Chapter 16

It was already morning when Sally woke up.

She moved slightly and felt the searing pain on her back, which jolted her awake.

She realized that Elijah was sleeping next to her on the same hospital bed.

The bed was for one person, which made it quite the squeeze for both of them. He hugged her tightly, and their bodies clung together in a tight embrace. They were so close that she could hear his heartbeat.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

His heart was beating at the same strength and frequency as hers.

The corners of her lips subconsciously curled upward.

That was the first time someone had hugged her to sleep and the first time that she lay close enough to someone else to hear their heartbeat.

She lifted her eyes to look at Elijah's face.

His side profile was clean and handsome. His thin eyebrows were of the perfect length and thickness, and his eyelashes were long and neat. The curvature of his lips was perfect, and his collarbones were seductively tempting.

His eyes were especially charming in the morning sun.

'Wait! … Eyes?'

Sally came to her senses. "You're… you're awake."

Elijah chuckled because of how cute she looked. He kissed her forehead and said, "Is it still painful?"

"No, not anymore."

Sally was not sure if the kiss or the question made her heart thump madly and her face blush.

"That's good to know."

Elijah reached out to touch Sally's adorable face. "Why didn't you apologize last night?"

Sally pressed her lips together. "Because I didn't do anything wrong."

"If you apologize, you wouldn't have to suffer."

"That's because I have my principles."

Sally looked defiantly at him. "I can't endure it if it's just pain, but I cannot forgive myself if I admit to something that I didn't do, much less admit to something obviously wrong."

"I pity those who would abandon their own principles for temporary gain.

"My principle is simple. If I didn't do it, I won't admit to it."

She looked so cute when she was serious.

Elijah looked at her and sighed. "You are very precious."

The doctors expected Sally's wounds to heal after a week, but she was almost back to normal after only three days. On the day of her discharge, she had packed all her belongings since the morning.

Back at home, she fell face-first onto her bed. "No wonder Grandma doesn't like staying in the hospital. It's too restrictive."

She let out a prolonged sigh. Just when she wanted to continue to laze around, her phone in her bag started ringing.

It was from Aunt Jane.

Her aunt had not called her for a few days. Sally pressed her lips and carefully answered the call. "Auntie…"

She thought that Jane called her to ask her about her progress with Elijah. "I haven't…" she stammered.

"Sally."

The woman on the other end of the call sounded as though she was crying. "Your Grandma fainted again just now. The doctors are trying to save her in the resuscitation room!"

Sally's jaw dropped.

"How could that be…"

After Sally agreed to marry Elijah, Grandma was transferred to the best hospital in Koel City, and her condition had been improving recently, so how…

"You'd better come quickly. Grandma is already seventy years old. She might just…"

Jane broke out crying and did not complete the sentence.

Sally felt her chest tighten.

She ended the call and quickly rushed outside.

She bumped into Elijah, who was coming out of the bathroom.