Chapter 839: Anger
Somehow, for the rest of the day, Lily felt as if she was wrapped in a protective cocoon, shielded from everything harsh and painful in the world. Instead of waiting in the chapel, they were now sitting in a small, quiet room upstairs. Cai had arranged for a private space where she could freshen up, even thinking ahead to bring her a change of clothes. The silence felt thick, pressing on her as she sat on the edge of the chair, fingers fidgeting in her lap. The doctor had just gone into the ICU for a round, leaving them in a lull. Lily took a breath, steadying herself before turning to Cai, the question on her lips finally breaking free.
"Why did you ask me about my phone?"
The moment she had finished washing up, Cai had been quick to question her about it. When she told him her phone was with her mother—who’d kept it since her father’s sudden collapse—something in him shifted. His expression turned tight, and for a moment, she thought she saw a flash of anger in his eyes. And then later, when she mentioned that she would go and get her mother, he had stopped her with a firm shake of his head.
"Leave her in the chapel for now," he’d said, his voice oddly restrained.
A worried frown creased her brow, deepening when he avoided meeting her eyes. Yes, he was angry, but why? The silence stretched, and a different question nudged at her mind.
"How did you find me?" she asked, her voice quieter, as if she feared the answer. "I’m so far from where I was before. A kind man at the hotel called for an air ambulance and got us here."
Cai’s jaw tightened, his muscles working as he listened. The man had been anything but ’kind,’ but Cai held back, the words caught in the tension of his mouth. He inhaled slowly, choosing his response with care.
"You were out of touch, and I was worried," he said, his voice lower now, rough around the edges. "So, I asked Dad to help. He managed to track you down through your father’s insurance company."
Lily blinked, processing this new piece of information. The room felt smaller suddenly, and her heartbeat quickened as she studied Cai’s stiff posture. There was more to this story, she could feel it, but the walls around him were up, solid and unmoving.
"Cai..."
"Not now, Lily. Trust me for now, okay?"