’Can he really help with something like using the bathroom?’

Adrian Preston helped her into the bathroom, then moved to pull down her pants for her.

"You don’t have to do that!"

"Your incision is on your lower abdomen. Bending over will be extremely painful, so I’ll help you. Besides, given our relationship, is there any need to be shy?"

He raised an eyebrow at her.

’He wasn’t wrong, though.’

After she had been defiled, he was the one who changed her clothes and cleaned her up.

And she had helped him with his physical needs as well.

The two of them were deeply entangled.

But she was still mortified!

"If you’re embarrassed, just close your eyes. You took care of me when I got shot, remember?"

"I... I’ll do it myself."

Her cheeks flushed crimson. Still mortified, she watched as Adrian helplessly agreed. But he simply stood to one side, showing no intention of leaving.

Her face felt like it was on fire. "You can leave now."

"I can’t. You’re not steady on your feet. What happens if you fall?"

Mia Kane felt her vision go dark with exasperation. Since nothing she said would work, she decided to just give up.

"Just pull them down."

Adrian’s lips curled into what was unmistakably a wicked grin.

He pulled her pants down for her, then helped her sit.

’It was a good thing she had help. She couldn’t imagine how much the wound would have hurt if she’d had to do it herself.’

When she was finally done, Adrian scooped her into his arms and carried her back to the bed.

"Let me see your incision."

"Go ahead, look all you want."

The incision had already scabbed over. Every day, it needed to be disinfected with povidone-iodine, treated with an ointment to accelerate healing, and then covered with fresh gauze.

He applied the ointment with a gentle touch, his movements exceptionally careful.

But it was a wound, after all. She sucked in a sharp breath as pain lanced through her. Her forehead broke out in a cold sweat, and the agony made her want to cry.

But she stubbornly held it in, her eyes rimmed with red as she looked at him.

"If it hurts, cry out."

"I can take it."

Adrian’s expression turned serious at her words. "You know what they say—the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Were you always like this with Chase Lockwood, too?"

"Chase Lockwood liked sensible girls. I suppose that influenced me to some extent."

For those three years, Mia had done nothing but try to please him, forgetting who she truly was in the process.

Before her family’s fortunes turned, she had been willful and vivacious. But after the disaster, if not for Chase Lockwood’s charity, she dreaded to think what would have become of her and her family.

So, deep down, she was still grateful. He had a thousand faults, but he had truly saved her family back then, stopping them from being completely ruined and scattered.

Chase Lockwood had also played a part in her family’s ability to get back on their feet over the years.

That’s why she did her best to be thoughtful and gentle, providing him with the maximum amount of emotional support she possibly could.

"You don’t have to be like that with me. You can live differently. You can cry. My heart will ache for you, and I’ll comfort you."

His voice was gentle, soothing to the soul, with a hint of alluring persuasion.

Her heart trembled, and in that instant, she could no longer hold back her tears.

Adrian watched her intently, the warm pads of his fingers stroking her cheek.

"If it hurts, let it out."

"It hurts..."

She choked out the word, unsure if it was her wound that ached or her heart.

After disaster struck her family, she had transformed from a carefree young girl into someone cautious and constantly trying to read people’s expressions.

She had loved Chase Lockwood for three years, losing herself completely, only to end up as his lapdog, a mere stand-in for someone else.

She had wanted to live a good life, only to be violated by an assailant and lose her innocence.

Thinking about all she had been through over the years, she realized she had never once allowed herself to cry her heart out.

Now, her tears were like a river bursting its banks, pouring down in a torrent.

Adrian pulled her into his arms, his large hand gently stroking her head.

"Shh, it’s okay. I’ll be here for you from now on. If the sky falls, I’ll be here to hold it up."

He spoke slowly and deliberately. His voice was soft, but she didn’t doubt the weight of his words for a second.

’But could she believe him? Dared she believe him?’

She was just Adrian’s contract wife, married to appease his grandfather.

Besides, his heart already belonged to someone else. He wasn’t someone she could depend on.

Right now, he was just like the Chase Lockwood who had saved her all those years ago.

She had put him on a pedestal, worshiped him like a god. And what had she gotten in return?

’These were just words. It was best not to take them seriously.’

Mia cried for a good while. When she had cried her fill, she finally stopped.

"I... I’m sorry. I got your shirt all wet."

A large patch on his shirt was soaked with her tears.

"It’s nothing. It’s good that you cried. It’s all in the past now."

He wiped her face, which was all streaked with tears.

"Are you hungry? I’ll go get you something to eat."

Just as Adrian was about to leave, his phone rang. It was a call from his grandfather.

Adrian answered the video call.

"I don’t want to see you. I want to see my granddaughter-in-law."

The old man’s voice was full of disdain the moment the call connected.

Slightly exasperated, Adrian turned the camera toward Mia.

"Grandpa."

Mia called out sweetly.

When Donovan Preston saw that Mia’s eyes were red as a rabbit’s, he immediately grew anxious. "Mia, did he bully you? Why have you been crying? Your eyes are all swollen."

"No, no, that’s not it. I accidentally twisted my ankle just now. It has nothing to do with Adrian."

Mia didn’t mention that she’d had a minor surgery, afraid of worrying the old man.

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"Then how come I heard that you two have been on the outs recently? That you’re not really talking to each other. Is there a problem with your relationship?"

Mia was startled. ’Who on earth has been filling Grandpa’s head with this nonsense?’ she wondered.

"No, not at all! Adrian and I are getting along great."

"Oh, really? Then give him a kiss so I can see for myself."

Mia froze, stunned into silence.

’Is this really a good idea?’

She shot Adrian a look that was a clear plea for help, but he just looked helpless and pointed to his cheek.

With no other choice, Mia leaned in and pecked him on the cheek.

"Kiss him on the lips! What’s the point of a peck on the cheek?"

"Grandpa, don’t push it."

Adrian interjected.

"Fine! So your relationship really has fallen apart! In that case, I’m not getting any more treatment. I might as well just die!"

Donovan Preston had resorted to playing dirty.

"I’ll do it! I’ll do it!"

Mia could only give in. She cupped Adrian’s face and pressed her lips against his. ’Thank god he didn’t ask for a French kiss or something,’ she thought. ’Otherwise, I would’ve actually died from embarrassment.’

She thought that would be the end of it, but then her grandfather spoke up again.

"Now, have that brat kiss you back."

"Huh?"

"Aha! So your relationship really has fallen apart! I’m not getting treatment. I’d rather just die."

"Grandpa..."

Just as Mia was about to say something, a pair of lips suddenly covered hers. Her eyes widened at the handsome face magnified before her, and her mind went completely blank.

It could have been a simple, fleeting peck, but Adrian tossed the phone aside, freed his hand to cup the back of her head, and deepened the kiss.

Their lips and tongues intertwined, their breaths mingling, filling the air with a charged, amorous energy.

By the time the kiss ended, Mia was almost breathless.

When he pulled away, Adrian released her, picked up the phone, and his expression was full of anger.

"Are you satisfied now? Stop listening to baseless rumors. It’s not doing your health any favors."

With that, Adrian hung up the phone.

Mia was stunned. ’What am I supposed to say now? Adrian went way beyond what was required with that kiss, but he only did it because he was angry.’

’So... should I be comforting him right now?’

"Grandpa... Grandpa is just concerned about us."

"You don’t have to make excuses for him."

"Then... I won’t say anything else."

Mia was as meek as a rabbit in that moment.

"When you’ve recovered, we’ll go visit Grandpa. That should stop him from letting his imagination run wild."

His tone had softened a little.

"Okay. I can get my stitches out in a couple of days. Let’s go on that day."

They agreed. A week later, her stitches would be removed, and the wound would be mostly healed by then.

It would have been fine if it were just the two of them visiting Grandpa, but they also had to bring Shannon Preston. The thought of her—so sweet and compliant on the surface but full of malicious intent underneath—made Mia uncomfortable.

But there was nothing to be done about it. After all, she was a member of the Preston family.

"Change into this and see if it fits."

Adrian brought over a set of clothes that had been dry-cleaned and sterilized. It was an elegant, modern Chinese-style outfit, and it was... a matching couple’s set with what he was wearing?