Chapter 553
Rosalie finally waited for him in Jonathan’s bedroom.
She had nowhere else to go, even if she wasn’t keen on waiting. After all, she was only permitted to roam within the premises without any way of escape.
In that case, she might as well save herself from the hassle.
Jonathan’s bedroom was about the same size as hers. All his furniture was also antique in the style. The only difference was a heavy curtain covered one side of the room’s wall.
“Don’t tell me there are blood stains left behind on this wall like the Room Where Blood Spills?”
The thought of it caused her hair to stand on end. Rosalie walked closer to the wall and gazed at the curtain as she guessed what might lie behind it. Could the curtain merely serve as a decorative piece?
The bathroom door opened right then, and Jonathan emerged after showering.
There was only a towel wrapped around his waist, revealing his toned torso. His ebony eyes were trained on Rosalie, who.. instantly felt like prey that had fallen into a trap.
He strode toward her step by step while she subconsciously retreated from him. Suddenly, her foot tripped over an object, and she tipped backward.
Rosalie let out a shriek of alarm. Her hand grabbed onto the curtain on the side, pulling it instinctively.
The curtain was drawn open immediately just as an arm simultaneously reached out to break her fall.
Her eyes met Jonathan’s handsome face.
“Thank you…” She steadied herself awkwardly after a moment and looked away to avoid his gaze.
However, she was subsequently stunned by what she saw. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the wall behind the curtain she’d accidentally drawn open.
It was covered with numerous photos of her.
“My photos, how…” she murmured.
“You must wonder why they’re all stuck to this wall.” He finished off her sentence and stared at her heatedly.
Rosalie felt her throat becoming unusually parched under his attention while his fingers gently stroked her face.
She would have avoided it, but her body seemed locked in place under his gaze, and couldn’t move an inch.
His shapely lips pronounced, “It’s because I can’t sleep. Without looking at these photos, I’m afraid I would be lying awake on
end.”
She stared at him agape and felt her emotions being stirred into turmoil. “Does this mean that he’s having insomnia? Is staring at my photos the only way he can fall asleep?”
“Do you know how horrible it feels to be unable to sleep?” He murmured, “I can’t fall asleep no matter how desperately I want to. The thoughts in my mind cause so much disturbance even after I’ve shut my eyes…”
He fell asleep with effort in the past by hugging her clothes. Since that no longer worked, he switched to gazing at her photos just to get a brief sleep.
That was when Rosalie discovered the imperceptible dark circles under Jonathan’s eyes due to his insomnia.
“But now, you’re by my side…” He bent down and rested his head on her shoulder to inhale her scent.
His empty heart seemed to have found a kind of satisfaction from that.
“Even if she doesn’t love me, she’s still with me now, right?”
Rosalie felt a burden on one side of her shoulders with part of his body weight pressed down on her.
He was like a deadbeat individual seeking sanctuary. It didn’t matter to him that it was ephemeral.
Rosalie had become someone he sought solace in. It was as if she was the only one in the world he could rest his head on, and he would fall into an abyss if she pushed him away.
“Gosh, how did I come up with such an idea!” Rosalie commented self-mockingly. She couldn’t possibly be the only one he relied on. It was but a false impression she formed after witnessing his body’s weariness.
“Well… You should get some rest. I’ll go back to my room.” Rosalie wanted to leave.
However, she’d barely taken a step when she felt herself pushed down on the bed in one fell swoop shortly after.
“Let go of me!” She tried to push him away in panic, but he tightened his hold on her.
“I won’t do anything to you, just… allow me to hold you like this,” he uttered in a low voice and buried his face in the crook of her shoulder while savoring her presence and warmth almost greedily.
This seemed like the only way he could fill the void in his heart and put him at ease to the point of falling into slumber.
Rosalie’s entire body felt as if it were entrapped by taut wire. While she feared Jonathan would do something against her will, he was true to his word and merely held on to her.
Nonetheless, his arms around her were extremely tight, like a child hugging their beloved toy. She won’t be able to break free from it anytime soon.
Besides, he could use his martial prowess to subdue her back into his arms once more if she managed to free herself.
At that, Rosalie remained stiff in Jonathan’s embrace. Her hands were still directly in contact with the skin of his chest without the barrier of clothing.
She felt the temperature rising in her hands. Alas, she couldn’t even shift them away from him with how tight his hold was.
As such, she could only let her mind wander around trivial matters to distract herself. She simply recited various legal articles in her mind toward the end.
Rosalie had no clue how much time had passed by the time Jonathan’s breathing leveled, and the vise-like hug he had around her loosened slightly.
Rosalie hesitated momentarily before asking softly, “Jonathan, are you asleep?”
His even breathing was her reply.
Rosalie thought, ‘So… Does this mean that he’s asleep?
He fell asleep just like that even though he claimed to have insomnia?”
Rosalie was dubious but considered that it benefitted her now that he was sleeping.
She carefully moved her body and gently lifted his arms, managing to scoot further away from him with much difficulty.
It was not until then that she could finally observe his current state plainly.
It was evident that he was in a deep sleep. Otherwise, he would have woken up with how alert he was. It must be true that he hadn’t been seeing well as of late.
She looked down at the sleeping Johnathan. His eyelids concealed his alluringly brilliant eyes, while his thick lashes added a layer of beauty to his slumbering countenance. His shapely lips that were lightly shut below his tall, straight nose glistened with a rosy tint.
