Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash ` 285
Chapter 285
Charlotte sighed to herself. She stood stiffly and let him lean on
her, hesitantly patting his sweaty back a couple of times, as if
soothing a child:
“But you can’t just fall asleep standing here. Go to the sofa,
okay?
Or… lie down on the bed for a bit?”
The moment the words left her mouth, Charlotte regretted
them.
This studio apartment only had one bed.
Sure enough, the man leaning on her seemed to chuckle softly,
his warm breath hitting her collarbone and raising a patch of
tiny goosebumps.
“Okay.”
He agreed so quickly that the weakness in his voice seemed to fade, replaced by the subtle delight of a successful ploy.
Charlotte was speechless, feeling like she had just walked into
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a gentle trap.
But what was done was done. She had to half–support, half-
carry this “weak,” oversized man to the bedside.,
Bradley practically threw himself into the soft bedding, letting
out a satisfied sigh.
He lay on his side, his long legs bent awkwardly off the edge of
the bed, but his eyes were fixed on Charlotte, who was standing
beside him.
Those eyes, bloodshot from exhaustion, were now surprisingly
bright, swirling with emotions Charlotte couldn’t quite decipher.
Charlotte felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and looked
away. “You… you get some sleep. I’ll be right outside.”
She turned to leave, but he gently grabbed her wrist.
His fingers were long, and his grip wasn’t strong, but it was
enough to make her stop.
“Don’t go.”
Bradley’s voice was low and thick with sleepiness, yet
exceptionally clear.
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“Charlotte… stay with me for a little while. You can go after I fall
asleep, okay?”
His thumb unconsciously brushed against the delicate skin on
the inside of her wrist, sending a subtle, ticklish sensation
straight to her heart.
The air in the room seemed to thicken, filled with a faint sense
of intimacy.
The city noise outside faded away, leaving only the sound of
their breathing.
Charlotte looked at his sweat–dampened hair, his pale face, and
his eyes, full of exhaustion and some kind of stubborn hope,
and she just couldn’t bring herself to be harsh.
She carefully sat on the edge of the bed, trying to keep her
distance, her body slightly tense. “You should get some sleep.”
Bradley seemed satisfied. The corner of his mouth curled up
almost invisibly, and he slowly closed his eyes.
But his hand gripping Charlotte’s wrist didn’t loosen, as if it
were his anchor.
His breathing gradually became even and deep. He seemed to
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have fallen asleep very quickly.
Charlotte sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, not daring to move.
The feeling on her wrist was incredibly clear. The warmth from
his palm seeped into her skin, like a faint electric current that
unsettled her.
His handsome face, now in sleep, was just inches away. It had
lost its usual sharpness, looking soft and harmless, though a
trace of weariness still clung to his brow.
Time passed in silence.
Just when Charlotte thought he was sound asleep and tried to
gently pull her hand away, he seemed to notice. His brow
furrowed, and instead of letting go, he instinctively pulled her
hand closer, holding it tighter and mumbling something:
“Don’t go…”
Charlotte’s heart melted, and she gave up trying to pull away.
Sunlight slipped through the blinds, creeping across Bradley’s
sleeping face and illuminating the silent, floating intimacy in the
air.
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In the quiet space, all that was left was the sound of their
mingled breaths, and a spark of attraction, quietly growing and
impossible to hide.
The Livingston Group headquarters, the CEO’s office.
Roderick had just taken off his suit jacket when his assistant,
Gerry, knocked and entered, looking respectful but with a hint
of relief.
“Mr. Livingston.”
“Go on.”
Roderick sat down behind his large desk, habitually tapping his
fingers on the surface.
“Everything’s fine with Dr. Kline.”
Gerry reported in a low voice, “Our guys just confirmed that he’s already in Charlotte’s apartment. It looks like… it was just a false alarm. He probably couldn’t get in touch with her and
panicked, causing all that commotion.”
The tapping of Roderick’s fingers stopped. A flicker of understanding crossed his deep eyes before his usual cold
expression returned.
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That Bradley… he was always so thorough, but he completely
lost his cool when it came to anything involving Charlotte.
Still, as long as they were okay.
He gave a slight nod. “I know. Have our guys pull back. Don’t
disturb them.”
“Yes.”
Gerry acknowledged and was about to leave, but then he
stopped as if he’d remembered something, his expression.
growing serious as he added:
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