Husband With Benefits-Chapter 839: Anger

Somehow, for the rest of the day, Lily felt as if she was wrapped in a protective cocoon, shielded from everything harsh and painful in the world. Instead of waiting in the chapel, they were now sitting in a small, quiet room upstairs. Cai had arranged for a private space where she could freshen up, even thinking ahead to bring her a change of clothes. The silence felt thick, pressing on her as she sat on the edge of the chair, fingers fidgeting in her lap. The doctor had just gone into the ICU for a round, leaving them in a lull. Lily took a breath, steadying herself before turning to Cai, the question on her lips finally breaking free.

"Why did you ask me about my phone?"

The moment she had finished washing up, Cai had been quick to question her about it. When she told him her phone was with her mother—who’d kept it since her father’s sudden collapse—something in him shifted. His expression turned tight, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flash of anger in his eyes. And then later, when she mentioned that she would go and get her mother, he had stopped her with a firm shake of his head.

"Leave her in the chapel for now," he’d said, his voice oddly restrained.

A worried frown creased her brow, deepening when he avoided meeting her eyes. Yes, he was angry, but why? The silence stretched, and a different question nudged at her mind.

"How did you find me?" she asked, her voice quieter, as if she feared the answer. "I’m so far from where I was before. A kind man at the hotel called for an air ambulance and got us here."

Cai’s jaw tightened, his muscles working as he listened. The man had been anything but ’kind,’ but Cai held back, the words caught in the tension of his mouth. He inhaled slowly, choosing his response with care.

"You were out of touch, and I was worried," he said, his voice lower now, rough around the edges. "So, I asked Dad to help. He managed to track you down through your father’s insurance company."

Lily blinked, processing this new piece of information. The room felt smaller suddenly, and her heartbeat quickened as she studied Cai’s stiff posture. There was more to this story, she could feel it, but the walls around him were up, solid and unmoving.

"Cai..."

"Not now, Lily. Trust me for now, okay?"

She nodded slowly and then turned to look ahead, waiting for the doctor to return. Just then, a nurse walked in followed by her mother.

Cai stiffened at the sight of her, and the older woman too came to an abrupt stop as soon as her eyes met the Cai’s cold glare. The expression on the woman’s face twisted into something ugly, and she nearly snarled, "What are you doing here?"

Cai didn’t respond at first, his gaze locked onto the woman with barely restrained anger. The tension crackled in the air like a storm about to break, and it was Lily who sensed the brewing conflict and quickly stepped in between them.

"Did you need something?" Lily asked, trying to keep her voice steady and calm.

The woman’s eyes shifted to Lily, filled with disdain as she sneered. "Do I need something? It seems you’re the one who needed something! Your man! Have you no shame, Lily? I told you to focus on praying for your father. I begged you to put your energy into thinking of him at a time like this. But what do you do?" She scoffed, her voice dripping with venom. "You find a way to drag him close and then move to a new room? Couldn’t this wait until your father recovered? Did you really have to be such a hopeless, desperate slut?"

"You—" Cai’s voice cracked through the tension, low and dangerous. For the first time, he felt the raw urge to lash out, to really hurt this woman who stood so carelessly close to the edge of his control. She had no idea how near she was to the danger he carried.

Before the moment could spiral further, Lily placed a gentle hand on his arm, stopping him from advancing.

He turned to look at her and wanted to lash out and tell her. Tell her everything her mother had done. But Lily didn’t know. He could see that and even now, she was trying to handle her mother.

He watched as she drew in a breath and spoke up polite;y, "Ma’am, if you have questions or concerns about my father, go ahead and ask. But I won’t stand here and listen to unfounded accusations. If you’d like to come in and take a moment to freshen up or rest, you’re welcome. If not, you can wait in the chapel. I’ll come and update you once the doctor informs me about my dad’s condition."

The woman’s face flushed with anger as she snapped back, "Let me know? I don’t need you to let me know anything! You can leave now—with that disgusting man."

Cai’s eyes darkened at her words, and Lily felt the tension between them spike again, but she held her ground, her fingers pressing gently into Cai’s arm as a silent plea to stay calm.

Thankfully, the doctor appeared just then. As if not able to sense the tension in the room, even though it was thick enough that it could be cut with a knife, the doctor announced," Miss Lily. The patient is doing much better today. His body may have given out but he has been showing remarkable spirit. We will be moving him to the general ward after today’s observation so you will be able to go and see him soon. He will also be concious by then. Of course there would be some precautions that you need to take, specifically no stress for him and the nurse will explain the rest to you."