The two of them shared another round of playful banter, their laughter filling the cool morning air of the hospital room, carrying a gentle atmosphere that lingered with a tinge of reluctant tenderness. Livia gradually softened her smile, gently smoothing the stray strands of hair from her forehead, and then turned serious.
"I have to go now. I'm visiting all the key sites today to inspect the work, and I have a meeting with all the main leaders in the evening."
Marcellus's expression immediately stiffened, his gaze sharpening. "So that means… you'll have to confront Eryx head-on?"
Livia shook her head slightly, though her eyes remained steady and unwavering. "I'm not sure if I'll run into him. According to your schedule from yesterday, today is the time for your routine meeting, and most people won't expect me to join so soon. So, the attendance might be light. I want to use this opportunity to familiarize myself with the situation and see if there's anyone worth gaining over to our side."
"You've thought this through well," Marcellus nodded, but his expression remained serious. "However, even if Eryx does show up, he won't dare make a move against you right away. You've just announced you're taking over the expansion plan, and he'll need to weigh the pros and cons and make his own moves. He won't act immediately, but still… better to be cautious."
Livia's lips curved into a small, confident smile, though it carried no arrogance. "I know. Actually, I'm a little bit eager for him to show up, so I can test him—he still doesn't know that we've already made him our prime suspect."
Marcellus's brows furrowed slightly, and his eyes, unlike last night's gentle warmth, were now sharp with an intensity that matched the situation. "Don't let your guard down. First of all, we don't have solid evidence that it's him. Second, the third-party force is still lurking in the shadows, and we can't afford to be careless. Lastly, Eryx is no easy opponent—I've known him for many years. He's calm, decisive, and never misses a beat in both the military and political arenas. His power is even greater now. He won't act rashly, but once he does, it will be ruthless."
He paused, his eyes glinting with a cold fire. "When dealing with someone like him, you either don't strike, or you strike to end it in one blow."
Livia looked at him seriously, nodding as she whispered, "I'll be careful." She stood up, picked up her coat, and just before leaving, she stopped and glanced back at him, her gaze lingering on his face for a moment. Then, without a word, she leaned down and kissed him lightly on the lips.
It was a kiss without any extra words, full of tenderness and affection, but also carrying the weight of determination and reluctance. It was like a silent promise, a quiet response from the heart. Marcellus didn't speak, only held her hand gently, as if in his own way trying to keep her there.
Livia gently pulled her hand away from his fingers, her gaze soft yet resolute. "Rest well. If anything comes up, I'll call you."
With that, she turned and left the room. Her figure glided silently down the hallway, each step light yet firm, as if every stride buried her emotions deeper inside.
As she stepped outside the hospital, the sunlight hit her face, warm and bright—almost too bright. Without thinking, Livia lifted her gaze to the window, knowing full well that he couldn't stand at the window to watch her. But still, she couldn't stop herself from looking, as if the empty space there would allow her to feel that he was still watching her from afar, just as he always did.
She sighed softly, a faint ache tugging at her chest. She had thought she could push this relationship aside, but with every shared moment, every understanding between them, she was drawn deeper in. She knew she was trapped once again—caught in the gentle, resilient, all-encompassing emotions that surrounded her, unable to pull herself free.
"If only we could always be like last night…" The thought suddenly bloomed in her mind, but in the next second, she forced herself to push it away.
No. Now was not the time to indulge in these feelings.
She took a deep breath, pushing the softness in her eyes away, and turned resolutely to leave. Her steps were firm, her posture straight. There were more important matters at hand—everyone's fate was waiting for her to carry it forward.