\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 285\u00a0<\/p>\n
Charlotte sighed to herself. She stood stiffly and let him lean on\u00a0<\/p>\n
her, hesitantly patting his sweaty back a couple of times, as if\u00a0<\/p>\n
soothing a child:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you can\u2019t just fall asleep standing here. Go to the sofa,\u00a0<\/p>\n
okay?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Or\u2026 lie down on the bed for a bit?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The moment the words left her mouth, Charlotte regretted\u00a0<\/p>\n
them.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This studio apartment only had one bed.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sure enough, the man leaning on her seemed to chuckle softly,\u00a0<\/p>\n
his warm breath hitting her collarbone and raising a patch of\u00a0<\/p>\n
tiny goosebumps.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He agreed so quickly that the weakness in his voice seemed to fade, replaced by the subtle delight of a successful ploy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Charlotte was speechless, feeling like she had just walked into\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 285\u00a0<\/p>\n
a gentle trap.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But what was done was done. She had to half\u2013support, half-\u00a0<\/p>\n
carry this \u201cweak,\u201d oversized man to the bedside.,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley practically threw himself into the soft bedding, letting\u00a0<\/p>\n
out a satisfied sigh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He lay on his side, his long legs bent awkwardly off the edge of\u00a0<\/p>\n
the bed, but his eyes were fixed on Charlotte, who was standing\u00a0<\/p>\n
beside him.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Those eyes, bloodshot from exhaustion, were now surprisingly\u00a0<\/p>\n
bright, swirling with emotions Charlotte couldn\u2019t quite decipher.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Charlotte felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze and looked\u00a0<\/p>\n
away. \u201cYou\u2026 you get some sleep. I\u2019ll be right outside.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She turned to leave, but he gently grabbed her wrist.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His fingers were long, and his grip wasn\u2019t strong, but it was\u00a0<\/p>\n
enough to make her stop.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t go.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley\u2019s voice was low and thick with sleepiness, yet\u00a0<\/p>\n
exceptionally clear.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 285\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCharlotte\u2026 stay with me for a little while. You can go after I fall\u00a0<\/p>\n
asleep, okay?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His thumb unconsciously brushed against the delicate skin on\u00a0<\/p>\n
the inside of her wrist, sending a subtle, ticklish sensation\u00a0<\/p>\n
straight to her heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The air in the room seemed to thicken, filled with a faint sense\u00a0<\/p>\n
of intimacy.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The city noise outside faded away, leaving only the sound of\u00a0<\/p>\n
their breathing.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Charlotte looked at his sweat\u2013dampened hair, his pale face, and\u00a0<\/p>\n
his eyes, full of exhaustion and some kind of stubborn hope,\u00a0<\/p>\n
and she just couldn\u2019t bring herself to be harsh.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She carefully sat on the edge of the bed, trying to keep her\u00a0<\/p>\n
distance, her body slightly tense. \u201cYou should get some sleep.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Bradley seemed satisfied. The corner of his mouth curled up\u00a0<\/p>\n
almost invisibly, and he slowly closed his eyes.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But his hand gripping Charlotte\u2019s wrist didn\u2019t loosen, as if it\u00a0<\/p>\n
were his anchor.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His breathing gradually became even and deep. He seemed to\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 285\u00a0<\/p>\n
have fallen asleep very quickly.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Charlotte sat stiffly on the edge of the bed, not daring to move.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The feeling on her wrist was incredibly clear. The warmth from\u00a0<\/p>\n
his palm seeped into her skin, like a faint electric current that\u00a0<\/p>\n
unsettled her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His handsome face, now in sleep, was just inches away. It had\u00a0<\/p>\n
lost its usual sharpness, looking soft and harmless, though a\u00a0<\/p>\n
trace of weariness still clung to his brow.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Time passed in silence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just when Charlotte thought he was sound asleep and tried to\u00a0<\/p>\n
gently pull her hand away, he seemed to notice. His brow\u00a0<\/p>\n
furrowed, and instead of letting go, he instinctively pulled her\u00a0<\/p>\n
hand closer, holding it tighter and mumbling something:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t go\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Charlotte\u2019s heart melted, and she gave up trying to pull away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sunlight slipped through the blinds, creeping across Bradley\u2019s\u00a0<\/p>\n
sleeping face and illuminating the silent, floating intimacy in the\u00a0<\/p>\n
air.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 285\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the quiet space, all that was left was the sound of their\u00a0<\/p>\n
mingled breaths, and a spark of attraction, quietly growing and\u00a0<\/p>\n
impossible to hide.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The Livingston Group headquarters, the CEO\u2019s office.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick had just taken off his suit jacket when his assistant,\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gerry, knocked and entered, looking respectful but with a hint\u00a0<\/p>\n
of relief.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMr. Livingston.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cGo on.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Roderick sat down behind his large desk, habitually tapping his\u00a0<\/p>\n
fingers on the surface.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything\u2019s fine with Dr. Kline.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gerry reported in a low voice, \u201cOur guys just confirmed that he\u2019s already in Charlotte\u2019s apartment. It looks like\u2026 it was just a false alarm. He probably couldn\u2019t get in touch with her and\u00a0<\/p>\n
panicked, causing all that commotion.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The tapping of Roderick\u2019s fingers stopped. A flicker of understanding crossed his deep eyes before his usual cold\u00a0<\/p>\n
expression returned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 285\u00a0<\/p>\n
That Bradley\u2026 he was always so thorough, but he completely\u00a0<\/p>\n
lost his cool when it came to anything involving Charlotte.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Still, as long as they were okay.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He gave a slight nod. \u201cI know. Have our guys pull back. Don\u2019t\u00a0<\/p>\n
disturb them.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gerry acknowledged and was about to leave, but then he\u00a0<\/p>\n
stopped as if he\u2019d remembered something, his expression.\u00a0<\/p>\n
growing serious as he added:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash ` 285 \u00a0 Chapter 285\u00a0 Charlotte sighed to herself. She stood stiffly […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29582","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-heart-surgeons-last-patient-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29582","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29582"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29582\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29582"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29582"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29582"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}