Chapter 174 His Medal for Fighting for Waverly
Seeing Daniel and Waverly walking together at the hospital, Scarlett didn't have the courage to go out and confront them. She chose to test the waters instead.
The result was too disappointing for Scarlett.
At this moment, the darkness gave Scarlett a surge of courage. She still wanted to trust him one more time.
She wanted to ask him directly, to get a clear answer.
However, Daniel didn't pick up on what she was saying. He just reached out and pulled her into his arms, his voice muffled as he said.
"Let's talk tomorrow, go to sleep..."
Scarlett looked at his tightly closed eyes and cold attitude. The questions she wanted to ask got stuck in her throat.
Perhaps when a man spends his energy on another woman, he becomes careless with his wife at home.
Or maybe he felt guilty and knew what she wanted to ask, so he was deliberately avoiding it?
Which one was Daniel now, or was it both?
Scarlett used to love being in Daniel's arms, but now, lying in his embrace, listening to his steady heartbeat, smelling his familiar scent.
She felt he was like a dangerous poison, making her want nothing but to escape.
She broke free from his arms, turned over, and faced away from Daniel.
Behind her, he also turned over the next second, moving away from her.
One bed, two people back to back, sharing a bed but having different dreams.
She was the one who pulled away, yet at this moment Scarlett's nose stung painfully, and her closed lashes were gradually getting wet.
Scarlett didn't fall asleep until very late that night. The next day she was woken up by her alarm.
Theron was going to introduce her to the dance company, so Scarlett needed to get up early to prepare.
She had been thinking about this, so when her phone rang, she immediately tried to prop herself up.
But her hand didn't land on the bed—instead, it hit his firm abdomen.
A muffled groan came from behind her immediately. Scarlett froze.
"Scarlett, are you trying to kill your husband first thing in the morning?"
Daniel's voice was low and hoarse, coming from behind her ear. His breath tickled her ear.
Scarlett felt a pang in her heart. Scarlett, Qiqi—who was he calling?
She shrank her neck, avoiding his breath.
She clearly remembered they had slept back to back last night, with a large gap between them.
But now they were pressed tightly together, with him holding her from behind.
"Did I hit your wound?" Scarlett frowned.
Daniel groaned again, but he didn't let go of her. His chin rubbed against the top of her head as he said sleepily.
"Stay with me a bit longer."
He rarely stayed in bed, but recently when she was asking for a divorce, he hadn't been sleeping well.
After she stayed, he got injured, and with so much going on lately, he was exhausted.
Last night, holding her, the faint fragrance from her body was especially calming and helped him sleep.
Scarlett felt she must be really pathetic to hear longing in his voice and actions.
She bit her lip hard to clear her head, pushed away Daniel's arm, sat up and said.
"I have something important today. I need to get up. You sleep by yourself."
With his arms suddenly empty, without her soft warmth, even the comfortable bed didn't seem so inviting anymore.
Daniel opened his eyes and sat up too, grabbing her wrist.
"You hurt me and now you're just leaving?"
Scarlett was held back and couldn't get out of bed.
She turned to look at the place where he was pointing and saw spots of dark red on the bandage under his slightly open silk pajamas.
Scarlett hadn't expected to actually hit his wound. She quickly said.
"Lie down, I'll get the medicine."
Scarlett ran out. The doctor had prescribed medicine for Daniel to change his dressing daily.
She came back with the medicine box. Daniel had already taken off his silk pajamas and put on dress pants.
He stood shirtless in the sunlight, unwrapping the bandage around his waist and abdomen, looking inexplicably sexy.
Scarlett avoided his gaze and quickly walked over, saying, "Sit down, let me do it."
Daniel was happy to let her take care of him. He sat down on the edge of the bed.
Scarlett bent down to unwrap the bandage around his waist and carefully examined the wound.
"It's a bit red and bleeding, but it's healing pretty well. Some parts are already scabbing over. Don't move, I'll disinfect it and apply new medicine. It might hurt a bit."
Scarlett explained as she worked.
When the iodine touched him, his waist and abdomen tensed up, his abs becoming clearly defined.
But Scarlett wasn't in the mood to appreciate it. Her eyes fell on the several faded scars on his waist, abdomen, and chest.
Alice's words echoed in her ears again.
She said all these injuries on Daniel's body were from searching for Waverly.
Each scar on Daniel's body represented a time he risked his life for Waverly.
"Want to have sex, is that it?"
His low, amused voice suddenly rang out. Only then did Scarlett realize her gaze had been fixed on the edge of his pants, on the scar that extended below his waistband.
She had been staring too long.
And he had obviously misunderstood, looking at her with meaningful eyes.
Scarlett looked away in panic, about to shake her head and deny it, when her chin was grabbed.
His large hand wrapped around her waist, his long legs spread apart, pulling Scarlett forward while also leaning in to kiss her.
He kissed her fiercely.
Before Scarlett could react, he leaned back against the headboard, gripping her waist and pulling her onto the bed.
Scarlett didn't want this, and wasn't in the mood.
Her small hands pressed against his chest as she turned her head away, saying breathlessly, "Don't, your wound!"
Daniel left her lips and chuckled softly.
"I'm injured. So, Mrs. Wilson, be good."
Scarlett curled her fingers. He took it as shyness and coaxed her in a husky voice.
Scarlett's ears burned, but she forcefully pulled her hand back.
She shook her head, "Stop it, that's not what I meant. The wound isn't even bandaged yet. And I really do have something important today."
She pushed Daniel away hard and jumped off the bed to get the bandage.
She moved quickly. Daniel's eyes showed a hint of disappointment, but he didn't force her.
Scarlett hurriedly wrapped the bandage around him, then went behind him to tie it.
His back had even more scars.
She tied the bandage, kneeling behind him, her fingers touching the crisscrossing scars on his back as she asked again.
"Daniel, did you get all these injuries in Sylvanor?"
"Does it hurt your heart?" Daniel reached for his shirt.
He was about to get up and get dressed.
He was avoiding again, hiding these scars.
Scarlett raised her hand and pressed on his shoulder.
He paused, feeling her soft fingertips tracing along the scars on his back, sending waves of tingling sensations.
"Daniel, can't you tell me how you got these injuries?"
Her voice was soft and gentle, her breath brushing against his skin.
Daniel's mouth went dry. He felt like she had been punishing him in her own way all morning.
But he couldn't quite withstand her questioning.
He said hoarsely, "Got them while looking for someone."
"Is that person very important to you?"
"Yes."
"Someone worth risking your life to find?"
"Yes."
One, two, three, four...
They were all his badges of honor for risking his life for Waverly.
Marked on his body, but etched in Scarlett's eyes, hurting Scarlett's heart.
Scarlett counted silently, her throat choking up, unable to continue.
She suddenly closed her eyes and curled her fingers back.
Her face turned pale. She had no strength left to keep asking.
She didn't need to ask anymore. The very important person he was looking for was indeed Waverly.
So these injuries really were for Waverly.
But he had a rare blood type. Each injury could have meant bleeding out too much without being able to get a transfusion in time.
Alice was right when she said each scar on his body represented a time he risked his life for Waverly.
Scarlett suddenly covered her mouth, but tears still streamed down her face.
She was so heartbroken and hurt, but even harder to control than that was the jealousy and helplessness she felt
Deep jealousy.
Endless, overwhelming helplessness and hopelessness.
At this moment, she no longer had the courage to ask him anything directly.