If You Leave Without a Word - Chapter 85
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
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‘If you keep moving like that, it can be dangerous.’
What was that about? Agatha recognized the voice but couldn’t make out its meaning. Annoyed at having her deep sleep disturbed, she snuggled deeper into the embrace.
The laughter that followed was contagious, yet she couldn’t discern where reality ended and dreams began. Content in assuming it was all a dream, Agatha lay back comfortably enveloped in warmth.
Being cradled in a firm yet gentle, warm and comforting embrace was very soothing. In such an embrace, it seemed no harm could come her way. Suddenly, it occurred to her: could the terrible memory of her family disappearing from this world have been just a nightmare?
Mom disappeared, and Dad passed away. People left me… Could all that have been a prolonged nightmare?
“Liana…”
Agatha was sure the warm embrace enveloping her must be Liana’s. She hugged the arm resting on her body.
How long has it been since she last fell asleep cuddling up with Liana like this?
But something was off. Liana’s embrace was warm and soft, but this embrace was firm and expansive. Too broad and solid a chest to be Liana’s…
Happiness soaked through her was now tinged with unease.
Agatha slowly lifted her eyelids. Reluctant to accept the reality that the person with her might not be Liana, and that those nightmarish memories were real, she tried not to open her eyes, but she couldn’t help it.
As she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a high ceiling. Not the ornate kind she was accustomed to, but a plain structure that was starkly different from the ceiling of her bedroom she normally saw upon waking.
Instead, an old, dingy canvas met her eyes.
“Where am I?”
Agatha’s thought escaped her lips as she blinked rapidly. This was no dream. This was… Cain’s tent.
Agatha hastily sat up, relieved that it wasn’t yet morning. How long had she been lying here?
In her hurry to get up and leave the bed, something heavy that had been pressing down on her chest fell away. It was an arm—muscular, thick, and large. Her gaze followed the arm from the fingertips to the wrist, up the forearm to the shoulder, to identify its owner.
“Cain…”
The owner of the arm was the half-dressed Cain. Agatha realized then that the warmth she had burrowed into half-asleep was Cain’s chest. Unknowingly, she had been nuzzling against him thinking it was Liana.
Crazy, she muttered to herself as she hurried off the bed. It was still dark outside, quiet enough to suggest it was still very early in the morning, hours from dawn.
This was the perfect time to move unnoticed.
She stepped forward but stopped abruptly as a heavy ache spread across her lower back. Startled by the unexpected pain, Agatha placed a hand on her waist, bewildered by the discomfort.
She hadn’t exerted herself to the point of pain recently.
As she wondered why, memories of the previous night rushed back, and her face heated up. It had started with a kiss and escalated quickly into more.
It was unbelievable to recall such a moment with him, something she had never envisioned even in her dreams. Their relationship was supposed to be nothing more than a temporary contract.
And yet, they had ended up sleeping together.
Agatha glanced nervously at Cain, who was still sleeping, then shut her eyes tightly. She was grateful he was asleep, unsure how to face him once he woke up. The very thought was overwhelming…
“….Oh, what should I do now?”
Despite trying not to, Agatha’s eyes were continually drawn to Cain’s bare form. The bandages wrapped around his shoulder caught her eye. She was in pain herself; how could he, who had been more active last night, be alright?
Gently, Agatha pulled down the blanket.
She was concerned about the wound she had treated the night before; worried it might have worsened. Even the slight movement made her lower back ache intensely, distorting her face with discomfort. Her body ached from the night’s exertions—arms, legs, abdomen, and back seemed all tensed up.
But strangely, with every pang of pain, a thrill seemed to accompany it. Was it because every ache felt like proof that the previous night’s events were real?
Carefully bending over, Agatha examined Cain’s wound. Thankfully, the bandage was still neatly in place, just as she had wrapped it. She had worried it might have come loose during his sleep.
After ensuring the bandage was secure, Agatha slowly lifted her head.
“Sir, are you asleep?”
There was no response. To check if he was truly asleep, she waved her hand in front of his face. He did not move, apparently deep in sleep. Agatha sighed with relief.
“I’ve never seen you this unguarded before.”
