Chapter 199: Sleepless nights
For hours, Beatrix laid there, fixated on the wall before her. Her eyes burned, exhausted from the sleep her body desperately craved but couldn’t find, and from the tears she had fought back throughout the night. She had shed enough tears in the past few weeks, and she was resolute in her determination not to succumb to them again.
The situation she found herself in felt like a form of cruel and inhumane torment, particularly because she knew Rhys,was just in the adjacent room. Her heart ached to be close to him, yet her rational mind scolded her for entertaining such impractical longings. It was a unique kind of suffering altogether.
Just as she was on the verge of drifting off to sleep, a sudden sound jolted her awake. Beatrix frowned when she heard it again, it sounded like someone was knocking on her door.
Beatrix hesitated for a moment, her mind wrestling with conflicting thoughts. Should she ignore the sound and continue wallowing in her solitude, or should she summon the strength to investigate its source? The prospect of interaction was daunting, but the curiosity gnawing at her won out in the end.
Slowly, she pushed herself up from the bed, her muscles protesting the movement after hours of immobility. She brushed her disheveled hair away from her face, trying to compose herself as best as she could. With each step toward the door, her heartbeat quickened, a mix of anticipation and apprehension coursing through her veins.
She reached the door and hesitated once more, her hand hovering above the doorknob. "Who could it be?" she wondered aloud. It seemed unlikely that anyone would seek her out at this hour, given her self-imposed seclusion. Nevertheless, her curiosity demanded an answer.
Summoning her courage, Beatrix turned the doorknob and pulled the door open just a crack, peeking through the narrow opening. Her eyes widened in surprise as she saw a figure standing in the dimly lit hallway. It was Rhys, his eyes red-rimmed and his face etched with concern.
"R-Rhys?" Beatrix stammered, her voice barely a whisper. "What are you doing here?"
Rhys expression softened as he took in her disheveled appearance. "Bea, I couldn’t sleep. Can I come in?"