Annabelle, now sitting beside her brother, glanced briefly at his face, at his expression filled with guilt that seemed to be screaming "Sorry," and just tried to stay silent, but her heavy breathing from her earlier outburst and the persistent sniffling made it difficult to compose herself.
Most importantly, as she now held his hand with her trembling ones, she was once again struck by the thought of how much it must have hurt him, and the mere imagination of it was unbearable. Her eyes, which had seemed to stop shedding tears, unknowingly began to well up once again.
In the end, she stopped caring about her own state and focused entirely on him, moving her hands with the utmost care as she began treating his wound.
Time passed in silence, broken only by the sound of their breathing, his occasional stifled moans from the pain, and the soft movements of her hands, as she continued with unwavering focus until she finally finished.
Now, wiping her face and eyes for the umpteenth time, Annabelle looked at her brother and finally opened her mouth to speak, delivering a statement that left him utterly stunned.
"Strip off your clothes."
Then, without giving him a chance to respond, she added,
"Or... you know what? With your injured hand, it'll be difficult for you, so let me do it."
It was an awkward comment, no matter who heard it, but for Christian, in this kind of situation, it was even more so.
So, while feeling flustered, he grabbed her hand as it reached for his clothes and stared at her questioningly, expecting at least some kind of explanation.
Luckily, Annabelle seemed to have calmed down quite a bit, despite her still-red eyes, as with a tone that tried to convey calmness, she said:
"I want to confirm there's no other wound on your body."
Hearing the explanation and knowing there were really no other wounds, he couldn't help but voice his doubt.
"Is there really a need to go this far? As I really don't have any other ones."
Despite the doubts he expressed, Annabelle met his gaze with an impassive expression. There was no trace of yielding in her demeanor; she didn't appear open to any argument, as this time, her gaze conveyed that she wasn't asking for his opinion like before, but merely informing him of what he needed to do.
Annabelle, even in silence, had made her declaration clear to Christian, and knowing that after everything he had put his sister through, he should at least try to relieve her worry, he decided to suppress his shame and embarrassment, doing what she asked without protest.
Still, he didn't forget to say.
"Then, at least let me do it on my own."
Seeing how she took a moment to reply but still consented in the end, Christian finally let out a sigh of relief and stood up.
He started undressing slowly, as it seemed that even though he had already made his resolve, when it came to the action, it was another story. Still, even at a snail's pace, Christian didn't stop.
But then, as he accidentally moved his injured hand the wrong way, he couldn't help but groan. After the treatment, the injury seemed even more sensitive, causing him even more pain than before.
And Annabelle promptly raised from her position upon noticing his discomfort, her voice filled with concern as she said,
'Can't you just change your mind, to not see my body?'
While that was what Christian retorted in his mind, seeing her stand up and her hand reaching out to him, he still hurriedly said, trying to reassure her, unlike his thoughts.
"Don't worry, sis. It's just that I moved my hand the wrong way."
While he continued to offer more excuses, till she finally relented, Christian couldn't help but feel even more embarrassed. The thought of needing this kind of help at his age made him squirm, the reality of his situation sinking in even deeper.
What he felt most shameful about was how, in the end, he actually felt tempted by her offer of help. It was an extreme thought, though, one that quickly faded away as Christian finally took off his clothes, leaving himself in just his boxer shorts.
Annabelle looked at his body, her gaze sweeping over every inch of his chiseled frame. She scrutinized it from all angles, carefully confirming his earlier claims, before her expression finally shifted. What had started as an examination soon turned into admiration, as she couldn't help but be captivated by the mesmerizing sight before her.
His compact muscles, streamlined and seemingly hiding immense strength, made her question how he had gotten injured in the first place.
Being in the presence of this piece of art left Annabelle momentarily speechless, as she found herself forgetting the initial concerns that had filled her mind, lost in the visual appeal of what was in front of her.
It dawned on her that his body, paired with his striking face, truly formed a dangerous weapon, one that, when used intentionally, could easily manipulate her, and she knew she'd have to be extra cautious in these situations, as she couldn't let herself fall victim to his charm.
"Okay, it seems you're really fine."
While Annabelle spaced out for a moment, her brother, waiting with that awkward expression, snapped her out of it. So, she hurriedly responded, trying to hide the fluctuation in her tone.
She also couldn't shake the feeling that, even though her brother seemed stronger now, he still needed her Discover more novels on NovelHub - your gateway to endless stories.
Hearing her, Christian immediately began putting his clothes back on, all while noticing her flushed face. He couldn't help but feel that, at least in embarrassment, he wasn't alone.
Finally returning to his sitting position beside her, the room fell silent again. But unlike before, when the silence had been filled with tension, this time it was an awkward one.
And the one to break the silence in the end was still the one responsible for it.
"When are you going to tell me everything that's going on with you?"
'So, we're finally coming to this again, huh?'
Christian, feeling helpless, looked at his sister, her resolute expression showing no sign of backing down. With a sigh, he finally replied.
"Can you wait just a few hours? I'll tell you everything then."
"No matter what you say, I'm not backi—"
Annabelle, in the middle of speaking, suddenly stopped as she registered what her brother had said. She was taken aback, surprised that he had actually backed down so easily. She had already prepared all kinds of arguments for this moment, but now, she found herself caught off guard.
"Really? And you're not just trying to brush me off?"
Still, she couldn't help but want to confirm.
And Christian patiently replied.
"I'm really going to say everything. I don't want us to have any more arguments, after all."
Annabelle, hearing him say it like that, finally felt a smile appear on her face, as with all the things that had happened today, from the state he arrived in the morning, to the things she'd noticed, to his message telling her not to go outside, which she hadn't mentioned until now, and the wound on his palm, finally, something worth celebrating had happened in this day filled with misfortune.
So, feeling a surge of happiness and gratitude, Annabelle finally hugged her brother, an action she had longed to take since the morning but had been unable to, due to all the events that had unfolded. Now, with everything seemingly settled, she couldn't hold back any longer.
She wrapped her arms around him tightly, as if trying to merge their bodies together, drawing him close with all the strength she could muster. It wasn't just a simple hug for her, after all, it was an expression of everything she had been feeling. All the spoken and unspoken emotions, the worry, the fear, the frustration, and even the love she had bottled up inside, she poured into this hug. It was as though the weight of the day had been lifted in that one moment, each breath she took, inhaling his scent, adding a sense of relief.
She found solace in the warmth of this hug, and her heart finally calmed down completely as she leaned into him.
Christian returned the hug just as quickly and firmly this time, his arms enveloping her with equal strength, as t he warmth that surged through him in that moment felt priceless, something he had been craving desperately.
The sense of urgency and anxiety that had lingered since the assassin's arrival faded, replaced by a profound sense of peace in this moment, and feeling that, he hugged her even tighter, already reluctant to let go.
This simple act also reminded him once again, of what he had been working so hard for.
In that quiet moment, even the final rays of the setting sun, casting a soft glow on their figures, seemed to fade away, leaving only the warmth of their embrace, lasting long into the silence.