Elias took a deep breath and looked away briefly, tension visible across his face.
“Thank you, Doctor,” he said quietly. “I’ll speak with you later.”
The doctor nodded once before leaving the room, gently closing the door behind him.
Silence instantly filled the space.
Amara turned her head toward Elias, disbelief written all over her face.
“What the hell is going on?” she demanded. “What is the doctor talking about?”
Elias stayed silent for a moment.
His jaw tightened slightly as he exhaled heavily and looked away again, as though mentally preparing himself to say something he had been hiding for a very long time.
Finally, he pressed his lips together and spoke quietly.
“Let’s go home first.” His eyes lifted toward hers again. “We’ll talk at home.”
Even though she didn’t want to, she had no choice in that moment. A faint displeasure flickered across her face, her lips pressing into a thin line as she pushed herself up from the bed. Her movements were still careful, slightly stiff, as she swung her legs over the edge and steadied herself on her feet.
Before she could fully adjust, Elias was already there.
His hand closed around hers and he pulled her forward without hesitation. She stumbled a half step, more from surprise than resistance, and immediately tried to tug her hand free. His gripdidn’t loosen. If anything, it tightened just enough to make it clear he wasn’t letting go.
Her brows knitted, irritation flashing across her face, but she didn’t make a scene. Instead, she let herself be guided out, even as her fingers flexed within his hold in silent protest.
Elias kept walking, his posture rigid, his attention fixed ahead as he led her out of the hospital and straight toward the car. He opened the passenger door and guided her inside with a hand at her arm, making sure she was settled before shutting the door.
She barely had time to exhale before he was moving around the car.
The ride home was quieter than she expected. Somehow, the distance felt shorter this time, the silence between them heavy. When they finally arrived, Elias was out of the car almost immediately, already reaching for her door.
But Amara didn’t wait for him. The second the car stopped, she pushed the door open herself and stepped out. Her movements were quick and stubborn as she headed straight into the house, with Elias following close behind.
The moment they crossed the threshold, Elias reached for her hand again. His fingers slipped between hers before gently pulling her farther into the house.
She froze for half a second, surprise flashing across her face. Then her expression hardened into a frown.
This time, she didn’t even try to hide it.
“Why do you keep pulling me like this?” she demanded, yanking her hand slightly. “Let go of my hand.”
Elias looked caught off guard, his steps faltering as he turned to face her. His brows drew together, a flash of confusion crossing his features.
“Stop acting like this,” he said after a beat, his voice lower now. “What do you want to eat?”
But Amara didn’t move. Her chest rose and fell unevenly as she stared at him, frustration written all over her face.
“No.” She stepped directly in front of him, blocking his path. “First, tell me what went wrong at the hospital.”
At that, she finally pulled her hand free when his grip loosened slightly. The shift between them was immediate. The tension in Elias’s face dimmed into something quieter, more guarded.
He looked away first.
“What do you want to eat?” he repeated softly. “We’ll talk later.”
That only made her move closer, forcing him to stop completely.
