My Words Are Law

Neighbor (7)

"...Where is my aunt..?" Amaryllis asked, grabbing the sheet in her fist, instead of answering his question.

"There's a one visitor policy after 10 P.M. so I told her to go home.  I reckon she has work tomorrow and Ivor doesn't have someone to look after him." 

"I see..." Shutting her eyes, Amaryllis swallowed her shame, and nodded, not really listening to what he was saying. "...The restroom... I need to-umm... Please-" She gulped, feeling the words get stuck in her throat every time she tried to roll her tongue.

He silently stood up, and called the desk using the buzzer. "Hello, I'd like to ask for assistance, please. The patient needs a mobility lift to use the restroom. Room 410."

Once that was done, he asked her another question. "Are you hungry?"

Amaryllis didn't need to speak as her stomach growled in response. She'd be lying if she shakes her head. Instead, she breaks eye contact as she stared where Chryses stood opposite.

When the nurses came, Chryses helped transfer her, but left the female nurse to assist her in the restroom. When Amaryllis came back, Chryses managed to peel a mango, and a blender had suddenly appeared at the visitors lounge where he made a simple fruit drink.

"Th-thank you," Amaryllis awkwardly uttered as she received the bottle, before sucking through the straw hungrily. Beside her, Chryses opened a store-bought yogurt and a gelatin dessert and put it on the bed table.

"After that, drink some pain killers and your anti biotics." Chryses quickly prepared the medicines before finally sitting down, watching her as he did so.

"Yeah... Thanks,"

"By the way... The perpetrator was caught so, be at ease and focus on your recovery,"

Why is he suddenly so polite? Amaryllis wondered as she stared at him.

"...Who is it? Do I know the person?"

Chryses' eyes wavered before meeting her inquisitive gaze. "Yes."

"Really??" Amaryllis couldn't believe it.

"My ex fiance, Vienna Mason."

"Ex...?" Maybe it's because of the disownment that their engagement was also broken. Did she think, Amaryllis caused it? A faint image of the beautiful girl, dressed in a white, walking towards her in their apartment lobby appeared in her memory. 

Pulling the straw out of her mouth, her hand unconsciously hovered over her wound. It's not entirely false. Though her actions were extreme, maybe Vienna loves him so much it  made her reckless. Cause and effect...

This must be one of the consequences her aunt was talking about.

"She'll be in jail for attempted rape and murder, so this won't happen again." Chryses snapped. "Also, I'll be employing a body guard for your protection."

Amaryllis' eyes widened at the word "rape", but chose not to ask about it. "Body guard? Do you mean... Something like this might happen again?"

"No." The volume of his voice turned up, making her flinch. Sighing, he continued, "I will not let anyone harm you again." 

His gentle, but grim tone sounded like a dark promise in her ears.  Amaryllis sucked in a lungful of air, careful not to strain any muscles in her stomach as she glanced up at the ceiling while licking her lips.

"Are you... mad at me?" Chryses' careful tone made Amaryllis' eyes wide again as she looked at him. This time, she couldn't hide her dubious expression, and a frown appeared on her forehead.

"You've never asked me if I was mad at the things you were doing before. Why ask now?"

"Because," Chryses began, blinking as he held her gaze. "I realized, I don't want you to be angry at me."

His response made Amaryllis speechless as she searched his face, looking for any hints of insincerity. He didn't look away, and continued to gaze at her somberly.

"In the future, if someone harms you... If you so much as feel even a tiny bit of danger, tell me," he added. "I don't want to see you get hurt..."

***

A/N: How far are you willing to keep your promise knowing it might cost your own happiness?