"Don’t you think you’d get yourself into an awful lot of trouble if you are this attached to me?" The question left her mouth before she could ponder over it.
"I would rather be plagued by troubles than live a life without you."
Ella’s fingers paused, her heart skipped a few beats.
And something so unfamiliar yet undeniable bloomed in her chest. The words that she would have labelled as the sweet talking of a man sounded like an eternal vow coming from Adrian.
However, Adrian did not seem to know the effect his words had on her. He leaned into her touch while she stroked her hair.
Both of them had dinner together in the hospital room.
Ella did not know how she had survived on the medicinal fluids for the past 3 days yet the moment she saw the sushi, dumplings and other stuff on the food tray, she could no longer control herself.
Well, it was a bit awkward to eat with her Doraemon-wrap-hand so under Adrian’s high intensity gaze, Ella tugged the gauze down, pushing out two of her fingers to hold the chopsticks properly.
Midway through eating, Ella fed Adrian too. Everytime she brought the food to his mouth, he opened his mouth and ate it without any complaints.
After dinner, Ella slumped back on the hospital bed like a pufferfish, completely swollen from head to toe.
Adrian blinked when she waved both her hands at him.
"Baby, baby, pull me up~"
Ella pouted when he did not tug her upwards.
Just as she was about to whine some more, Adrian got up and walked towards the headboard of the bed.
Wrapping an arm around her back, he gently supported her up.
Ella blushed, "Aren’t you a bit too good at flirting?"
"I didn’t flirt," Adrian said with a straight face.
"Cough... Baby, let’s take a walk. I feel so bloated..."
Adrian complied with her wishes as he supported her, helping her up.
"We are in... Country A?"
The moment Adrian led her out, she had already realized that something seemed different.
As far as she remembered, it was raining these days in Vermilion City. How would it start to snow abruptly ?
It wasn’t until Adrian opened his mouth and in his most unbothered tone, revealed that—We are in Country A—did everything start making sense.
Ella speechlessly gaped at the small private hospital, surrounded by a little garden that looked more like an apple farm.
"Baby, why did you bring me here?"
His words were straight to the point as ever.
"But, but, why this place in particular?" Truth to be told, this private hospital seemed to be situated in the middle of nowhere, in an isolated portion in the capital of Country A.
She couldn’t understand why he had to bring her here, out of all the places.
"Good doctor," Adrian casually said.
"But back in Country V, we still have Ronan."
Adrian arched a brow when Ella pulled out her phone and pointed at his mouth, pleading, "Baby, say that again. I will record it and let Ronan hear it the next time he messes with me."
In the next moment, the phone from her hand was gone.
And Ella was pulled into a firm embrace. Adrian kissed the crown of her head, "Be good, will you?"
Ella struggled against his grip but it did not loosen in the slightest. If anything, Adrian hugged her tighter.
"You don’t have to hold it in."
Hearing his words, the huge smile on Ella’s face faded gradually.
Since she woke up, she had tried to recall the incidents of that day, yet now, perhaps with a slightest nudge, Ella was reminded of everything.
"Actually, growing up, I had always felt like at some point, my parents started to love Esther more than me. Our teenage years were different from how it used to be when we were kids."
"Her birthdays became special, her accomplishments were special, her friends were special and she was special..."
"As for me, I was just there... It didn’t help that I had a gloomy personality as a child."
"But I have never resented them for it. I loved my little sister. I always thought that Esther was the younger one, it was only right for her to be loved and taken care of..." Ella pressed her face against Adrian’s chest as she mumbled softly.
"Then came Maxwell..." she paused, not knowing whether to continue or not.
A storm stirred in Adrian’s eyes at the mention of that name yet his hold on her did not flinch.
Sensing no movements from him, Ella continued, "I knew him since I was a child but then we moved abroad. I finished my schooling here in Country A before I returned and I met him again."
"When he showed me care, I clung to it. Maybe..." Ella hated to admit it but maybe all along she had felt that lack in her family.
When Max showed her that love and care, even if it was fake, she had clung to it greedily.
Every time she paused, silence greeted her.
And before, Ella would feel uncomfortable with such a response.
Yet, Adrian’s silence made her feel heard more than any words would ever do.
"It has been months since I knew what Esther was up to but I did not want to put my parents in a spot where they have to choose between the two of us."
Ella pulled back from Adrian as she looked up at him.
When he saw her reddened eyes, something flickered so dark flickered in his gaze.
Ella did not continue speaking but no words needed to be said.
Esther crossed her bottom line when she arranged a man to rape her own sister.
So, when Ella went to her parents, all she hoped was for them to see the truth.
But she could never have known that nothing would change... even if they knew the truth.
Ella blinked the tears away when he called out her name.
"I would never turn my back on you," He cupped her cheeks and pressed his lips on her forehead.