Chapter 276
She didn’t even have the energy for a quick kiss or a hug anymore.
Work had drained her dry, leaving nothing for romance, desire, or even the smallest indulgence.
Rowan glanced at her with a trace of amusement. “Well? Aren’t you going to shower? Or are you waiting for me to sing you a lullaby p>
A lullaby.
He actually used to sing her to sleep.
The day her parents died, the sky over Cresthaven had been thick with thunder and rain a storm like so many others in that place. Ever since, she’d never slept soundly on stormy nights, haunted by nightmares that left her restless and shaken.
Rowan would sit beside her, gently rubbing her back and humming softly until she drifted off.
Snapping back to the present, Elissa nodded at his suggestion, eager to escape. “I’ll go shower first. Make yourself at home p>
As long as he didn’t drag her with him, he could do whatever he liked.
But when Elissa stepped out of the bathroom, towel drying her hair, she froze at the sight of the man now occupying her bed.
He’d clearly taken her words to heart–he really had made himself at
home.
He must have stopped by his place first; he’d changed into a set of silk pajamas and was lying on his side, claiming the left side of the bed.
Elissa had always slept on the right, ever since she was a child. Where she ended up overnight was anyone’s guess, but she always started on the right.
As she approached the bed, she noticed the dark circles under his eyes were even worse than hers, and she hadn’t slept for nearly thirty – six
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hours.
It looked like he’d just flown back from Meridia Country to Vistapeak City and hadn’t caught a wink of rest since landing.
Elissa stood quietly beside the bed, lost in her thoughts. Suddenly, she let out a tiny laugh.
The man, who’d been dozing peacefully, reached out in his sleep, caught her arm, and pulled her into his embrace. His voice was husky from sleep. “What’s so funny p>
“Nothing,” she replied lightly.
No way was she confessing that she’d just remembered the time she drew a turtle on his face while he was napping.
She’d already said the wrong thing at dinner once tonight. No need to push her luck.
Rowan wrapped an arm around her waist, nuzzling her collarbone with his chin. His eyelids drooped again. “Then go to sleep p>
The next morning, Elissa woke to find the space beside her empty, a note left in Rowan’s place.
Take Max for a walk before work.
She’d gone to bed early, so she had plenty of time. After playing with Max in the courtyard and seeing to his water and breakfast, she set off for work in no particular rush,
As usual, she started her day at the clinic.
She’d barely arrived, hadn’t even called for the first patient, when Cliff knocked and came in, looking calm and collected in his white coat.
Elissa smiled. “Morning p>
Cliff’s eyes crinkled in response, though he quickly got to the point. “William Garcia handed in his resignation today p>
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“Mr. Garcia quit?” Elissa’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
Cliff nodded. “Someone saw him meeting with Marcia a couple days ago. I guess he’s joining her team p>
Marcia’s tactics never failed to amaze.
Just yesterday, they’d finally dealt with the mole in the lab, and now Marcia had poached someone straight from the clinic. She clearly meant business about building her own research team.
Elissa, however, shrugged it off. “Everyone has their own ambitions p>
William was a decent clinician, but he’d be way out of his depth in drug development.
If Marcia and her crew could actually deliver results, then more power to
them.
She had nothing more to say about it.
By lunchtime, Cliff was still busy with patients, so Elissa headed out to the project site on her own.
Just as she was about to enter the lab, Zachary Jones strode over, frustration evident in his voice. “Ms. Drummond, I’m really sorry about yesterday. If I’d known those two were so petty, I never would’ve assigned them to your team p>