Nathalia’s POV
Due to what happened to Stephen, I decided not to go to school today. Even Mads is absent, as stated in the text message she sent me last night.
There seems to have been a problem at the hotel where they work as part-timers. Although they are not regular employees there, I learned from her earlier that Stephen placed them there to eventually manage it. Apparently, whenever there’s any issue at the hotel, they are the ones who handle it. I think Stephen is gradually grooming them to run the business.
I let out a deep sigh before glancing at my watch. It’s already two in the afternoon, and Stephen is still asleep.
Well, he did sleep in this morning. Besides, it looks like he’ll be staying home all day for the first time.
“Are you sure he’s really okay? Shouldn’t he be resting in the hospital instead?” I asked Cole, my concern evident.
He’s sitting on the single sofa next to me, absorbed in playing with his cellphone.
“Don’t worry, Madame. Sir Stephen is fine. Perhaps his body is just recuperating. He’s been lacking sleep for a few weeks now.” He put down his phone before leaning slightly towards me.
“And it’s better for him to be here in the mansion now. I heard from Sir Ace that he had damaged a lot of things at the hospital they were sent to.”
I furrowed my brow at his whispered revelation. “What do you mean? Why would Stephen destroy things at the hospital?”
He moved away before adjusting his sitting position. “According to Ma’am Shantel, Sir Stephen received a letter at the hospital this morning. But it’s more of a death threat, especially since the letter mentioned that they will target you next.” I couldn’t miss the way he clenched his fist.
“So, instead of staying at the hospital, Sir Stephen decided to come home early this morning. He also mentioned he didn’t sleep all night because he was worried about your safety. That’s why Sir Ashter and the others had a hard time convincing him not to leave.” He shook his head.
“But that resulted in Sir Stephen having a breakdown, causing him to damage some of the hospital equipment and hurt some of the staff. Ma’am Amelia almost beat him up because some of their staff members got caught in the chaos.”
I just slapped my forehead. That man is always a headache. He’s the one who got hurt and had his life in danger, yet he’s still worried about me? I’m surrounded by his mafia guards, and the security here in the mansion is tight, especially on the outside.
So, before the enemies even manage to enter, their bodies will surely be lying lifeless on the ground.
But wait. “Their staff? Does that mean her family owns the hospital?”
He nodded. “Yes, Madame. Ma’am Amelia’s family owns the Ramirez Hospital. She’s also an ob-gyne doctor.”
I was left gaping at his words. It’s only now that I realize I still have so much to learn about Stephen’s friends.
Who would have thought that the seemingly innocent and carefree person who helps them dispose of bodies after each kill would be an obstetrician?
I gripped the armrest of the sofa I was sitting on tightly, as if I might lose consciousness at any moment. Curiosity got the best of me, and I wondered what other businesses some of Stephen’s friends are involved in. And what else fills their lives.
Just as I was about to ask another question, I lifted my gaze to the staircase. Our eyes met Stephen’s as he slowly descended.
Cole greeted him politely before excusing himself to leave. I immediately stood up to approach Stephen.
“How are you feeling?”
When he finally reached the bottom, he took my hand and held it tightly. “I’m feeling much better now compared to earlier when I was at the hospital. I actually felt I was getting worse by the minute the longer I stayed there.” He chuckled softly.
I just shook my head at him. He had been in a critical situation, yet he could still make jokes.
It’s almost a miracle that they managed to survive the explosion. I couldn’t help but wonder about how they escaped.
“Let’s go to the kitchen. I had lunch prepared for you earlier, with the help of Belen. But you were sleeping so peacefully, and I didn’t want to disturb you. I’ll just reheat it.”
He looked at me in disbelief. “You did that?”
I nodded. “Of course. Why not? After all, you’re my husband, and I want to take care of you.”
We both fell silent after I said that. I quickly averted my gaze, and he did the same.
There was nothing wrong with what I said. Because he truly is my husband. But I still couldn’t help feeling a bit awkward.
Quietly, we proceeded to the kitchen. I told the kitchen staff we found there that I would handle things, so they left.
I quickly reheated the food, and I heard him pull out a chair behind me. Even though I was facing away from him, I could feel his scrutinizing gaze on me now.
I gripped the counter tightly. It felt like my knees were turning to jelly because of it.
Once I finished, I quickly served him. I tried to suppress the trembling in my hands due to my mixed emotions. With each move, his eyes followed me.
I took a seat across from him after setting the dishes on the table.
“Aren’t you going to eat with me? It’s lonely eating alone.”
I was surprised by his sudden words. “Sure.”
I stood up and grabbed my own plate and utensils. Soon, we were both eating. I wanted to laugh at how he was devouring his food, but I chose to remain quiet. He seemed really hungry.
There were many things I wanted to ask him right now. As the days went by, my questions only increased, and I felt like my mind was about to explode with all the possible answers.
But maybe I should wait until he’s really doing well. Even if he doesn’t show it, I’m sure what happened had an effect on him.
After we finished eating, he suggested we hang out in the living room. He turned on the TV and went straight to Netflix.
I raised an eyebrow. When did he start watching TV?
“Let’s watch a movie. What’s a good action movie right now?” he asked while continuing to browse through the movies.
I remained silent and grabbed the remote from him. “I think it’s better if you still take some rest.”
He suddenly frowned. “I have rested enough. I’ll just get sicker if I keep lying in bed.” He looked at me before sidling up to me.
I felt shivers run down my spine due to what he did. Why does this man have such an effect on me?
“Besides, I want to spend the rest of this day with you. Just the two of us. I don’t stay in the mansion for a whole day often, so I’ll make the most of it.”
I held my breath as my heart raced. I avoided his gaze and searched for a movie while trying to suppress the smile that threatened to appear on my lips.
I like it when Stephen becomes so cheesy and affectionate. But it also made me nervous.
I continued searching until something caught my eye.
“365 Days. What the hell? Is that even an action movie?” he asked in confusion.
I grinned. “Yeah.”
“Are you sure? The cover says otherwise,” he said skeptically.
Before he could protest further, I pressed the play button and leaned against his shoulder. “It’s even more intense than any action movie. It’s a mafia story as well.”
“Oh, okay. That’s good then.”
I bit my lower lip to keep from laughing. I was secretly hoping that no mansion staff or Stephen’s associates would suddenly show up. It would be embarrassing if they caught us watching this kind of movie.