Chapter 175 I'm Here, Jane

Chapter 175 I'm Here, Jane
Jane's POV

I completely lost my appetite for shopping, my chest feeling like it was weighed down by a boulder. Thomas's venomous words echoed relentlessly in my ears, refusing to fade.

David was clearly in no mood either—he held my hand tightly, though the warmth of his palm couldn't chase away the chill in my heart. He silently helped me into the car and drove us home without a word.

The moment we got home, I pulled David to the couch, my trembling fingers unbuttoning his shirt as I carefully examined his ribs and shoulders.

David's breath caught slightly, a flush creeping up his neck as his eyes darkened with a different kind of intensity—clearly misreading my intentions.

The moment we got home, I pulled David to the couch, my trembling fingers unbuttoning his shirt as I carefully examined his ribs and shoulders. David's breath caught slightly, a flush creeping up his neck as his eyes darkened with a different kind of intensity—clearly misreading my intentions.

But when he saw the worry etched across my face and felt the tremor in my hands, realization dawned on him. He cleared his throat awkwardly, the heat in his gaze quickly replaced by embarrassment.

"I, uh..." he started, then cleared his throat again, his cheeks still tinged pink from the misunderstanding. Thank God—aside from some redness on his left side, there were no obvious wounds or bruises.

I breathed a small sigh of relief, but tears betrayed me again, streaming down my face. "I'm sorry, David. This is all my fault..." I choked out, my voice barely a whisper.

David gently cupped my face, his thumb wiping away my tears. His eyes remained tender, though tinged with exhaustion and heartache. "Don't be silly, this isn't your fault. He was way out of line." But I knew that if it weren't for me, he never would have suffered this unprovoked attack.

I didn't say anything more, just silently helped him straighten his clothes before fleeing to my room. The moment I closed the door, my tightly wound nerves finally snapped.

I slid down against the door, hugging my knees as suppressed sobs finally broke free. Thomas's twisted face, his poisonous words, and the bottomless hatred in his eyes replayed over and over in my mind, making my whole body go cold.

I don't know how long I sat there. Outside, daylight was gradually swallowed by darkness, leaving only the last wisp of twilight in my room—so thin it seemed ready to vanish at any moment, suffocating in its weight.

I forced my stiff body to stand and went through the motions of washing up, but the warm water couldn't penetrate the coldness in my heart.

Every movement carried a numb, dull ache. I crawled into bed, my eyelids heavy as lead, yet my mind remained painfully alert.

The darkness became the cruelest canvas, spreading out that nightmare from years ago, inch by inch—That day, the very air was thick with alcohol and malice, making it hard to breathe.

The moment Thomas burst through the door, my blood seemed to freeze. His flushed face, his knuckles white with tension, the precarious empty bottle in his palm—every detail was seared into my bones.

"You little burden! If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be living such a pathetic life!" His roar was like a sledgehammer, pounding against my frayed nerves.

Fear crept up like vines, strangling my ability to breathe. I wanted to run, but my limbs felt nailed to the spot. I could only watch helplessly as he raised his arm, then squeeze my eyes shut, waiting for the crushing pain.

The dull thud of the bottle hitting my shoulder, mixed with the sharp crash of shattering glass, became thunder carved into my soul. Those scattered shards were like countless needles, piercing into my memory—even years later, the thought still carried bone-deep coldness.

This scene was branded into my memory like a scar, and tonight Thomas had dragged it back with startling clarity. I jolted awake from the nightmare, drenched in cold sweat, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might burst from my chest.

I gasped for air, looking around—the familiar room helped calm me slightly, but that suffocating sense of being wrapped in fear lingered. I unconsciously touched my arm, as if I could still feel that icy terror from years ago.

"Jane? What's wrong?" The door opened gently, David's voice filled with concern. He'd obviously heard me stirring and was holding a glass of warm water.

Seeing him, all my strength crumbled instantly. I sat up and threw myself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably. "David, I'm so scared... I'm really so scared..."

David held me tight, gently patting my back with movements both tender and strong, like soothing a frightened animal.

"I'm here, Jane. I'm right here. No one can hurt you anymore," his voice was low and steady, echoing in my ear. "I'll always protect you, forever." His embrace was warm and solid, gradually calming me, though tears still flowed as if I needed to cry out years of accumulated fear and grievance.

I curled up in his arms, listening to his strong heartbeat, feeling the warmth of his palms.

Yet I knew the shadow Thomas had cast wouldn't disappear anytime soon. But at least now, I wasn't alone.

David was beside me, like a light driving away some of the darkness in my world. Still, Thomas's parting words—"you just wait and see"—stuck in my heart like a thorn, filling me with unease. Would he come back?

I lay against David, my tears soaking his pajama shirt, my sobs gradually subsiding to occasional hiccups. His hand continued stroking my hair gently, his fingertips carrying reassuring strength, silently telling me he wouldn't leave.