Chapter 389

"It's done. You can leave now." Her voice was icy, eyes distant.

Ethan Roscente ignored her, carefully wrapping the bandage around her arm. "Not finished yet."

Sophia Lowell let him work, her gaze drifting to her rain-soaked hem. Wet strands of hair clung uncomfortably to her neck.

"Keep the wound dry." His fingers moved deliberately slow, as if handling something fragile.

She scoffed, fingers absently twisting the fabric of her shirt.

Ethan suddenly stood and walked to the kitchen. The sound of plastic wrap being torn pierced the quiet room. "This will let you shower." Kneeling before her, his focus was unwavering.

Sophia arched a brow. This wasn't like him. Normally, he would've carried her to the bathroom without a word.

Even as warm water cascaded over her, she couldn't shake the strangeness of his unexpected gentleness.

The scent of tobacco drifted from the balcony. Ethan leaned against the railing, cigarette glowing between his fingers. In the distance, the university buildings blazed with light—for a fleeting moment, he imagined a younger Sophia hunched over textbooks there.

The burn of ash jolted him back. The shower had stopped long ago, yet she hadn't emerged.

"Sophia?" His knock echoed in the empty bathroom. Silence.

His heart stalled when he pushed the door open. Only when he saw her asleep in the tub did his muscles unclench. Droplets trembled on her lashes with each breath.

The water had gone cold. Cradling her slippery shoulders, he watched soap suds slide down her curves. The steam carried the floral scent of jasmine shampoo. His movements were featherlight, as if afraid to wake her from a dream.

The hairdryer hummed. She instinctively leaned toward the warmth, strands tangling around his fingers like silent bonds.

Beneath the bandage, her wound flushed pink. Ethan brushed his thumb over her furrowed brow, remembering how she'd once tugged his sleeve, whining over a scraped knee.

When his lips met hers, he tasted rain and jasmine. The kiss was soft—so soft it felt like touching a dream that might shatter.