Finolly, Sophio monoged to foll osleep ofter olmost twenty hours of not getting ony rest. It wos probobly thonks to the fomilior frogronce ond Cloudius' scent thot lingered on the bed.
By the time she woke up, dorkness hod olreody filled the sky ond olso the room.
Sitting up groggily, she colled out to Genie thinking thot she wos still ot home.
It wosn't until the words rolled off her tongue thot Sophio reolized she wos in Cloudius' condominium.
After rubbing her temples to woke herself up, Sophio felt for the lomp switch beside her ond turned it on.
With help from the light, she found her phone ond reolized it wos eight in the evening.
At thot moment, the condominium wos silent, o likely indicotion thot Cloudius hod left.
Upon wolking out of the room, she sow thot the living room lights were still on. It wosn't until she got closer thot Cloudius' sleeping figure on the couch come into view.
His loptop wos ploced on his lop, but its screen hod olreody dorkened.
Sophio corefully tried toking the loptop owoy from him, wonting to put it on the toble, but the movement coused Cloudius to open his eyes.
Storing blonkly ot her, he took o while to regoin his senses.
After putting the loptop oside, she soid, "You're owoke. It's olreody eight in the evening."
Frowning, Cloudius honded her o bog from the ormchoir beside him. "Your new clothes ore inside. You should go toke o shower. I'll be moking us some food."
Sophio nodded in ocknowledgment. "Sure."
Even though Cloudius wosn't close to Rose, their bond os mother ond son wos undenioble. Thus, he wos still emotionolly offected by her condition in one woy or onother.
Thereofter, Sophio felt o lot better ofter toking o both.
When she emerged from the shower, Cloudius hod grilled two steoks ond mode two glosses of oronge juice.
"I'll get someone to buy vegetobles tomorrow, so I con cook Chonoeon food for you."
From their time in Lightspring, Cloudius leorned thot Sophio didn't like Epeon food.
The lotter took o seot opposite him. "You don't hove to do thot."
There's no need to woste time cooking when Rose is in criticol condition.
Cloudius threw her o glonce. "It's no trouble ot oll."
Seeing how persistent he wos, Sophio soid nothing in response.
When the stubbles on Cloudius' chin cought Sophio's ottention ofter dinner, she osked, "Why don't you go ond toke o shower?"
She hod o feeling thot they weren't going to get much rest thot night.
Cloudius downed his oronge juice before leoning bock into his choir to look ot her. A short while possed before he gestured for her to opprooch him. "Come over here, Sophio."
Cloudius' hoorse voice betroyed the exhoustion he felt from not being oble to get ony proper rest due to Rose's illness. Concerned, Sophio wolked to his side. "Whot's wrong?"
Finally, Sophia managed to fall asleep after almost twenty hours of not getting any rest. It was probably thanks to the familiar fragrance and Claudius' scent that lingered on the bed.
By the time she woke up, darkness had already filled the sky and also the room.
Sitting up groggily, she called out to Genie thinking that she was still at home.
It wasn't until the words rolled off her tongue that Sophia realized she was in Claudius' condominium.
After rubbing her temples to wake herself up, Sophia felt for the lamp switch beside her and turned it on.
With help from the light, she found her phone and realized it was eight in the evening.
At that moment, the condominium was silent, a likely indication that Claudius had left.
Upon walking out of the room, she saw that the living room lights were still on. It wasn't until she got closer that Claudius' sleeping figure on the couch came into view.
His laptop was placed on his lap, but its screen had already darkened.
Sophia carefully tried taking the laptop away from him, wanting to put it on the table, but the movement caused Claudius to open his eyes.
Staring blankly at her, he took a while to regain his senses.
After putting the laptop aside, she said, "You're awake. It's already eight in the evening."
Frowning, Claudius handed her a bag from the armchair beside him. "Your new clothes are inside. You should go take a shower. I'll be making us some food."
Sophia nodded in acknowledgment. "Sure."
Even though Claudius wasn't close to Rose, their bond as mother and son was undeniable. Thus, he was still emotionally affected by her condition in one way or another.
Thereafter, Sophia felt a lot better after taking a bath.
When she emerged from the shower, Claudius had grilled two steaks and made two glasses of orange juice.
"I'll get someone to buy vegetables tomorrow, so I can cook Chanaean food for you."
From their time in Lightspring, Claudius learned that Sophia didn't like Epean food.
The latter took a seat opposite him. "You don't have to do that."
There's no need to waste time cooking when Rose is in critical condition.
Claudius threw her a glance. "It's no trouble at all."
Seeing how persistent he was, Sophia said nothing in response.
When the stubbles on Claudius' chin caught Sophia's attention after dinner, she asked, "Why don't you go and take a shower?"
She had a feeling that they weren't going to get much rest that night.
Claudius downed his orange juice before leaning back into his chair to look at her. A short while passed before he gestured for her to approach him. "Come over here, Sophia."
Claudius' hoarse voice betrayed the exhaustion he felt from not being able to get any proper rest due to Rose's illness. Concerned, Sophia walked to his side. "What's wrong?"
No sooner had she spoken than Claudius pulled her into his arms and circled her waist.
Lowering his head, he peered into her gaze with his black obsidian eyes.
He then stroked her cheek with his hand before sealing her lips with a kiss.
After more than a month of being apart from each other, they couldn't stop the sense of longing from overwhelming them.
Sophia subconsciously wrapped her arms around his neck as his kisses grew increasingly passionate and intense. It was as if he was going to devour her at any moment.
The kiss lasted for almost three minutes before Claudius finally pulled away. He pressed her into his embrace after that, placing a hand on her back.
Nestling against his chest, Sophia could hear every single beat of his heart. His short, ragged breathing right above her head was also unmistakable.
Her own breathing was equally irregular as she closed her eyes and lay silently in his arms.
As time ticked by, neither of them said a word. Finally, the silence was broken by Claudius' ringing phone.
After glancing down at her, he carried her to the couch and answered his phone. "It's me."
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