Out of nowhere, a large hand forcefully pulled me back onto the walkway, and I crashed face-first into a familiar embrace. My nose hurt from the impact, but all I could do was stand there frozen as I stared up at Christopher.
“Let go of her!” roared Lyle.
“Yvonne is mine. Not someone for you to push around and bully like that. I’d advise you to watch yourself, or else I will be forced to take severe measures against you.” Christopher’s chest rumbled as he spoke, one arm wrapped around my waist. However, my heart didn’t skip a beat as it would have in the past.
“What the hell are you talking about? Yvonne is my wife! You’re already engaged to someone else, so don’t try to play around with her feelings any longer, Christopher! I’m not scared of you just because you’re from the Lane family!” Lyle walked up to us, trying to pry the two of us apart.
Instinctively, my arms tightened around Christopher’s body. If this was the last time I was able to touch and hug this large, broad body, then I was going to make the most out of this moment. At the very least, I wouldn’t feel as upset in the future when I looked back on this moment.
Perhaps I should be relieved that the news of Christopher and Monica’s engagement had been made public through the mass media, instead of me having to witness it with my very own eyes.
“Correction. She’s your ex-wife. If you didn’t cherish her enough back then, you don’t get the chance to do so now,” Christopher responded coldly. “Besides, your fiancée is right behind you.”
Lyle and I both looked behind him at the same time. Crystal was standing there since who-knows-when, staring at all of us anxiously as if trying to figure out how and where she should insert herself into our altercation.
“Come on, Lyle. You shouldn’t try to help Yvonne if she clearly has other ideas. She’s not going to accept your help even if you insist on it.” Looping her arm through Lyle’s, she looked up at him with puppy-dog eyes. “The baby and I are both getting hungry. Let’s go and eat, okay?”
“You be careful!” With those parting words, Lyle finally led Crystal away from the scene.
Meanwhile, Christopher tugged on my arm and walked off in a separate direction. He moved too quickly, so I soon found it hard to keep up with him, especially with my busted ankle. Before I knew it, I tripped and was hurtling towards the ground when he caught me and hoisted me back upright.
He glanced down at my leg and picked me up in his arms in a bridal carry without a second thought. If this were any other time, I would yell at him out of embarrassment and tell him to put me down, but now I just curled into him obediently without a single complaint.
I wish time would stop right here, right now.
Mentally and physically fatigued from the events of the day and from not getting a wink of sleep last night, I eventually drifted off into unconsciousness in his arms.
When I came to, we were in the house that I once thought of as perfect and a “home.” Christopher set me down on the couch and dug out some ointment for my twisted ankle. Thankfully, there was no swelling, although it still hurt.
After that, the man took off my top to inspect the slash wound on my arm. He pursed his lips upon seeing my messily changed bandage, carefully undoing it and reapplying some antiseptic cream before wrapping it back up with new, clean bandages.
It might have been because of the tenderness of his actions and his tender touch, but I somehow fell asleep laying there on the sofa. In the midst of my foggy dreams, I could vaguely hear a long sigh before I felt myself being moved to a softer, warmer place.
“Stupid woman. Why didn’t you call me if you knew I was mad at you? You didn’t even greet me when we passed each other in the street. You’re too stubborn for your own good.”
He continued in an exasperated tone, “Have you still not figured out what I’m mad about? I’ve only left you alone for two days, and look at the mess you’ve gotten yourself into. If I hadn’t gone to pick you up from work today, you would have gotten hit by that car! Seriously, don’t you have any self-preservation instincts?”
After a moment, he sighed. “I used to find your stubbornness cute. Today, I really want to pinch you to death for causing me so much worry.”
