Chapter 136


    Brandon helped Sophia get dressed, too.


    Just lending a hand with the metal buckle.


    Having been through it once before, Sophia was a bit more mentally prepared this time, not


    overwhelmed by a strong sense of mortification, but still feeling awkward.


    When they got back to the ward, she didn’t even have the guts to look Brandon in the eye, just


    mumbled “I’m gonna hit the sack” before diving into bed like an ostrich burying its head in the sand.


    Brandon didn’t say much, just grunted an acknowledgment, nced at her IV bag still hanging there,


    and plopped down on a chair to tackle some work emails on his phone.


    The room was peaceful. After the tidal wave of awkwardness, Sophia wasn’t sleepy at all and couldn’t


    help but sneak a peek at Brandon.


    He sat there calmly on the chair, thumb swiping away on his phone screen, eyes glued to the device,


    his handsome face a picture of concentration, clearly caught up in work.


    Sophia didn’t interrupt him, just squinted her eyes a bit, not expecting that squinting would send her off


    into a light doze.


    Still, she was mindful of her IV and didn’t fall into a deep sleep. When it was about time, she jolted


    awake and instinctively checked the IV bag.


    Brandon happened to turn his head towards the drip at the same time, their gazes met, and Sophia felt


    a twinge of embarrassment. Before she could figure out how to ease the awkwardness, Brandon had


    already stood up, walked over to the nearly empty drip, and pressed the call button.


    The nurse came quickly, deftly removed the IV, pulled out the needle, and pressed a cotton swab to the


    site.


    “Press down for five minutes, the nurse instructed.


    Sophia was about to press down with her right hand, but Brandon beat her to it with a long finger.


    “Thanks,” she said as the nurse closed the door behind her.


    Silence fell over the room.


    Maybe because of the earlier incident, the air was still tinged with a hint of awkwardness.


    Sophia cleared her throat, pondering how to break the ice when Brandon looked at her and asked, “Still


    feeling dizzy?”


    Sophia shook her head. “I’m fine now.”


    ncing at his phone set aside, she made small talk. “You’re still working thiste?”


    “Not really, just on my phone.”


    Sophia awkwardly tugged at her lips. “Didn’t know you had time to y on your phone.”


    The phrase “ying on the phone” seemed out of character for Brandon, and she guessed he didn’t


    want her to worry, so he switched ‘working’ to ‘ying on his phone!


    “Just killing time,” Brandon said, looking back at her. “Anything else bothering you?”


    Sophia shook her head. “No, I feel a lot better after the drip.”


    Brandon nodded and didn’t say more, his gaze returning to the cotton swab he was pressing, but he


    didn’t move his hand.


    Sophia recalled the question she asked him when he first showed up. “Why did youe back?”


    “Just had dinner nearby with a friend, so I swung by,” Brandon said, his voice light, not looking at her,


    but trying to remove the cotton swab from the puncture site. Seeing no blood seep out, he tossed the


    swab into the trash and nced at his watch before looking at her, “It’ste, you should rest.” Sophia


    nodded, hesitated, and looked at the hospital room. Other than a chair, there was no extra bed for him


    to rest on.


    “So,” she hesitated, ‘you might want to head back to get some rest? I’m fine now.”


    “Don’t worry about me, get some sleep,” Brandon said, turning off the light.


    Darkness engulfed the room.


    In the light seeping in from outside, Sophia saw Brandon settle into the chair, elbow propped on the


    table, forehead resting on his hand as if he was going to rough it out for the night.


    Sophia couldn’t bring herself to sleep peacefully knowing he was like that.


    But she couldn’t persuade him to leave either.


    She eyed the hospital bed that still had a bit of space and after much hesitation, finally mustered the


    courage to speak up. “Um, maybe you should lie down on the bed too. You won’t get any rest sitting


    like that.”


    Brandon turned to look at her, and the depth in his eyes made her relive the embarrassment of the


    bathroom incident.


    She awkwardly tugged at her lips again. “Or maybe you should head out to a hotel for the night? If


    anythinges up, I’ll call you.”


    “No need.”


    Brandon had already stood up and made his way to the bed, flipped back the cover, andy down


    beside her, still dressed.


    The already narrow bed suddenly felt cramped.


    Their bodies were forced together.


    Brandon’s familiar warmth seeped through their clothes.


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    Sophia shifted slightly to the side, lying rigidly straight, not daring to move.


    Brandon pulled the nket over her and murmured a husky “Sleep now” before lying straight and


    closing his eyes.


    In no time, the sound of his steady, soft breathing began to drift down from above, seemingly asleep.


    Sophia didn’t dare look or move, lying stiff as a board, trying to fall asleep, but Brandon’s presence was


    too palpable, whether it was his breathing or body heat, constantly reminding her he was there.


    Especially in the dead of night, under the cover of darkness, memories rted to the physicality of their


    past encounters came flooding back.


    She wasn’t sure if it was the addition of another person on the bed or if the AC wasn’t cranked up high


    enough, but she started to feel hot and restless, wanting to move but not daring to, and too hot to


    sleep. She couldn’t help but sneakily lift a corner of the nket and shifted a bit, but it was still too


    warm, and she subconsciously moved a bit more, kicking off some of the nket on her feet.


    That still wasn’t enough.


    She shifted slightly again, and suddenly felt a hand on her waist.


    “If you move any more, you’ll fall out.”


    Sophia turned her head in rm to look at Brandon.


    He had opened his eyes at some point and was watching her, his eyes dark and profound.


    Sophia’s voice softened involuntarily, “The temperature’s a bit hot.”


    Brandon looked down at the nket she had unconsciously pushed to her chest, then shifted his gaze


    to her slightly widened eyes because of the awkwardness, and said nothing.


    The air grew warmer from his silence and the intensity of his gaze.


    In the standoff of their eyes, Sophia remembered countless nights tangled in passion.


    She saw the inkiness in Brandon’s eyes deepening bit by bit.


    “I need to use the bathroom.”


    Sophia tried to shake off the butterflies that the intense eye-lock brought on and was about to throw


    back the covers to get out of bed. But in a sh, the hand hooked around her waist tightened, and


    Brandon flipped over, pinning her down. As his other hand glided along the side of her ear and into her


    hair, he was already leaning in to nt a kiss on her.