Disappointed at the house rents, I sat on the bed, confused about what to do. Mira could stay at the hospital for a month, but after that she needed a place to stay. She couldn't stay in the villa even if Mr. Wolfe agreed to it. I couldn't let her see what I had been doing with Mr. Wolfe for money. It'd break her heart.
Apart from that, I had no idea what to tell her if she asked me the reason we were not staying together. I had to come up with more lies if I somehow arranged shelter for her.
My head started to ache when all the thoughts started to consume my head. As I continued to look at the house for renting, Mr. Wolfe asked, "Why are you searching for houses?"
I didn't notice when he entered. He was standing beside me with a confused look on his face.
"Mira is getting discharged." A small smile appeared on my lips.
I might be wrong, but I noticed the corners of his lips curved up a little in happiness, but in just a minute, he was back to his usual self.
"So?" He raised his eyebrows.
"So, I am searching for renting the house for her to stay."
"Did you find one?"
I shook my head negatively. "All these are having high rents. Apart from that, she also needs to continue her studies. Money should be spent wisely."
He didn't say anything but started to walk away. Standing straight, I called out his name, "Mr. Wolfe!"
When he halted his steps, I walked toward him, recalling his help with Mira's treatment. My anger toward him was still the same, but I couldn't deny the fact that Mira was alive because of him even though he stopped the payment in the end.
Looking into his eyes, I said, "Despite everything, she's alive because of you. For whatever the reason, if you hadn't supported her treatment, she might've…" I couldn't frame words, and my eyes started to turn glassy. "Thank you! Thank you so much from the depths of my heart."
"Stop thanking me for your sister's treatment. You signed the contract for that. It's not because of me that she's alive. It's because you made a hard decision, and you should be proud of that."
My lips curved up with a smile, and I nodded my head. He didn't leave and stood in the same position, looking at me as if he wanted to tell me something but didn't open his mouth.
Finally, his stubborn side seemed to give up, and he said, "I didn't forget about your violation of rules, and I'll never forget. I don't want to help with anything related to your sister, but… she can stay here. I don't mind."
As if I expected him to say that, my mind had already prepared an answer to it.
"Thanks! She can't stay here. She doesn't know anything about us, and if she stays here, she'll get to know what I've been doing all these days." A wave of embarrassment hit my face, turning it red. "It's better if she stays away from me."
"If you say so!" He turned to walk away but again stopped for a moment. When I expected him to again say something, he simply left.
Then I walked to the kitchen to prepare coffee for myself. After flashing a quick smile at the cook, I started to prepare the coffee, and as usual, I took two coffee mugs. It became a habit for me.
"You never ask me to prepare coffee." She smiled at me. "Good thing, Mr. Wolfe loves whatever you prepare."
I simply nodded and continued to focus on it.
"Where is the sugar? I remember I kept it here." I asked her after I couldn't find it in its usual place.
Thanks to the cook's short memory and her usual habit of forgetting things, we both had to search for it.
We searched the shelves, and in the process, I saw the bracelet on one of the shelves, which left me shocked.
I took it into my hands while recalling the memories of our Paris trip and how everything got destroyed with Matthew's kiss.
"Found the sugar." She smiled at me, and her gaze fell on the bracelet. "Oh! I found it many weeks before. I thought of returning, but I must've left it somewhere here, forgetting about it. It must belong to any of the guards."
My gaze didn't leave the bracelet. With it in my hands, it felt like I was reliving those days when everything felt perfect and wrapped us in love and passion.
"Give it to me. I will return it to them."
As she tried to take it from my hands, I brought my hands closer to my chest in the way of protecting the bracelet from being taken away.
She furrowed her brow, confused, but without thinking much, she tried to grab it from me. A surge of anger rushed over my entire body, and I pushed her hands away, shouting, "Don't you dare take it away from me. This is Mr. Wolfe's bracelet.
Her eyes widened at my sudden reaction. Not only her, but I was also surprised at myself.
"I… I am sorry. I didn't mean to shout at you." I held her hands and looked at her apologetically.
"I should be the one to say that. I didn't know it was Mr. Wolfe's bracelet. I am sorry, ma'am. Please forgive me." She looked at me, scared.
I patted her hands, trying to calm her down. "It's okay. Forget about it."
She smiled at me, and as if to escape, she quickly said, "I need to get some groceries. I will be back."
After she left, my thoughts again drifted back to the moments I'd never forget in my life. While I recalled those days, his voice, quick and urgent, made me hide my hands behind my back.
"… Fourth Street is where you'll get houses with cheap rents." Mr. Wolfe's hurried steps stopped in front of me. "I will only help you in searching the houses for cheap rent. I won't help you with money. You should earn it at Hydes just like how you earned the remaining hospital payment."
His words only reached my ears, not my brain. My head was occupied with every moment that related to the bracelet.
"What is it?" He narrowed his eyebrows after noticing my hands.
When I kept quiet, he shouted, "What is it, Elira?"
I extended my shivering hand toward him. As soon as his gaze fell on the bracelet, his demeanor changed. Hurt and anger were written over his face, and he walked away.
His steps abruptly halted, which confused me. Again taking his long strides, he came to me and shouted, "Fuck it!"
And then, without another word, his lips landed on mine.