Love's Resilience

TENDER CARE

After gently lowering Allison onto her bed, I went to the bathroom to fetch some supplies. The sight of the minor scratches on her arms and the red marks made my blood boil again. I grabbed the first-aid kit and a fresh set of clothes for her.

Returning to the bedroom, I found Allison staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. When she saw me, her eyes flickered with a mix of gratitude and lingering fear.

"Here, love," I said softly, handing her the nightgown. "Let's get you cleaned up."

She nodded silently, and I helped her to the bathroom. As she closed the door behind her, I could hear her movements and the occasional muffled sob. It tore at my heart, but I knew she needed this moment alone to process everything.

When she emerged, wearing the soft, lavender nightgown, her eyes were puffy and red, but there was a glimmer of resolve in them. She approached the bed and sat down, her movements slow and deliberate.

"Let's take care of those injuries," I said, sitting beside her. I took her hand gently and started to clean the scratches on her arms. The antiseptic stung, and she winced, but she didn't pull away.

"Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I looked into her eyes and saw the depth of her vulnerability. "Allison," I said, my voice firm yet tender, "you're safe with me. I won't let anything like that happen again."

She nodded, tears welling up in her eyes. I finished dressing her wounds, then tucked her under the covers. As I was about to leave, she reached out and grabbed my hand.

"Can you stay... just until I fall asleep?" she asked, her voice trembling.

I nodded, lying down beside her. She curled into my arms, and I kissed her forehead gently. "I'm here," I whispered, holding her close.

She fell asleep listening to the steady rhythm of my heartbeat. I stayed awake, watching over her, my thoughts a whirlwind of anger and protectiveness.

The next morning, Allison woke up with pain all over her body. I wasn't beside her, and I could see the worry flash across her face. She tried to get up, but her knees buckled, and I caught her just in time.

"Easy there," I said, steadying her. "You need to rest."

She looked up at me with wide eyes, and I saw a mix of fear and relief. "I thought... I thought you might be disgusted by me," she whispered.

"Never," I replied firmly. "You're the strongest person I know."

I helped her back into bed, then went to prepare some breakfast. When I returned, I noticed her looking at the tray I'd set up for her.

"Brush your teeth and complete your morning routine," I said gently. "I'll be right here."

She nodded and headed to the bathroom. Ten minutes later, she emerged, looking slightly more refreshed. Christian was also there, his face etched with concern.

"How are you doing, Allison?" he asked.

"I'm fine," she replied softly. "Thank you for asking."

I helped her to sit down and started feeding her breakfast. Christian took that as his cue to leave. "I'll call later, Aaron," he said, nodding at us both.

After breakfast, I encouraged her to rest. She resisted at first but eventually gave in, exhaustion overtaking her. As she slept, I stayed close by, watching over her.

It was around 5 PM when I noticed Allison thrashing around in her sleep. I rushed to her side, calling her name softly until she woke up, her eyes filled with panic.

"It's okay, love," I said, pulling her into my arms. "You're safe."

She started sobbing uncontrollably, clinging to my shirt. I held her close, whispering soothing words until she calmed down. Slowly, she slipped back into unconsciousness, the emotional toll of the past few days too much for her to bear.

After she fainted, I immediately called our family doctor, Thompson. He arrived swiftly, his expression grave as he examined her. "Her body is overly exhausted," he said, glancing at me. "It looks like she doesn't eat much. She needs rest and nutrients."

I nodded, my jaw clenched with anger and concern. When Thompson left, I stroked Allison's face lightly, vowing silently to protect her at all costs. I promised myself that Blake would pay for what he had done.

Reaching for my phone, I called Christian. "We need to start gathering all the evidence against Blake," I told him, my voice hard.

Chris agreed without hesitation. "I've already started working on it," he said.

With that settled, I sat on the couch with my laptop, trying to catch up on company work. I couldn't go to the office today, not after what had happened. As I worked, I kept glancing at Allison, ensuring she was still resting peacefully.

Eight hours later, Allison woke up again. It was dark outside, and I was sitting on the couch, working on my laptop. She cleared her throat, and I immediately went to her.

I could see how exhausted she still was, especially after the nightmare she had earlier. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked around, disoriented. I moved to her side immediately.

"Are you okay?" I asked gently.

She nodded weakly, then pointed to the water on the bedside table. I handed it to her, watching as she took small, cautious sips. After a moment, she looked at me and asked, "What happened?"

"You passed out," I explained. "I called the doctor. He said you were overly exhausted and needed rest. He also mentioned you need to eat more."

She sighed, worry creasing her brow. "But the wedding is in two days, and we still have to go for the cake tasting. I want to help Vanessa."

I cut her off gently. "I'll take care of everything," I assured her. "You need to rest."

She sighed again but didn't argue. Seeing how tired she was, I suggested we order some takeout. "You need to take the medicines the doctor prescribed," I reminded her.

After dinner, I helped her back to bed, ensuring she was comfortable before leaving her room. As I lay down in my own bed, the events of the day kept replaying in my mind. The sight of Blake forcing himself on Allison made my blood boil. I thought of Jenna, my ex-girlfriend, who had cheated on me with Blake. He had been my rival ever since I took over as CEO of Knight Industries, and now he had gone too far.

All these thoughts swirled in my mind, but they always led back to Allison – her crying, her sobs, her red and puffed eyes. I couldn't shake the image of her distress. Eventually, exhaustion claimed me, and I fell into a restless sleep, vowing to keep her safe from harm.