Chapter 7 Unexpected Comfort

Robin noticed right away. "Is your wound hurting again? You said it was fine earlier, but that doesn't exactly look fine to me." Before Edward could respond, she didn't waste any time. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him back to the living room. "You won't go to the hospital, but I've learned a little about treating injuries. If you don't mind, I can help you out." Edward frowned but didn't reject her this time. He gave a low hum of agreement. Robin had him sit on the couch and lifted up his shirt to check his wound. The bandage around his abdomen was already soaked with blood, and she couldn't help but gasp. The wound was torn up like this, yet he still managed to kick Norris into unconsciousness. Was he just that strong, or was Norris just that useless? Shaking her thoughts off, she carefully removed the bandage and said, "I'll be gentle, but if it hurts, just let me know." Edward's gaze was fixed on her as she worked. Her delicate face was so close to his injury that he could feel her breath brushing over his skin with each exhale. She must've showered not long ago; a faint scent of white peony lingered on her, subtle but there, something he could catch with a slight tilt of his head. It felt like time stretched as they sat in silence. "Alright." Robin finally finished rewrapping his wound and straightened up, admiring her handiwork. She smiled at him, her eyes soft. "Make sure you keep it dry and avoid any heavy movement so the wound doesn't open up again." Edward listened to her gentle instructions, and Adam's apple bobbed slightly as he swallowed. "Sorry, I misunderstood you earlier." His sudden apology caught Robin off guard. Her gaze collided with his dark, deep eyes when she looked up. They were like a quiet well or a faraway moon—calm, distant, and impossible to fully see the depths of. Robin's heart skipped a beat, her voice a little shaky. "It's ... it's okay. I never expected my ex to be the one who set it up. It's normal for you to misunderstand." She wanted to say that she wasn't upset by it. She thought she could say it, but all the words got stuck in her throat. It was as though, in that moment, all the frustration, anger, fear, and even the unease she'd been trying to suppress suddenly ballooned up like an inflated balloon. Then, the balloon popped with just one word of apology from Edward. All the emotions surged uncontrollably into her eyes, growing more intense, a burning ache spreading in her chest. Just then, everything in front of her suddenly went dark. The power had gone out. Robin bit her lip, but the tears she'd been holding back broke free, falling silently down her cheeks, one by one. "It's fine. This happens sometimes. The power should be back on soon," she said, her voice hoarse as she tried to reassure Edward, her tone steady and without a hint of anything unusual. She cried silently, her eyes like a rainy sky, while her entire body remained eerily still. It wasn't until a few hot tears fell onto the back of Edward's hand that he realized she was actually crying. Had his apology scared her to the point of tears? Ungrateful woman. Edward pressed his lips together, a layer of irritation settling over his chest for no reason. He stood up, walking somewhere into the darkness of the living room. Robin was still trying to stop the tears, hoping he wouldn't see her embarrassing state. But just then, the light overhead flickered on. She blinked, stunned, and found herself staring directly into Edward's eyes as he stood by the light switch. Her eyes were red, almost like a rabbit's. Edward looked at her indifferently, his long finger pressing the switch to turn the light off again. Then his deep voice echoed from the darkness. "Cry as much as you want. I won't turn the lights on." Robin was stunned. How could there be someone like this? She was both angry and almost wanted to laugh. But strangely, all the negative emotions that had piled up in her heart, like bubbles, were washed away along with her tears. Her heart felt much lighter. "You can turn the lights on now. I'm fine." The light flickered back on. Robin stood up, trying to act casual as she changed the subject. "I don't know if he's set up cameras elsewhere, but could you help me check?" Edward casually hummed in agreement. After checking everything, fortunately, they didn't find any more cameras. The places Robin was most worried about, like the bedroom and bathroom, were all clear. Finally, they reached Edward's room. As Robin opened the door, she said, "I honestly thought you wouldn't move in so soon, so I haven't prepared everything yet." Like, his bed. "So, I'm supposed to sleep on the floor tonight?" Edward glanced at her, his expression unreadable, his dark eyes hiding something. Making a patient sleep on the floor? Robin couldn't bring herself to do that. But the only bed in the house was in her room. "Then, how about I share my bed with you?" Robin blurted out.