Chapter 457
Seraphina, attempting to switch topics and inadvertently digging herself into a hole, was left seething
with irritation at Leandro. Wanting nothing more than to avoid him, she took their son Valerio to the
lounge to freshen up.
Back in the hospital room, everyone chuckled as she walked away. Leandro then turned to Dr. Daniel
and inquired, “If I’m healing up nicely, is there any chance I can get an early discharge?”
“You’ve been through major trauma, and the surgery was a big one. We need to keep an eye on your
vitals and run all the necessary tests. There’s still a recovery process to go through,” Dr. Daniel
exined. “So, you just focus on getting better. You’ve got your wife and kid here for support. What’s
the rush?”
Leandro paused for a moment before asking, “Did she cry in front of you that day?”
“Sure did,” Dr. Daniel confirmed. “She was pouring over your old medical records, tears streaming
down her face, and nothing! said couldfort her.”
Leandro fell silent. Karan had mentioned that Seraphina cried when she went to see Gloria;
Dr. Daniel had just said she cried looking at his past medical records.
In his memory, Seraphina was never one to cry easily. And after seven years away, the Seraphina who
had returned to Sunburst City seemed even less likely to shed tears.
Unless it was something that truly touched her heart, she wouldn’t let even a single tear fall.
But now, she had cried twice because of his condition.
As Leandroy there, he felt as though the Seraphina he was waking up to was somewhat different
from the past, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on whether this change was real or imagined.
It seemed now he might have found his answer.
When Seraphina returned to the room with Valerio, freshly washed and brushed, Dr. Daniel and the
others had already left. Leandro was quietly lying in his hospital bed, aimlessly watching a mundane TV
show.
Seraphina nced at him, her expression still sour. “They left.
so soon?”
Leandro nced back and replied, “Did you want to see them? Why did you run off then?”
“Who ran off?” Seraphina retorted, gripping Valerio’s shoulder. “It’s your son who needed looking after.”
“Mom!” Valerio protested, “I’m big enough to take care of myself!”
Seraphina tapped his forehead sharply, and shot him a sideways look, “then don’te crawling into
bed with me anymore!”
At that, Valerio suddenly cast a wary nce at Leandro.
Leandroy still, catching Valerio’s gaze only after a moment, his eyes calm and serene.
Yet, Valerio could sense a hint of pity in that expression.
After all, Leandro was his dad, always strong and invincible. But now he was bedridden and sick, a
pitiful sight indeed. Remembering something his dad had once said, Valerio wondered if maybe his dad
really missed sleeping next to mom.
With that thought, Valerio pouted and slowly said, “Then you sleep with dad.”
Seraphina looked at him in surprise, “What did you say?”
Valerio nced at Leandro again and said, “Dad needs someone to look after him.”
Seraphina took a deep breath, lifted Valério’s chin, and asked, “Son, are you sick? Got a fever? Your
brain overheated?”
“Mom!” Valerio wriggled free from Seraphina’s grasp and took his tablet to Leandro’s bedside, “I’ll
watch a movie with dad.”
“Fine,” Seraphina relented, “You two enjoy your bonding time. I’ll enjoy my peace and quiet. From now
on, it’s just you two!”
With that, she turned to settle herself on the sofa, but then she heard Leandro’s voice, “Who said so?”
Seraphina turned back, “Anything else Mr. Leandro requires?”
Leandroy there like a lord, saying leisurely, “You only half-finished wiping me down earlier. Aren’t you
going to finish the job?”
“You really think I owe you something?” Seraphina threatened to lose her temper.
Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org.
“It’s not that,” Leandro said innocently, “I just want to be properly cleaned up.”
His tone was calm and polite, and any further outburst from Seraphina would seem unreasonable.
09:55 1
So, after ring at Leandro for a moment, she finally relented and resumed her unfinished task.
While Seraphina attended to him, Leandro and Valerio watched the movie together. For a moment,
Seraphina felt like an old-school housewife, tirelessly serving the men of the household. And the worst
part was, those being served acted as if it was their due, with not a hint of gratitude!
After Seraphina finished up with Leandro, she was atst able to take a temporary leave.
In the lounge, she enjoyed a hot shower, though shemented theck of her homeforts-no hair
mask, no essential oils, no facial treatments. With her hair half-dried, she had no choice but to return to
Leandro’s room.
To her surprise, during the short time she took her shower, Valerio, who had sworn to watch a movie
with Leandro, had already sumbed to sleep at the edge of Leandro’s bed.
Although the hospital bed was a bit wider than usual, Leandro had just undergone surgery, and the
slightest movement could cause him pain. Seraphina couldn’t risk letting Valerio sleep next to him. She
swiftly called a nurse to carry Valerio back to the lounge.
Turning back to Leandro, Seraphina said, “Valerio’s asleep now. You should get some rest too.”
Leandro didn’t respond immediately, furrowing his brows as if in difort.
“What’s the matter?” Seraphina asked as she sensed something was off and quickly approached.
“My back is a bit itchy,” Leandro replied, ncing at her.
The unspoken request hung in the air, and with a soft sigh of resignation, Seraphina moved closer.
“Where does it itch?” “Just around where my tank top is,” he said.
Cautiously, Seraphina’s hands circled around his back, but she was at a loss as to where to begin. His
might looked fine, but his body was fragile and confined to the bed. She feared that any careless move
might cause him pain or further injury.
“It’s okay,” said Leandro. “Just slip your hand in there; that’ll do.”
Hearing this, Seraphina gingerly slid her hand down the side of his back.
Leandro seemed tock the strength to adjust his position, his body fully resting on the bed. Seraphina
struggled to get her hand to the spot on his tank top, finding herself trapped by his weight. The idea of
scratching his itch seemed impossible, let alone moving her hand.
“I can’t really scratch it like this,” she remarked.
“Just keep your hand there; even just the pressure against whatever is bothering me feels better,”
Leandro reassured her.
Seraphina looked down at her half-prostrate form on the bed. “Are you saying I need to stay like this
the whole time, attending to you?”
Leandro also nced at her posture and casually said, “You coulde up on the bed.”
Seraphina eyed the narrow space beside him-getting up there wasn’t out of the question, but she had
this nagging feeling she was walking right into a trap.
In her moment of hesitation, Leandro seemed to crave her touch again. “Your hand, just rub it a little
bit. A rub would be much morefortable…”
Rub it a little bit?
Seraphina’s eyebrow arched sharply. Wasn’t that the ssic line of a yer luring women?
And the man before her, he was definitely ying her!
Even knowing he was a scoundrel, in the end, she had no choice but to obediently sit on the bed, one
hand pinned beneath him, almost like she was half-embracing him.
She maintained this position, leaning beside Leandro, who only needed to turn his head slightly to
catch the scent of her freshly washed hair.
But still, it wasn’t enough for him.
“Lower yourself a bit,” Leandro instructed.
Seraphina stared at the television, expressionless, and moved down a bit.
“Go on.”
So, she lowered herself a bit more.
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09:55
Before Leandro could speak again, Seraphina interjected, “Mr. Reynolds, if I go any lower, I’ll be lying
down.”
Leandro listened but insisted, “Just a little lower.”
Biting her lip in frustration, Seraphina finally descended as low as she could, leveling with him.
And the moment Leandro turned his head, his lips met her smooth, glowing cheek.