Chapter 609

I instinctively turned my head.

My pupils constricted sharply.

The person standing at the door was Liam Sullivan.

He looked utterly haggard.

A shadow of dark stubble covered his jaw.

His usually immaculate dress shirt collar was slightly wrinkled.

His eyes were bloodshot.

That elegant, composed demeanor was completely gone.

All that remained was a weary, travel-worn exhaustion.

He was gently pushing the door open.

His movements were cautious, as if afraid of disturbing something.

When his gaze landed on the hospital bed, his eyes instantly flooded with a tenderness so thick it seemed tangible.

And a heavy, profound guilt.

Sophia Miller had been wearing a stern expression.

Seeing him like this, her anger dissipated significantly.

He probably hadn't had an easy time these past few days either.

Being set up, who knows what he went through.

It was a miracle he returned safely.

She pressed her lips together.

In the end, she didn't say anything more.

Sophia walked over quietly.

She lowered her voice to a whisper. "She just fell asleep. Don't wake her."

Vivian Bennett had barely slept a wink these past days.

Now that she could finally rest a little, no one should disturb her.

Liam nodded.

But his eyes signaled for her to leave first.

Sophia glared at him.

Ungrateful.

If it weren't for her watching over Vivian these days, could Vivian have held on until now?

And now he found her in the way.

Forget it.

She couldn't be bothered to argue.

As long as Vivian could recover, that was all that mattered.

Sophia whispered a few more instructions.

Then she turned and closed the door behind her.

The room fell quiet.

Liam sat down by the bedside.

His gaze fixed on Vivian's face.

Only a few days apart, and she had visibly lost weight.

Her cheeks were hollow.

Her lips were pale as paper.

Her body beneath the blanket looked so frail, as if it might shatter at a touch.

His heart clenched painfully.

Was it because he broke his promise?

She must have been furious.

And utterly disappointed.

He couldn't help but reach out.

He gently slipped his hand under the blanket.

He took her cold fingers in his.

The sensation in his palm made his heart tremble.

So cold.

So thin.

At that moment, the hand in his gave a slight tremble.

Vivian's eyes snapped open.

Liam met her gaze.

His breath caught.

That look was too cold.

Like a frozen lake surface, without a single ripple.

But upon closer inspection, that chill seemed to recede quietly.

Leaving only a calm, detached indifference.

It happened so fast he almost thought it was an illusion.

Vivian slowly withdrew her hand.

Her face showed no expression.

She simply lowered her eyelids.

She no longer looked at him.

His palm suddenly felt empty.

Panic seized Liam's heart.

"Vivian," his voice was tight. "I'm sorry I woke you... Sophia said you just fell asleep."

Vivian shook her head.

Her tone was distant. "It's fine. I wasn't sleeping deeply anyway."

She couldn't sleep at all.

Closing her eyes brought nightmares.

Blood.

Falling.

Endless darkness.

But Sophia and the others always looked at her with such worry.

So she pretended to sleep.

Seeing her this polite and cold, Liam's heart sank further.

The calmer she was.

The more courteous she acted.

The more it meant—

She was pushing him away.

Her heart was slowly closing that door.