Find me in your labyrinth (Stella and Jonathan) novel Chapter 2616

Sylvia’s heart skipped a beat, then began to race. She kept her eyes fixed on the first-aid kit, her loose hair obscuring her face. “It’s not your first injury,” she said, her voice light. “Why wouldn’t you know what to do?”

A shadow passed through Gabriel’s sharp, intense eyes. “It’s the first time I’ve been hurt this badly,” he said in a low voice.

Sylvia turned her head slightly, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears that she didn’t want him to see.

Gabriel released her wrist. “I didn’t change it at home because I didn’t want Grandpa to find out and worry. It wasn’t on purpose.”

It was an explanation, and Sylvia’s heart couldn’t help but soften. She turned back and slowly began to unwrap the gauze from his arm.

When she saw the wound, her brow furrowed again. “If you ever do this again, I’m serious, I won’t help you. It’s your body. If it gets infected, you’ll be the one in pain.”

Gabriel looked down, his gaze fixed on her face. “It’s hard to dress it myself. You should put extra ointment on for me.”

Sylvia looked up at his words. “Are you leaving tomorrow?” The urgency in her voice surprised even herself, and she immediately felt a flush of embarrassment.

Gabriel looked at her, his lips set in a firm line. “No.”

I’m not leaving. Not ever again.

Unless you really are going to marry someone else.

Sylvia’s eyelashes fluttered. She didn’t say anything, just focused on cleaning his wound, her movements efficient yet instinctively gentle.

With his shirt only half-undone, the fabric was constricting. Gabriel undid the remaining buttons, revealing the chiseled lines of his abs.

Sylvia’s eyes darted over them, and her hand trembled.

Gabriel glanced at her, held her gaze for a few seconds, then looked away, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

He hadn’t done it on purpose. Going shirtless during training was normal for him. And it wasn’t the first time she had seen him. He hadn’t expected her to have such a reaction.

When she reached for the gauze and knocked over the antiseptic again, he finally spoke, his voice a low rumble. “What are you so flustered about? Focus.”

“Who—?” Sylvia started to retort, but when she met his teasing gaze, she swallowed the rest of her words. She quickly finished wrapping the bandage, then gathered her things. Without another word, she grabbed the first-aid kit and stormed out.

Perhaps it was the calming environment, but the frustration and tension that had been coiled inside him slowly began to unwind.

...

After a shower, Sylvia lay in bed with a book, but her mind was restless. Ten minutes passed, and she hadn’t turned a single page.

Agitated, she tossed the book aside and flopped onto her stomach, unable to resist glancing toward the window. She couldn't see anything, but that didn't stop him from affecting her.

The feeling of being so easily read and manipulated was incredibly frustrating. Especially the look in his eyes earlier, which had practically screamed, “Just admit it, Sylvia. You want me. I unbutton my shirt, and you can’t handle it.”

A wave of irritation washed over her. She wished she could march back downstairs and tell him he was completely wrong.

Don’t be so conceited.

But she had missed her chance to retort, and now she had lost the upper hand.