Chapter 124 Chapter 124
Chapter 124
Ariana paused just outside the door, her hand resting lightly against the frame as she looked in without announcing herself. She hadn’t meant to stop, but the moment she caught sight of them, she couldn’t move forward immediately.
Inside the room, Ethan sat close to Celine’s bed, one hand holding a spoon, the other steadying the container he had brought earlier. His attention was completely on her, like nothing else existed beyond that space. There was no rush in the way he moved, no impatience. Just quiet care. The kind that didn’t need to be explained.
Celine, on the other hand, looked caught somewhere between embarrassment and reluctant acceptance. She tried to protest softly, shaking her head once, but Ethan didn’t argue. He simply waited, lifting the spoon slightly again, his expression calm but firm in a way that made it hard to refuse him.
Ariana felt something warm settle in her chest as she watched them.
“She truly deserves this… she’s been through a lot,” she murmured to herself under her breath, her voice soft enough that it didn’t carry into the room.
For a brief moment, she stayed there, unnoticed, observing the small details. The way Ethan leaned just a little closer than necessary. The way Celine avoided his eyes at first, then slowly gave in, opening her mouth just enough to take the food. The quiet understanding between them, still new, still unfamiliar, but growing.
It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t dramatic. But it was real.
Ariana straightened slightly, deciding not to linger any longer. She cleared her throat deliberately, a light but noticeable sound meant to announce her presence without startling them too much.
Both of them turned almost at the same time.
Celine’s eyes widened first, a hint of surprise flashing across her face before it softened into a small smile. Ethan reacted more subtly, but Ariana didn’t miss the quick shift in his posture, the way he pulled back just enough to create a bit of space between him and Celine.
“Ma’am,” Ethan greeted respectfully, already rising to his feet. His tone was steady, polite, but there was a trace of something else beneath it—something careful, like he was aware he had just been seen in a moment he hadn’t planned to share.
Ariana smiled faintly as she stepped into the room. “Good morning,” she replied, her gaze moving briefly between the two of them before settling on Celine. There was no judgment in her expression, only quiet understanding.
Celine gave a small nod, her smile lingering. “Good morning,” she said, her voice gentle, though there was still a slight awkwardness in the way she adjusted herself against the headboard.
Ethan didn’t say anything more. Instead, he moved aside without being asked, giving Ariana space to come closer to the bed. It was a small gesture, but it spoke clearly enough. He knew where he stood in that moment, and he respected the bond between the two women.
Ariana stepped forward, her attention now fully on Celine. “How are you feeling?” she asked, her voice soft but steady, the kind that carried both concern and reassurance at the same time.
“I’m better,” Celine replied honestly, though her hand instinctively brushed against the side of her head where the injury had been. “Still a little… slow, I guess.”
“That’s expected,” Ariana said gently, reaching out to adjust the edge of the blanket slightly, more out of habit than necessity. “You just need time. Don’t rush it.”
Celine nodded, her gaze dropping briefly before lifting again. There was something calmer about her this morning, but also something quieter. Like she was thinking more than she was saying.
Ariana noticed it.
She always did.
Her eyes shifted briefly toward Ethan, who had stepped back but hadn’t left. He stood a short distance away, close enough to remain present, but far enough not to interrupt. His attention hadn’t moved from Celine, even for a second.
Ariana turned back to Celine, a faint smile touching her lips. “You’re being taken care of properly, I see.”
Celine let out a soft, almost shy laugh. “I didn’t exactly have a choice.”
“That’s not a bad thing,” Ariana replied lightly.
Ethan’s lips curved slightly at that, though he said nothing.
For a moment, the room settled into a quiet rhythm again. Not awkward, not forced. Just… calm.
Ariana pulled a chair closer and sat down beside the bed, her movements unhurried. “Did you eat enough?” she asked, glancing briefly at the container Ethan had been holding earlier.
Celine hesitated for a second, then gave a small nod. “Yes… he made sure of it.”
There was something in the way she said it—half amused, half thoughtful—that didn’t go unnoticed.
Ariana smiled, but she didn’t tease. Instead, she leaned back slightly, studying Celine’s face with a kind of quiet attention that felt almost protective.
“You need to rest,” she said after a moment. “Your body might feel okay, but your mind still needs time to settle.”
Celine nodded again, more slowly this time. “I know.”
Her gaze drifted for a brief second, not far, just enough to brush past Ethan before returning to Ariana. It was quick, almost unintentional, but it said more than she realized.
Ethan saw it.
He didn’t react outwardly, but something in his expression softened, just slightly.
Ariana followed that small shift, and though she didn’t say anything, she understood more than either of them had spoken out loud.
There was something here.
Not fully formed. Not fully understood. But real enough to notice.
She stood after a while, smoothing her hands lightly over her dress. “I’ll be around,” she said, her tone casual but reassuring. “If you need anything, just let me know.”
Celine smiled. “Okay.”
Ethan inclined his head slightly. “Thank you, ma’am.”
Ariana glanced at him once more, a faint, knowing look in her eyes before she turned toward the door. “Take care of her,” she added, her voice light but carrying a quiet meaning behind it.
Ethan didn’t hesitate. “I will.”
And this time, there was no hesitation in his tone.
Ariana gave a small nod, satisfied, before stepping out of the room, leaving the door slightly open behind her.
The moment she was gone, the atmosphere shifted again.
Not dramatically. Not suddenly.
Just enough to be felt.
Celine adjusted her position on the bed, her fingers brushing lightly against the edge of the blanket as she let out a slow breath. She didn’t look at him immediately.
Ethan remained where he was for a second before moving back toward the chair he had been sitting in earlier. He picked up the spoon again, like the interruption hadn’t changed anything, but his movements were a little slower now, more deliberate.
“Where were we?” he said quietly.
Celine let out a soft breath that almost turned into a small smile. She finally looked at him, her expression calmer, but her eyes holding something thoughtful.
“You were… insisting I eat,” she replied.
“I still am,” he said simply.
There was no pressure in his tone. Just quiet certainty.
Celine hesitated for a moment, then gave in again, just like before.