I Walked Away And He Lost His Mind (Zephyra) novel Chapter 46

I had to get the money I was owed from Steven.

"We'm sorry, the number you have dialed is not available at the moment. Please try again later..."

My face darkened. "That bastard," I muttered through gritted teeth.

He wasn't answering my calls again. Infuriating!

I put my phone down, rinsed out a washcloth, and began to gently clean Uncle Julian's face and hands. I stayed by his side, eventually falling asleep with my head resting on the edge of the bed.

When I woke up, the sky was dark. A jacket was draped over my shoulders. Through bleary eyes, I saw Horace changing Uncle Julian's IV drip.

"Horace? Why are you back?"

Horace's handsome face broke into a smile when he saw me. He handed me a freshly washed apple. "I didn't have anything else to do," he said gently. "I figured I could help take care of you and Uncle Julian. By the way, he woke up a little while ago. I checked with the doctor, and his condition is stabilizing. You shouldn't worry too much."

I held the apple in my hand. "That's not right. I can take care of Uncle Julian. You just got back to the country. Your family must miss you terribly. You shouldn't be here. Go home."

"What nonsense is that? You said we were best friends today, and now you're telling me to get lost tonight? Is that what best friends do?" Horace feigned indignation.

I was at a loss for words. He then said excitedly, "Zephyra, Uncle Julian is waking up!"

I jumped up and rushed to the bedside. "Uncle Julian, how are you feeling? Does it still hurt?"

Julian removed his oxygen mask. His face was still ashen and his lips were colorless, but he shook his head and patted my hand reassuringly. Then, his gaze shifted to Horace, his dark eyes studying him from head to toe. He poked Horace's hand, and Horace's eyes flickered with understanding. He told me to step outside.

Julian patted my hand again, a complex emotion swimming in his deep eyes. Then, he glanced toward the balcony with a look of approval. "That young man is a good person. And he treats you very well."

I followed his gaze and saw Horace working hard to arrange the items on the balcony. Without him, I never would have been able to move those heavy boxes. "Yes, he's a very good person."

When Horace came back inside, his forehead was beaded with sweat. I immediately handed him a tissue. As he took it, his fingers brushed against mine. I flinched, pulling my hand back as if I'd been shocked. Horace looked at me, a smile playing on his handsome face.

Julian chuckled. "There's nothing your Uncle Julian hasn't seen. What's there to be shy about?"

At that moment, I didn't realize what Uncle Julian had misunderstood. I was mesmerized by his smile. It was the first time I'd seen him smile. He had fair skin, but his thick beard made him look stern and older than his years. I never realized how bright and handsome his eyes were when he smiled.

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