Chapter 25 Lost Her Heart
"Hey Emily, what's on your mind?" Jack asked as he stepped out of the bathroom, the scent of his body wash lingering in the air.
Emily quickly moved to the bed and lay down. "I'm just tired," she replied.
"Hold on a sec," he said suddenly.
"Hmm?" She turned her head, looking at him, puzzled.
"You need to lie down slowly. If you strain your wound, I'll have to re-bandage it. Let me help you." He gently supported her waist, easing her onto the bed.
As her head touched the soft pillow, he leaned over her.
In that moment, the thought of their remaining three days together flashed through her mind.
Unconsciously, she wrapped her arms around his neck. In the darkness, she whispered, her breath warm, "Jack..."
Her soft call was like an invitation, and he couldn't hold back any longer. He kissed her.
The night stretched on, desire quietly spreading, unstoppable...
His kiss was as gentle as a feather, landing on her lips like raindrops, making her heart race and her mind whirl.
Even though she had prepared herself, she still felt nervous and scared.
She knew she wasn't anything special to him.
There were no promises or vows between them.
Only scattered memories of warmth and tenderness.
Whether those memories were real or not, she couldn't tell.
But she wanted to believe they were real.
She kept telling herself they were real.
So, she lost herself in his deep, intoxicating kiss.
He was truly gentle, just wanting to kiss her lightly. Even though he longed for more, he knew it wasn't the right time, at least not until her wound healed.
He tried to pull away, his rational mind reminding him he had to.
But his body's instincts deepened the kiss, slowly parting her soft lips, savoring her sweetness.
Her soft calls echoed in his ears.
"Jack," her voice was so enchanting, it made his blood boil.
She felt his restraint, his effort to control himself, unlike any other time before.
This realization brought a warm feeling to her heart.
He wasn't as bad as he seemed.
Even though he had many women around him, all of them charming (at least the three she had seen), she didn't believe he was incapable of feeling.
Maybe, deep down, he had wounds that needed a woman's tenderness to heal, just like the tenderness Emily had once given him.
He slowly closed his eyes.
Like a moth drawn to a flame, she decided to give herself completely, even if it meant turning to ashes.
This peaceful, gentle night felt like a dream.
She longed for that moment of perfect bloom.
He called her Emily, a name both familiar and slightly strange.
She wished he would call her Alison; she wanted to tell him she was Alison.
But the thought quickly faded, and she lost the courage to confess everything.
Would he believe her if she told him?
Would he believe she was forced into this apartment because of that photo?
Not only would he not believe it, but often, she couldn't believe it herself, that she had fallen into such a trap.
But she had come, after all.
This trap tightened around her like a rope, almost suffocating her.
She opened her eyes, wanting to see him more clearly.
She didn't resist, letting herself bloom like a moth to a flame, showing her enchanting beauty.
She didn't want to think about anything else, just wanted to burn, to repay him for the tenderness he had once given her.
At that moment, it felt like they were the only two people in the world.
She smiled softly, a smile that finally made him completely let go.
He lay contentedly beside her, his light snores like a gentle lullaby in the night.
She watched him quietly, holding the birth control pill he had just given her.
His gentle words echoed in her ears, "When your wound heals and you don't need to take the pill anymore, we'll have a baby. But for now, we can't..."
Her feelings were mixed, a bit of joy mingled with a touch of sadness.
She wondered, if something big happened in three days, would he regret what he said tonight?
The pill, though sugar-coated, still tasted slightly bitter.
Maybe, in three days, they would be strangers, never to meet again.
In the darkness, her fingers trembled as she traced his face, trying to remember the beauty of this night.
But this beauty was about to become a memory.
In just three days.
She nestled into his embrace, gradually falling asleep, his image deeply imprinted in her memory from that moment on.
Without an alarm, she woke up naturally.
She slipped out of the bedroom like a cat, finding few ingredients in the kitchen, so she made a simple breakfast.
Just because he had said he wanted to take her homemade lunch.
The smell of food filled the house. Jack sniffed, slowly opening his eyes, his arm hanging loosely by his side.
The space beside him was empty.
He woke with a start, sitting up, then noticed the faint sounds from the kitchen. He quietly put on his pajamas, opened the door, and saw a woman busy in the kitchen.
That morning, he enjoyed a delicious breakfast, and at noon, he took the simple lunch she had made to work. As he left, she apologized, saying if there had been more ingredients, she would have made something better.
He smiled, saying nothing. She was injured, yet still made an effort to cook for him. What more could he ask for?
Though she moved with difficulty, she learned Jack's method of calling the grocery store, and the needed ingredients were quickly delivered. Money certainly made things easier these days.
Those three days were the happiest times for her and Jack.
She carefully prepared lunch boxes every day, waited for him to come home, ate with him, and then he would change her bandages. The nights that followed always made her blush, even though he was extremely gentle, she couldn't help but feel shy.
"Emily, you're like a drop of water. No matter how many times I have you, you always show me that purity."
For three days, there were no emails or messages. But she knew, tomorrow was the day she had to leave.
The three months were really up.
But this last night made her so reluctant to part.
In the darkness, she softly asked, "Jack, when I'm gone, will you miss me?"
He smiled, his eyes shining like stars in the dark, gazing at her. "What, are you leaving?" Then he held her tightly, pulling her closer. "Didn't we agree to have a baby?"
Really?
But she had taken the pill every time after.
And tomorrow was the day they would part.
Something was definitely going to happen.
But what exactly, she didn't know.
"Jack, do you want a boy or a girl?"
"A girl," he answered without hesitation.
"Okay, then we'll have a girl," she smiled, as if dreaming a beautiful dream.
"Not just one, I want many," he whispered in her ear, his voice low and husky.