Chapter 7

On the way to the hospital, Tom, who had been busy comforting Belinda after giving that guy a beating, finally noticed the blood trickling down Simone’s cheek.

When they arrived, despite his own shoulder bleeding profusely, he insisted that the doctor treat Simone’s facial wound first.

“With the wedding just around the corner, my Simone can’t have any scars on her face!” he declared, turning to her with guilt in his eyes, signing an explanation hurriedly.

“It’s all my fault. I only stepped in to protect Belinda because she’s my subordinate. Please don’t be mad at me, okay?”

Simone didn’t respond. Instead, she told the doctor to ignore her injury and focus on Tom’s shoulder.

After all, she wouldn’t be attending the wedding. Whether her face bore scars or not was meaningless.

Tom mistook her indifference for concern, his expression softening with emotion.

When the doctor cut away the blood-soaked shirt, a gruesome wound was revealed underneath. Simone’s gaze fell on the injury, realizing it was in the exact spot where, five years ago, a steel rod from the earthquake had pierced his body, leaving behind a circular scar.

Now, that scar was completely obscured by the new wound, as if it had never existed.

For a moment, she felt a pang of realization. Perhaps fate was signaling that their relationship, too, had come to an end.

After leaving the hospital, Belinda wrapped her arms tightly around herself, her voice trembling as she addressed Tom.

“Tom, can I stay at your place tonight?”

Tom rarely saw Belinda look so fragile. His heart softened slightly.

While glancing at Simone’s expression, he hesitated before signing cautiously to her.

“Simone, Belinda seems really shaken up tonight. Could we let her stay at our house for just one night?”

As if afraid she might misunderstand, he quickly added, “I don’t mean anything by it. It’s just my responsibility as her boss to ensure she’s okay.”

Simone’s nails dug into her palms.

He was actually planning to bring that woman into their home so openly?

But then, she let out a bitter laugh.

It didn’t matter. Once she left, Belinda would move into that house sooner or later. Why waste energy being upset now?

“Do as you like.”

Perhaps because of her presence, Tom kept his conversations with Belinda to a minimum on the way home. Even when Belinda tried to speak, he silenced her with a glance.

Simone didn’t bother watching their act. She closed her eyes and leaned against the car window, pretending to rest.

When they arrived home, Tom ignored Belinda’s reproachful gaze and set her up in the guest room on the second floor.

Returning to the bedroom, he brought iodine and bandages to treat Simone’s wound.

“Simone, I know you care about me, but how could you refuse to let the doctor treat your injury? If it scars, I’ll feel terrible,” he said.

After finishing, he placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

“I’ll never let you get hurt again. Today, I acted on impulse when I saw my employee being harassed. I didn’t think it through.”

“After all, harassing my employee is like trampling on my dignity. How could I stand by and let that happen? You understand, don’t you? You’re my good girl.”

Tom’s explanation was logical, almost convincing. If Simone hadn’t known about his relationship with Belinda, or noticed the possessiveness and anger flickering in his eyes, she might have believed him.

But she said nothing to forgive him, only murmured that she was tired and wanted to rest.

As usual, Tom brought her a cup of warm milk before bed, gently patting her back to lull her to sleep.

In the middle of the night, a thunderclap jolted Simone awake.

Half-asleep, she instinctively reached out to wrap her arms around the person beside her, only to find emptiness.

The cold sheets snapped her fully awake.

She got up and went downstairs.

As she reached the second-floor landing, faint, breathy moans caught her attention.

Her footsteps faltered as an ache spread through her chest. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to move forward, step by step, until she stood at the guest room doorway.

The door was wide open.

Under the warm glow of the bedside lamp, two naked bodies intertwined without shame.