Chapter 138

When Verena told him that the condition he thought was hopeless had made significant progress, Isaac almost couldn't believe her.

The idea that he could enjoy intimacy again felt almost too good to be true.

What stunned him even more was the chance that the very affliction that had brought him endless shame could actually heal.

Just as his doubts began creeping back, Verena reached over and messed up his hair with a smile. "Isaac,we need to keep believing in ourselves and in each other. I know your illness isn't simple,but if we take it step by step, things will change. Think about it-you once thought you'd never improve,yet every day of this treatment has proven otherwise. Stay strong for me, will you? Promise me. I'll make sure you reclaim everything you've lost, and when the time comes, your legs will carry you again."

When he looked into her calm and tender eyes, Isaac felt a safety he had never known before, as though something inside him finally settled.

There was something almost magical about her, a quiet force that always stilled the storms raging inside him.

Letting her hand linger in his hair, Isaac gave a small nod. "I promise."

The words came out in a low, alost fragile tone, and his helpless surrender only made him all the more endearing.

Verena couldn't help herself. She mussed his hair again and laughed. "That's what I wanted to hear. Good boy."

Isaac gazed at her in silence, and his eyes glowed with a love too deep for words.

When the session was finished, the two of them headed back to the bedroom. Once he finished his shower, she guided him carefully to the bed and made sure he was comfortable.

As she pulled the covers over him, her eyes paused for a moment on the lower part of his body.

During the earlier application of the medicine, she had spotted noticeable improvements in that area, signs that gave her quiet hope.

Even so, she knew the progress was owed to the medicine's effect rather than a natural recovery.

Verena was curious whether his bodywould still respond naturally to intimacy without the push of treatment or medicine.

Keeping that thought in mind, she pulled the blanket up over him and quietly slipped into the bathroom.

When she finished showering, her eyes fell on her lifeless pajamas, and with a small frown,she tapped her chin,thinking.

Clearly, those wouldn't do.

An idea sparked, and still wrapped in a towel, she made her way straight to the closet.

Inside, the wide closet revealed more of her clothes than Isaac's. What little space lsaac had on the right side had already been invaded by her wardrobe, while the left remained entirely hers.

Kneeling before the lower section, she tugged out something hidden beneath Isaac's side of the closet.

Back in the bathroom, she carefully spread the fabric open in her hands.

What she held was a black satin nightgown, its smooth surface shning with elegance. Lace traced the neckline, and thin straps ran delicately over the shoulders.

Though stunning, it looked delicate, as if one careless pull might rip it apart.

She remembered Miranda pressing it into her hands the night before the wedding,teasing with a wicked grin that she should save it for when Isaac was well again.

Never had she imagined she'd be reaching for it this soon. Snapping out of her thoughts, she gave her head a quick shake, slipped into the nightgown, and stepped out of the bathroom.

Isaac had been listening to the bathroom door creak open and shut, his curiosity building with each sound.When footsteps finally approached, he glanced up-and his lips parted in stunned silence.

Standing before him was Verena, her figure wrapped in the nightgown that ended high above her thighs.Her flawless legs seemed endless, and her smooth shoulders glowed against the thin black straps.

The gown revealed her elegant collarbones, and the skin beneath looked impossibly smooth.

A lump caught in his throat as his eyes grew heavy with emotion. "Why...why are you dressed like that?" he asked, his voice strained.

With a playful tilt of her head and a soft smile, Verena leaned closer. "Don't you think it looks good on me?"

The boldness of her words brought a flush to his cheeks. "I... I don't know what to say."

Watching him stumble over his words, Verena's lips curved into a sly smile. She climbed onto the bed,settled beside him, and wrapped her arms around him in one smooth motion.

Her eyes caught Isaac's, and with a daring softness, she asked, "Be honest. Do you like what you see?"

Fresh from her shower, her fragrance surrounded him so thickly it made his head swim. His throat worked as if to speak, yet no sound came.

When he stayed silent, Verena tipped forward, refusing to let go of the question. "So? Is it yes or no?"

The shift revealed a sliver of skin just above her neckline, subtle yet impossible to ignore. Heat flashed in Isaac's eyes before he quickly lookedaway.

Clutching the blanket for support, he finally blurted out, "l... I like it."

Her lips brushed close to his ear as she whispered, "If you really mean it, then prove it with a kiss."

The playful lilt in her tone carried both sweetness and mischief, making it hard for him to resist.

The words stunned him at first, but once he gathered himself, he fixed his gaze on her as though she were the only thing in the world.

Her answering smile was steady, her eyes warm enough to quiet his hesitation.

Taking her look as permission, Isaac lifted his hand to the back of her head and crushed his mouth against hers.

Her fingers drifted across his chest and down his stomach, coaxing more from him with each touch.

The weight of his breathing told her everything-he was finally responding.

In her mind, she reasoned that this kind of provocation could only strengthen the treatment's effect.

Acting on that idea, she slipped both hands beneath his pajama shirt.

Her chilled palms pressed against the warmth of his skin, drawing a sharp breath from him.

Half-lidded eyes found her intent expression, and a rush of excitement thudded in his chest.

With his eyes shut, he bent lower, pressing soft kisses along her neck, savoring each one.

What began as feather-light touches quickly turned fevered as his lips trailed across her collarbone.

Catching on to where he was headed, Verena pressed firmly against his shoulders to hold him back.

Frustrated at being stopped, Isaac lifted his gaze, his eyes clouded with wounded longing.

Her cheeks flushed with color as Verena caught her breath. "You're only beginning to heal, Isaac. It's still too soon for that."

Hearing her words, Isaac pulled her close, burying his face against the curve of her neck.

His breathing came unsteady, and though he felt a bit frustrated, joy swelled in his chest.

The fear of losing Verena because of his condition no longer loomed over him.

For the first time, he believed he could be whole again, worthy of standing at her side. Inside a secluded villa overseas, heavy curtains left the wide room in near-blackness despite the daylight.

A sliver of light crept through the window, enough to outline one man seated at the desk and another standing before him, both hidden in shadow.

From behind the desk, the man in the chair spoke lowly. "Have you heard anything about Evelyn?"

The figure standing before him dipped his head. "Nothing certain. But a report in Shoildon hinted at a woman who might have been Evelyn."

He paused briefly, and then continued, "But Evelyn's movements are always impossible to follow. If we can't trace her, how would some gossip reporter succeed? I'd wager it's nothing but a rumor."

The man at the desk gave a measured laugh, his head tilting as he shook it. "True or not, we can't afford to dismiss it. If my brother reaches Evelyn first and secures Grandfather's recovery, then my claim to Smoothdeed Group is finished."