The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 237

The moment Leilani pushed open the door to Arnold's hospital room, she felt a gaze land on her. She turned and met a pair of deep, calm eyes.

Callahan was leaning against the window, a cup of coffee in hand. Seeing her enter, the corners of his lips curved slightly. "You're back."

Leilani paused for a second. "What are you doing here?"

She had been busy lately, but so had Callahan. Acquiring the Lambert family assets wasn't just talk; although they had declared bankruptcy, cleaning up the mess required time and effort on his part.

Consequently, she and Callahan hadn't seen each other for several days. This was their first meeting in a while.

Callahan handed the coffee he was holding to Leilani, his tone sounding slightly neglected. "I haven't seen you in days. I came to check on you."

Leilani walked over, took the coffee, and took a sip. The warm, slightly bitter liquid slid down her throat, alleviating some of her fatigue.

"How is Arnold doing?" Callahan had come to see her, but naturally, he also wanted to check on Arnold.

"He's much more stable," Leilani explained, looking at Arnold, who was sleeping soundly in the hospital bed. "A few more treatments should completely clear the toxins from his system."

Callahan nodded, relieved that Arnold was on the mend. However, when his gaze returned to Leilani's face, his relief faded.

"When was the last time you got a good night's sleep?" Callahan asked, looking concerned at her frame, which seemed noticeably thinner.

Leilani froze, subconsciously touching her cheek. "...Is it that obvious?"

She hadn't really noticed.

She stared at the big screen, trying to focus, but the images blurred before her eyes. She was simply too exhausted. Before long, her head tilted to the side involuntarily. A second later, she was resting on the shoulder of the man beside her.

Callahan glanced sideways at her. The flickering light from the screen cast shifting shadows on Leilani's face. Her breathing was even; she was clearly fast asleep. A faint smile touched his lips. He shifted slightly, adjusting his posture to let her lean more comfortably.

Halfway through the movie, the protagonist was running desperately through the rain, the background score swelling to a dramatic crescendo.

Leilani, undisturbed by the noise, slept soundly without moving a muscle. Callahan looked down, his gaze deepening as he watched her peaceful sleeping face. After a moment, he leaned in and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

...

When the movie ended and the lights came up, Leilani was startled awake by the noise of the crowd. She opened her eyes groggily, realizing she was practically nestled in Callahan's arms.