Chapter 14

After leaving the office, Yarrick hopped on the bus just outside the building. It didn't take long before he arrived at the hospital's ICU. At this point, he was practically a familiar face here. The doctors and nurses would smile and nod whenever they saw him. He stepped into Room 6 and immediately spotted Hailey. Beside her, a young nurse was busy jotting something down on a clipboard. "Hey, Yarrick. You're late today," the nurse commented. "I started working today. Came straight here once it was break time." Yarrick didn't even have time to grab a bite as he came immediately after work. But his hunger didn't matter. He could eat later. After all, his break was short. He only had a while to chat with Hailey before he had to rush back. "Wow, working and still making time to be here? That's not easy," the nurse said. "It's nothing much," he replied, smiling as he pulled a chair over and sat beside the bed. He reached out and gently took Hailey's hand in his. Her hand felt even warmer than yesterday. "Miss, did my wife wake up again today? Did she eat anything?" "She did, actually. She woke up twice this morning and ate more than she did yesterday too. Her eyes looked clearer—brighter." "That's amazing," Yarrick exclaimed, overjoyed to hear that. "Did she say anything yet?" he asked again. "Not yet. But she understood everything I said. She opened her mouth on her own when I fed her. At this rate, I bet she'll be out of bed in a few days." "Mhm…" Yarrick blinked, almost in disbelief. Was Hailey really that close to recovery? "Feeling good, huh, Yarrick? Your wife is so beautiful!" the nurse said with a soft chuckle. Hailey was strikingly beautiful, but she was much older than Yarrick. The age gap was impossible to ignore. They had an interesting relationship too, and the nurse wondered if they would get a divorce once Hailey woke up. "Yeah. She's stunning." Yarrick gently massaged Hailey's fingers. They felt quite nice. Just then, she squeezed his hand back. "You two lovebirds talk. I'll leave you to it. Ask for me if you need anything," the nurse said, finishing her notes and slipping out. "Honey... Can you hear me? I started my new job today. The place is nice. It's called Nevara Fashion, and the company is very big." Perhaps Hailey could understand Yarrick's words. As he spoke, her fingers trembled ever so slightly. "Sweetheart, are you waking up?" Yarrick gently touched her cheeks. Her skin was softer now with color returning to her face. He touched her face, slowly trailing down to her lips and neck. "Huh?" He felt Hailey's cheeks burn, and it looked as if she was embarrassed. "Honey, can you wake up for me, just once? The doctors say you've already woken up a few times and eaten too. But I haven't gotten to see you awake. I feel like I'm missing out." His fingers brushed lower, past her collarbone. It was nothing inappropriate. After all, they were husband and wife. Then, he felt her breathing quicken as her cheeks flushed even deeper. It seemed Hailey was about to wake up. She was clearly reacting to his actions. Her face was red, and her breathing was heavy. Yarrick felt she was just pretending to sleep. He suddenly had an idea and put her hand down. However, she continued to hold onto him as she had gotten used to it. Their hands remained clasped as if they had both already accepted each other. "Ms. Yandon, I think you're awake, aren't you? And maybe you're just not ready to face me yet. And that's okay. I hope you can wake up and live your life. The world has many things to offer, and I'm sure there are people who care about you. "Once you wake up and you get better, you can tell me to leave whenever you want. All I care about is your happiness," Yarrick held her hand and said softly. He began to address her as "Ms. Yandon" again. He could feel that Hailey was awake. Maybe she just wasn't ready to open her eyes or face him. "Ms. Yandon, if you don't want me to leave, then everything I said before still stands. I meant it. I'm a good cook. I'll cook for you every single day if you want. Perhaps you think our age gap is a problem, but I actually like older women. Anyway, I can accept our relationship. Everything is up to you now." Yarrick scratched his head. He felt frustrated by the thought of leaving her. They were legally married, so Yarrick had no problem if their relationship continued as usual. She might be older, but he could accept it. He just didn't know how Hailey felt about the whole situation. She had never even had a boyfriend before, and now, she suddenly had a younger husband. Could she accept that? "Ms. Yandon, can I kiss your cheek? You're not saying anything, so I'll take that as a yes." As he spoke, Yarrick felt her hand tighten around his. Obviously, Hailey could hear and understand what he said. She even seemed nervous. With that, Yarrick leaned down and kissed her cheek—once on the left and another time on the right. Hailey's breathing caught, and she heaved heavily. Her lashes trembled as a soft, helpless murmur escaped her lips. "Ms. Yandon, we've been married for quite some time now. This is the first time I've kissed you. From now on, I'm going to kiss you every day. Oh, can I go back to calling you 'honey?'" Looking at the blush on her cheeks, Yarrick knew that Hailey was recovering.