon the room was filled with people.

My daughter rushed in first, throwing herself into my arms with such force that I nearly fell back against the pillows. I held her tightly, suddenly overwhelmed by how close I had come to never seeing her again.

"I was so scared, Mommy," she whispered against my neck.

"I know, baby. I was scared too," I admitted, stroking her hair. "But we're all safe now."

Jason explained that Rex had brought Alayna to the hospital, and then, to my surprise, mentioned that Pippin and Alayna had helped find us.

"Pippin?" I looked around and spotted my cat, covered in bandages but alive, lying quietly at the foot of the bed. My heart dropped. "Who hurt Pippin?"

Jasper stepped forward. "He got injured trying to find you. He led us to the village entrance, actually. But don't worry, he's recovering well—he can even walk now."

"He can walk?" I asked, astonished.

"Not just walk," Jasper confirmed with a smile. "He can run."

I reached out to gently stroke Pippin's head, careful not to disturb his bandages. He purred softly, pressing against my hand. Alayna climbed onto the bed beside me, placing a kiss on my cheek, then leaning over to kiss Adam too.

Luke finished his examination and announced with a relieved smile, "All vitals are normal. You're going to be fine, Sophie."

Everyone in the room seemed to relax at once. Even Cassian, standing in the corner, was smiling.

Jason noticed and immediately scowled. "Why are you so happy? Sophie waking up has nothing to do with you."

Cassian shrugged, unperturbed. "I'm just glad we can continue filming the show."