The Enigmatic Return (Neera and Jean) novel Chapter 567

Jean pointed his face to Neera.

When he took in her irritated expression, he abruptly giggled.

"Ms. Garcia, is this how you treat an injured man?" He complained with a playful smile.

Ignoring his jest, she quickly changed the topic.

"You need to receive a medical examination at the hospital. There might not have been any visible wounds, but you took a hard fall. Your bruise looks awful. I need to make sure you don't have internal damage or bone fractures."

Before Jean could decline, she resolutely cut him off, "Don't you dare to say no!"

When he saw her fierce gaze, as though she might explode at any moment, a warm feeling surged in Jean's chest.

"Fine, I'll follow your lead," he whispered, his voice filled with gentle persuasion.

After this episode, the horseback riding activity came to a halt.

The triplets were deeply worried about their father's injury. They didn't mind the change of plans.

Briefly, the group arrived at the hospital.

It took half an hour for a series of examinations to be completed.

Luckily, the results came back positive.

"It's no big deal. You just got some bruises from the impact. You should recover in a few days after you apply the ointment regularly."

After she confirmed it repeatedly, relief washed over Neera when Jean was truly alright.

On their way home, Neera remained awfully quiet. She gazed out of the window and became lost in her thoughts.

From time to time, Jean would steal glances at her, but he too, remained silent.

Once they reached home, all six exited the vehicle.

Neera gave Jean some advice in a neutral tone. She urged, "Make sure you get some good rest. If it's uncomfortable to sleep on your back, lie on your side. Don't forget to let Ian apply the medicine to the bruises on time."

She added before she left, "I need to leave now."

Abruptly, Jean grasped her wrist. He spoke in a low voice, "Wait."

Ian and the triplets were stunned. They exchanged confused glances.

Neera was equally perplexed. She asked, "What's wrong?"

Jean did not answer at once. Instead, he turned to Ian and instructed, "Take the kids inside."

"Understood."

Getting the hint, Ian led the children back to the next-door villa, giving the two some privacy.

Neera pursued her rosy lips. She lowered her gaze, and asked softly, "What did you want to say?"

He pulled her wrist and guided her into the house.

Once inside, he closed the door.

The two stood in the yard, and the gap between them was very close.

"Are you blaming yourself?" He asked with a tone of certainty.

After a moment's silence, Neera took a deep breath.

She confessed, "A little. If I hadn't been on the horse, you would have handled the situation just fine. I feel like I have dragged you down with me."

Oh my! She takes all the responsibility upon herself.

Jean chuckled lightly.

He reached out to caress her head and said, "It's not about dragging me down or something. I chose to take you there, and none of us could have predicted the accident. It's not your fault. Stop blaming yourself."

Caught off guard by his intimate gesture, Neera was dumbfounded.

Jean had noticed this, but he maintained his demeanor and said, "Don't think too much! I'm fine, isn't it?"

Neera still looked upset. Her brows furrowed with worry.

"Your situation is different from others. Even though you've been getting better, you're weak by nature. A minor bump or scrape is okay, but not a severe fall. If I'd known, I would've swapped places with you. I would rather be the one that took the hit!"

The last sentence struck Jean's heart heavily.

His gaze changed a little. The implication behind it was deep.

A mess of emotions, which beyond words, popped up from nowhere and enveloped his heart. He was overwhelmed with inexplicable happiness.

Nevertheless, his expression was one of helplessness.

He asked, "Do you think I can watch you fall?"

Neera failed to capture the meaning; she retorted, "You want to fight with me to be the one that got hurt?"

"I should be the one who says that to you."

There was something deep and unfathomable brewing in his eyes, as if something was churning within.

"I'm a man. Do you think it's appropriate for me to watch a woman fall and do nothing to save her? Especially, when that person who might get hurt is you."

Neera's heart skipped a beat. She probed, "What do you mean?"

"I wouldn't watch you get hurt, nor could I endure the sight of you getting hurt, not even the slightest. If this injury would worsen my condition and cause a relapse, I would gladly accept it. Understand? Stop blaming yourself and shouldering everything. I don't think there's anything wrong for me to do this for you."

His speech rendered Neera speechless.

Her heart raced. She felt like she had understood something, but not completely.

I really want to ask him. Why would you be so nice to me and tell me these things?

Did he know that such behavior could easily lead to misunderstandings? This guy always flirts with me without even realizing what he is doing.

All sorts of emotions got tangled up. She held back her queries and sighed helplessly.

"Okay. I'll prepare some medicine to speed up your recovery. If you experience any pain, even a little, you have to tell me, okay?"

Intently, Jean locked his gaze on her face. He finally smiled when she was no longer upset.

"Okay, I promise."

When the triplets entered the room, they were worried and sick.

"Mommy, did you and Uncle Jean...have a fight?"

Neera asked in puzzlement, "Why would we fight?"

When they saw that she looked normal, the triplets finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"I'm glad you didn't."

A chuckle escaped Neera's lips when they patted their chests and acted like grown-ups.

Later, Neera specifically gave Ian a call.

She urged, "Mr. Ian, please closely monitor his condition. If he feels even the slightest discomfort, you have to reach out to me immediately. I'm worried that he won't admit it and choose to endure the pain on his own."

Ian, of course, gladly agreed.