Chapter 119: Familiar Feeling Of Warmth
How did it take her this long to notice? She felt a rush of excitement that she couldn’t quite put into words, but she knew one thing for sure: her brother was falling for Isabella. It was right there in the small, uncharacteristic way he reached out to her. She swallowed the excitement bubbling up in her chest, silently thrilled but determined to keep it to herself.
Isabella, too, felt the subtle change in the air. She could see the shift in Kian’s expression, and though she didn’t say anything, something inside her warmed. She was too tired, too drained to even process it fully, but the softness in his gaze made her smile, even if it was weak and fleeting.
"I’m glad you’re here," she whispered, her voice barely audible, but sincere.
Kian didn’t say anything in return, but the brief, tender moment spoke volumes. He simply stayed by her side, a little closer than before, offering the quiet comfort of his presence.
Ophelia returned a moment later, holding a steaming bowl of soup with trembling hands. "Here, drink this. It’ll help. You’ve been through so much, you need to regain your strength." She set it gently in Isabella’s hands, her gaze never leaving her friend’s face.
Isabella looked at the bowl, her hands shaky as she brought it to her lips. She winced at the effort it took to even hold it. The warmth from the soup seeped into her, but it was more than just the heat. It was the kindness, the way they had all rallied around her, the way they’d stayed by her side. It was more than she ever could’ve asked for.
Glimora snuggled closer to her, and Isabella chuckled softly, her hand weakly stroking the creature’s back. "You’re not leaving my side, huh?" she whispered. Glimora purred in response, as if to say, "Of course not."
The others hovered nearby, giving her space but not leaving her alone. The atmosphere in the room was thick with the kind of quiet care she hadn’t even realized she needed. It was... nice. Peaceful. Not something she had ever really experienced before. Maybe she hadn’t realized just how much she longed for this world until she woke up here, surrounded by them.
"Thank you," she said quietly, her gaze shifting to Shelia, Ophelia, then to Kian, and Luca. "For everything."
They all smiled in return, but Kian’s smile held the most weight. It was a small, rare smile, but it was filled with so much emotion that Isabella couldn’t help but feel a warm swell inside her chest. For once, she wasn’t just trying to survive. She was living.
"Just rest," Ophelia said gently, brushing a strand of hair from Isabella’s face as she sat beside her, still glowing with the relief of her friend’s awakening. "We’ll take care of everything."