Chapter 477 Dream
I quickly walked to the bedside and reached out to smooth Edward's furrowed brow.
"Hey, you look worried. The company had an emergency meeting, and I had my phone on silent, so I missed your calls."
As I spoke, I placed my palm on Edward's cold hand, trying to warm it with my body heat.
"What did the doctor say? Is the wound still hurting?"
Edward's Adam's apple moved, his voice hoarse and fragile.
"When you're not here, I keep hearing footsteps in the hallway."
Edward lowered his eyelashes, staring at the wrinkles on the bedsheet.
"Last time at the hospital, Anne was taken away like that."
The peeler slipped on the apple, and I took a deep breath to steady my wrist.
"That's all in the past. I'm here now."
The apple was unevenly peeled, and I put the cut pieces into a bowl. "Eat something to regain your strength."
Suddenly, he grabbed my wrist, causing the IV tube to ripple slightly.
"Don't leave me alone again, okay?"
Edward's eyes were like a drowning man grasping at the last piece of driftwood.
"When I woke up, I thought you were gone too..."
"That won't happen."
I pulled my hand away and continued cutting the apple.
"Focus on getting better. Don't worry about anything else."
My throat tightened, and I swallowed the bitterness. "I can handle the company. You just need to take care of yourself."
The only sound in the room was the IV fluid flowing. I stirred the fruit bowl, feeling the hidden words beneath the skin start to burn. Fiona's threats echoed in my ears, but the warmth from Edward's hand was the only real comfort.
Edward suddenly grabbed my wrist again, the IV tube tugging as he frowned. He stared into my evasive eyes, his voice hoarse from illness.
"You're lying. You always bite your lip when you're nervous."
My blood froze instantly. Fiona's threats, the images of Skylar on my phone, Anne's cries for help on the rocks—all the memories surged wildly. I used to think Edward was too focused on work and other women to notice these subtle emotional changes. But now, his pale face showed how well he knew me.
"How could I be?"
I blurted out, then quickly shut my mouth. "I dreamed about Anne."
Edward's voice was soft, as if afraid to disturb a fragile dream.
"She was standing under the lighthouse, the seawater lapping at her ankles, with marks on her neck..."
Edward suddenly coughed violently, his fingers gripping the bedsheet tightly.
"Deep handprints."
The peeler fell to the floor, startling the seabirds outside the window. Amid the flapping wings, I bent down to pick up the peeler, my fingertips brushing against the scratch on my inner thigh. The pain shot up my spine like an electric current, the evidence written in pen now soaked in cold sweat.
I froze, my hand suspended in mid-air. The fruit knife reflected cold light on the tiles, and the apple rolled across the floor, leaving a long red streak, reminiscent of the bruises on Anne's neck. Edward looked up, his bloodshot eyes mixed with an emotion I couldn't decipher.
"The dream felt so real, I can still smell the salty air. Diana, do you think..."
Edward paused, his Adam's apple moving with difficulty.
"Do you think Anne might really be in danger?"
"Don't overthink it."
My knees felt weak as I squatted down, forcing myself to pick up the apple and fruit knife, my nails digging into the fruit to steady my trembling voice.
"The doctor said you just escaped danger. Maybe you're having nightmares because your body is too weak."
The sound of the IV fluid suddenly became deafening. The image of Anne being dragged away overlapped with Edward's dream description, making it hard for me to breathe.
"Is something wrong?"
Edward's voice was cautious, as if afraid to disturb something fragile. I was about to deny it when I saw him lower his eyes, staring at the slow drip of the IV fluid.
"Did you really just go to handle company matters?"
My hand holding the fruit knife trembled slightly, and I forced myself to speak in a steady tone.
"It was just a dream. Don't dwell on it."
"But in the dream, Anne was calling for help."
Edward looked up, his eyes bloodshot.
"I wanted to run to her, but I couldn't move. When I opened my eyes again, you were gone."
Edward paused, his Adam's apple moving with difficulty.
"Diana, I know you don't want me to worry, but we promised to face everything together."
The hum of the air conditioner reminded me of countless late nights at work. I thought those silent companionships and unreciprocated concerns were like rocks sinking into the deep sea, unnoticed. But now, Edward easily pierced my facade, revealing that he had always seen the emotions I kept hidden.
"It really was just company matters."
My voice softened unconsciously, the knife tip moving in my palm, the pain keeping me awake.
"Your priority now is to heal."
Edward was silent for a long time. Suddenly, he reached out and held my hand. The IV tube swayed gently with the movement, but he seemed oblivious to the pain, speaking softly.
"I remember you always said I was insensitive. But some things, I've always understood."
I looked at the shadow cast by Edward's eyelashes, hearing my accelerated heartbeat. The secrets I couldn't speak of were now surging like a tide, almost breaking through my chest.
"Get some rest."
I didn't answer directly, pulling my hand back and pushing the fruit bowl towards Edward. I turned to look out the window, hiding my reddening eyes. The deepest care had always been hidden in the unspoken details, and I could only bear it alone, searching for a way out in the darkness.
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