Husband With Benefits-Chapter 815: Alright.

"Talking might help." Lily’s gaze lingered on the back of the head of the person sitting on the couch, her thoughts swirling with unspoken words. She sighed softly. He had offered to talk, had given her the perfect opportunity to explain everything, but instead, she’d faltered, letting her fear get the better of her. Like a coward, she’d simply shaken her head, muttering that she couldn’t explain it. At least he hadn’t pressed her for more. He’d only nodded in understanding, his silence heavy with acceptance.

Even though he’d told her he’d forgiven her and had even invited her to watch TV with him, the weight of her guilt pressed down on her, refusing to let go. She just couldn’t bring herself to move past it, no matter how much she wanted to. For now, though, she had the convenient excuse of being unwell. So, with that thought in mind, she quietly grabbed the thermos of water she had brought with her, slinking back to the sanctuary of her room.

Once inside, she slipped under the covers, pulling the blanket close as if it could shield her from the turmoil in her mind. She resolutely shut her eyes, hoping that sleep would offer some reprieve from the thoughts that plagued her.

But sleep refused to come.

There was one very odd and frustrating reason for that—she was sensitive to smells. And all she could focus on, as she lay in this bed, was his scent. Despite the fact that he had changed the sheets earlier, it clung to the air, to the pillows, to everything around her. It was as if his presence still lingered next to her, an invisible weight she couldn’t escape.

With a deep, exasperated sigh, Lily reached for her phone, desperate to anchor her mind to anything that didn’t involve Cai. She scrolled through her messages, her eyes scanning the endless string of texts, until finally, she landed on something familiar—Meredith. Thankfully, her friend had sent about a hundred messages since the last time they’d spoken, and it was exactly the distraction Lily needed. freёweɓnovel.com

Lily unlocked her phone and scrolled through the endless stream of messages from Meredith. The latest one caught her eye: "Okay, seriously, where are you? Did you drop off the face of the earth or get buried in snow or something? At least tell me that you’ve been kidnapped by some hot alien in that wilderness. It’s been days! Are you okay?"

Lily couldn’t help but smile at her friend’s dramatic concern. She took a moment before typing her response. " Unfortunately, I have not been abducted by a handsome alien. I did fall into the grasp of a fever, but before you bombard me with messages, I am doing better now."

Almost immediately, her phone buzzed with Meredith’s reply. "What?? A fever?? And you didn’t tell me? How high was it? Did you see a doctor? Are there even doctors in that place? What if something had happened to you? It is just not a safe place, Lily! Come back. You’re too impulsive. Heck, if you want to date that doctor, I’ll even help you. Just be safe."

Lily stilled at this message. ’That doctor’ was right here. It was odd, she had escaped the world, only to be cut off from it and get stuck with him.

"I was not alone, Meredith. I was well taken care of. This place is alright. Even though it is surrounded by wilderness, there is every facility here one can think of. See, I don’t even have a problem with messaging.. There is a satelliet powered wifi..."

A little while later, as Lily stared at the missing signal bars on her phone, she realized she had spoken too soon. It was not even afternoon and the world outside had turned dark, while the lights had already flickered off and now, only a dim light lit the room. Apparently, the generator was working but since this could be the beginning of a thunder storm that could last for no one knew how long... things were supposed to be used sparingly.

But as soon as Lily sent the message, she felt a slight pang of irony. She glanced at her phone screen, staring at the missing signal bars. She’d spoken too soon. Just then, the lights flickered, dimming the room to a dull glow, and she realized the world outside had already darkened. The wind had picked up, and the faint sound of snow hitting the window could be heard. The power was still on, thanks to the generator, but it wouldn’t last long if the storm was as bad as it seemed. They had to conserve.

Lily sighed heavily and glanced around the room. What was she supposed to do now? She stood up and moved to the window, trying to peer outside, but all she could see was her own reflection staring back at her in the dim light, with little flecks of snow swirling in the air beyond.

She wondered, briefly, what Cai was doing. Then she shook her head, forcing the thought away. There was no point in thinking about him right now. But as if summoned by her thoughts, a knock echoed through the room, startling her. She opened the door to see Cai standing there with a grin plastered on his face. "Are you bored?" he asked, his tone light and teasing.

Before she could even answer, he turned on his heel, already walking away, his voice carrying back to her as he spoke. "If you’re bored, come outside with me. I’ve got something interesting to do. We need to get our ducks in a row before the storm really hits."

Lily frowned, puzzled by his words. Ducks in a row? What did he mean by that? Was there some issue with their preparations for the winter storm? What exactly were they about to face?

Curiosity piqued, she hesitated for only a moment before grabbing her jacket and following him out the door. If he needed help with something, she could do it.