Claire gently pushes Bryce and whispers, “I’m putting you in trouble today. You don’t have to take me upstairs. I can...”
However, Claire wants to refuse, but Bryce turns a deaf ear and insists on carrying her upstairs without saying a word.
Claire feels in the arms she has been in many times this evening. She is moved and helpless. She sighs in her heart and suddenly feels depressed.
Bryce is so nice to her but she hides her identity and doesn’t tell him. She shouldn’t have done it. What’s more, after so long, what happened between them has passed.
Fortunately, he does not die. He is still alive. She also has this valuable friend. In that case, she doesn’t have to avoid it!
But she hesitates a little.
After going upstairs, Bryce puts Claire at her door. He whispers, “you’re home. Your foot is hurt so you must not touch the water and eat spicy food. You... l have to go. Take care...”
With that, Bryce nods at Claire and turns to leave.
Claire watches Bryce walk to the elevator. Something seems to have stuck in her throat. Her mouth keeps opening and closing. Finally, as Bryce is about to walk into the elevator, Claire can’t help shouting in a low voice.
“Bryce…”
Her voice is low and small. In the quiet corridor, Bryce hears Claire’s voice clearly not far away.
Bryce pauses and slowly turns to look at Claire, but by this time he has entered the elevator and the door is closing. Bryce is slowly obscured by the elevator door.
“...”
Claire leans weakly against the door. She is dismayed to see that she is alone in the corridor.
It is quiet and silent.
Claire’s depression lasts only 30 seconds. The door reopens and Bryce appears in the elevator. As soon as the elevator door opens, he walks quickly toward Claire and holds her tightly in his arms.
He whispers, “Claire...”
Claire is unprepared and suddenly held by Bryce. He still has the familiar smell of mint. This time he holds her tight and he seems afraid that Claire will disappear the next second.
Bryce holds Claire tight. There are a lot of heartache, nostalgia and deep feelings in this embrace.
After a long time, Claire recovers from shock. She feels Bryce’s embrace in silence. Her hands are hanging by her side and she doesn’t respond.
Bryce is still so affectionate to her.
“Claire, Claire, you finally admit...” Bryce can’t help saying.
Claire is surprised. It turns out that Bryce won’t be so nice to a woman he has only met twice. He knows she is Claire.
When they comes in, Claire says, “you go to the sofa first. I’ll pour you a glass of water.”
“No!” Bryce stops Claire and says eagerly, “you sit on the sofa. I can pour water. Now you hurt your foot. Don’t walk around.”
“It’s too much trouble. Claire looks down at her swollen heel. She can’t even wear slippers. At last she compromises, “OK, please.”
“Don’t say that.” Bryce shakes his head and chuckles. He picks up Claire and puts her on the sofa, then he turns and walks into the kitchen.
Claire sighs in her heart. Bryce is very kind to her and cares about her.
For a while Claire is upset.
Bryce soon comes out of the kitchen. He pours himself and Claire a glass of water. He comes to her and sits on the sofa. He hands the glass in his hand to Claire and says, “would you like some water?”
Claire is thirsty, too. She takes the water in Bryce’s hand and thanks him.
Bryce is upset at Claire’s words. He whispers unhappily, “don’t be so polite to me. I’m your brother. Shouldn’t elder brother take care of younger sister?”
“...”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Genius Son Sells his Mom to Dad
The storyline could have been better -- organization and cohesion of episodes could stand improvement, ending could have been more definitive resolving the many conflicts between the protagonists. Of course, the despicable treatment of Leo towards Claire initially, e.g., selling her off in an auction and giving her to the madam of the club as princess is inhuman and a violation to the wife's rights and honor. I was wondering why she did not leave after these maltreatments. Oh, well, the conclusion [if the narrative ends in Chapter 488] is quite disappointing and anti-climactic. Thank you just the same....
The end of the story is wanting, considering how the episodes build up to conflict after conflict and concluding in yet another conflict. But then c'est la vie! Thank you....