Chapter 140: Surviving him

NANCY’S POV

By the time I got to the room, exhaustion crashed into me all at once. I hated that I had to come back here, but I had no choice.

Presently, in this place where I least wanted to be, it was the only place that offered me comfort, even though it couldn’t offer me safety.

I mean, what were the odds that I would feel both at the same time in the home of a man I abhorred the most?

I didn’t bother changing or cleaning up either. The last thing on my mind was food as well, even though my stomach was now rumbling.

The last and only thing I could remember touching to my lips today was wine. Even though I was famished, I did nothing about it and just collapsed onto the bed.

I’d rather die of hunger than go asking Hudson for food.

As soon as my head crashed into the pillow, I thought to myself that maybe this was an opportunity in disguise. Maybe I would just about die of hunger and be free from my worries.

However, I found out that wouldn’t be happening anytime soon because I couldn’t even fall asleep. All I did was lay in bed and stare blankly at the ceiling, feeling as if everything had been sapped out of me.

But beneath that numbness…

Something stirred, something ugly and painful.

Mr. Landon.

The thought came uninvited, and with it came guilt and longing.

A sharp, suffocating kind of longing that twisted in my chest.

I squeezed my eyes shut, as if that could block out the feeling, thinking back to how angry I had been at him.

A couple of days ago, I had been so convinced he had failed me, but now, I could see the difference and the truth.

He’d told me numerous times that he was only looking out for me, and I had been so blind as to see how true that was.

Thinking of how stupid I’d been made everything worse because I didn’t know what to do with it or if there was any way to fix it or if it could even be fixed.

Maybe it was a little too late.

A bitter laugh slipped past my lips.

Everything was already too late.

At some point, sleep finally claimed me. It wasn’t peaceful or gentle; it was overwhelming, like everything else in my life had been lately.

A faint sting pulled me out of the darkness of slumber a long while later, and my brows furrowed as I shifted slightly.

I felt another sting while I was still trying to figure out if I’d dreamt of the first. It was softer this time.

My eyes fluttered open, but then I froze.

Sitting at the foot of my bed was my mother, with her head bowed slightly and her hands gently wrapped around my foot.

It took a second before I realised what she was doing.

She was cleaning it, or seemed to be done cleaning it, because she grabbed a bandage and began to wrap it around my foot carefully.

Her actions were undertaken really quietly, too, as if she was afraid she would wake me.

Little did she know I was already awake.

I didn’t move, nor did I speak. I just watched her through half-lidded eyes, studying her expression carefully.

It wasn’t the one she wore around my father or the one she used when she tried to placate situations.

This was different.

It was quiet, focused, and tender, and for some reason, it made my chest ache.

She dabbed the wound lightly, wincing as if she could feel the pain herself.

“I’m sorry…” she whispered under her breath.

So quietly, I almost thought I imagined it.

My throat tightened, and I quickly shut my eyes before she could notice I was awake.

I didn’t want to deal with that or acknowledge it. I didn’t want to feel anything, so I stayed still and pretended to sleep.

Lying there, I pretended I didn’t hear her and that it didn’t matter but still, a small part of me…

A very small, unwanted part experienced a shift.

By the time I woke up again, sunlight filled the room.

My foot felt…better.

It was wrapped just like I’d seen her do last night, and it didn’t hurt as much.

I sat up slowly, glancing toward the now-empty foot of the bed. My mom was gone.

My gaze returned to my bandaged feet for a long moment before I looked away.

Whatever happened last night didn’t change anything; it couldn’t

Just after I shrugged off my gown, freshened up, and slipped into something else, a knock came at the door.

I knew immediately that it wasn’t Hudson. He wouldn’t knock.

Sure enough, a strange formal voice reached me.

“Miss Nancy?”

I frowned, even though I couldn’t see who it was.

“What?”

“The boss has requested your presence for breakfast.”

I let out a dry laugh and said without hesitation, “Tell him I’m not coming.”

My stomach rumbled in protest, but I ignored it. No way would I sit at a breakfast table with Hudson.

There was a long pause, then the voice rose again in assent.

“Yes, miss.”

The man’s footsteps retreated, and silence followed for a couple of minutes before I heard the sound of returning footsteps.

This one sounded heavier.

The door opened without permission, and Hudson stepped in.

I wasn’t even surprised to see him; I was numb to his presence now.

“Still stubborn, I see.” Was the first thing he said when he laid sight on me.

I rolled my eyes, leaning back against the headboard.

“I said I’m not coming.”

He closed the door behind him slowly, then locked it. The soft click echoed louder than it should have, causing my stomach to tighten. I sat you straighter.

“And I heard you,” he said calmly, walking toward me. “But I don’t recall giving you a choice.”

I held his gaze, willing myself not to flinch. “Then you should start.”

A smirk tugged at his lips. It felt dangerous and unpredictable. He walked closer, stopping at the edge of the bed, then looked down at me.

Afterwards, he leaned in slightly.

“Or…” his voice dropped, softer now, more intimate, more threatening, “we could spend the entire day right here.”

My pulse stuttered, but I didn’t give him the satisfaction of reacting to his obvious threat.

His smirk deepened. “You wouldn’t like that, Nancy.”

Silence stretched between us. Thick and heavy, then finally, I sighed.

“Fine.”

The word tasted like poison.

“But don’t think for a second this means anything.”

He straightened, looking entirely too pleased.

“Oh, I don’t,” he said smoothly. “It just means you’re learning.”

I clenched my fists, muttering, “I’m not learning anything.”

He chuckled softly, stepping back.

“We’ll see.”