Lena grew up in a single-parent household, well aware of the hardships of raising a child alone. She had silently endured it all.
After dinner, Lena swiftly tidied up the dishes and rushed into the kitchen as if escaping.
Washing the dishes while feeling uneasy, there was a sudden crash... Lena had accidentally dropped a plate, sacrificing it dramatically. She hurriedly picked up the shards but unfortunately cut her finger in the process.
Grayson, who had been leaning against the doorway, quickly walked over and took her finger into his mouth to suck out the blood in a flowing motion. This seamless action left Lena stunned, staring wide-eyed at Grayson without blinking.
Perhaps noticing Lena's surprised gaze or maybe because the bleeding had stopped, Grayson asked, "Do we have any band-aids at home?"
"Yeah, we do."
"Where are they kept?"
"In the cabinet under the coffee table in the living room."
As Grayson was about to get up to fetch it, Lena seemed to realize something. "Let me get it myself!" She rushed out of the kitchen and headed straight for the living room. The children's cold medicine from Helen's last cold was still there. She couldn't let Grayson see it. With Grayson's perceptiveness, he would surely notice something.
"Hand it over," Grayson said as he sat down on the sofa. Lena cautiously handed him the band-aid.
"Still so careless," Grayson remarked, unaware of the fondness hidden beneath his cold tone. It was as if he saw the clumsy girl from four years ago again, always leaving him helpless.
Sitting on the sofa, Grayson, with Lena half-crouching against him, felt a sudden warmth from Lena's unique fragrance.
Lena also noticed the ambiguity of the moment, blushing and unable to look directly at Grayson. After bandaging the wound, Lena quickly got up. Grayson's face returned to its usual cold expression, as if the affectionate prince had never appeared.
Seeing the indifference in Grayson's eyes, Lena felt like she had fallen into an icy cave. Lena finally understood: the greatest distance in the world is not love or hate but the gradual estrangement between familiar people.
What does it feel like to lose someone you like? It's like a fire burning down the house you've lived in for so long. You look at the wreckage and ashes in despair, knowing it was once your home but can never return.
Lena didn't know what connection she still had with Grayson.
At this moment, Lena had no idea what Grayson was thinking. She just wanted Grayson to leave quickly because there were things for Helen at home, and she feared Grayson discovering Helen's presence. Lena had been on edge since Grayson entered the house, feeling restless the whole night.
"It's already late. You should leave now," Lena issued the eviction notice.
Grayson looked up at the flustered Lena, and under the light, his eyes added a touch of severity, even a hint of something different.
"We should talk about the photos," Grayson said firmly, showing no intention of leaving.
"I don't think there's anything between us to discuss."
"Is that so?" Grayson stood up, advancing step by step toward Lena, pressing her against the wall and enclosing her in his embrace. Normally, whenever Lena encountered Grayson, all her immunity would drop to zero.
She dared not look directly at Grayson, silently encouraging herself in her mind, "Stay calm, stay calm."