Chapter 54
Chapter 54:
Alden’s gaze held a spark of suppressed longing as he regarded Helena. “Do you really have no recollection of last night p>
Memories flooded back to Helena—collapsing onto the bed with Alden, their intense kiss shrouded in darkness, his soft inquiry into her fear of intimacy.
Helena internally vowed to herself never to drink again.
“I’ll make it right. I’ll accompany you to get it replaced.” Helena’s expression conveyed deep remorse. “This is important. If you can’t hear properly, it’ll cause a lot of trouble p>
Without hesitation, she picked up her phone to schedule a visit to Cheson Medical Center.
Alden attempted to intervene.
His dislike for hospitals was profound, rooted in the long hours he had endured there during past treatments. He preferred to avoid hospital visits unless absolutely necessary, opting instead for consultations with private doctors at home.
Besides, his hearing was actually perfect.
Yet, seeing Helena so concerned unexpectedly warmed his heart. It was clear she deeply cared about his well-being.
Helena momentarily paused after making the appointment, a silent homage to the “retired” cochlear implant.
She then rose, planning to head to the bathroom to change clothes. Upon lifting the blanket, she discovered she was in pajamas and gasped in confusion. “How… are my clothes p>
Alden, eyebrows arched, explained, “Last night, you threw up all over them. It wouldn’t have been comfortable sleeping in dirty clothes.” He seemed composed, as if changing her into clean clothes was the most natural thing to do. “I got you some new ones p>
He then walked into the bathroom, leaving Helena momentarily perplexed.
It took her some time to regain her composure, after which she began exploring the two shopping bags at the foot of the bed. One contained a new dress and the other, fresh underwear.
She checked them and found that both items were in her exact size. Helena felt utterly vulnerable, her mind racing. Alden seemed to have known too much about her.
𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝖈𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗮 gⱯ𝗅𝗇𝗈ν𝖊𝗅𝘀⩶𝖼𝗈𝗺
She picked up her phone and sent a message to Valeria.
This was bad. She seemed to have done way too many of the listed intimate acts overnight. She was way ahead of schedule.
Valeria read Helena’s text immediately and called her instead of replying with a message. “Helena, did you sleep with Alden while you were intoxicated p>
Still wrapped in confusion, Helena murmured, “I don’t think… we actually did that p>
They had kissed again and spent the night together—things she’d never allowed herself to imagine—but they hadn’t taken that final step.
For a moment, Valeria said nothing. Then, with a sigh, she added, “Babe, I’m starting to believe Alden should probably book a session with me too. He’s either physically or emotionally ill p>
Just then, another detail surfaced in Helena’s mind. She remembered the name Alden had whispered in his sleep and lowered her tone. “I think he might already be in love with someone else p>
That name—Nyno—had been spoken with a tenderness that didn’t belong to her.
A quiet ache settled in her chest, something between envy and sorrow.
He never said her name with that kind of softness.
“You seriously don’t get men, do you?” Valeria scoffed. “They always have someone they can’t let go of, even when they’re in another relationship. Don’t expect too much. Honestly, it works in your favor. Once you two split and you’ve overcome your intimacy issue, you’ll walk away with a check and a fresh start p>
Alden rinsed his face with cold water, noticing the pronounced dark circles beneath his eyes.
It could have been the alcohol that muted Helena’s usual anxieties. His proximity hadn’t provoked her fear of intimacy. He could have pursued a more intimate connection.
However, he chose restraint, believing their first intimate encounter should be in a setting that was both beautiful and where she could consent without any reservations.
After stepping out of the bathroom, he noticed Helena by the mirror. She had slipped into the new dress he had provided, but the back zipper was only partially done.
Alden approached to help her with the zipper.
In the mirror, Helena saw him drawing near. His breath was soft on her cheek—not too close, yet enough to make her shift uncomfortably away.
Alden halted, confused. “Is something wrong p>