The pull on Grace's wrist startled her, halting her brisk steps as her body turned to follow the direction of the grip. In an instant, she found herself pressed gently against the cool surface of the wall, hidden behind a beam that shielded them from view. Aries stood close, his broad frame creating a barrier that concealed her entirely.
Despite the closeness, Aries maintained a deliberate two-inch distance between them, his movements careful and precise. His dark eyes searched hers for a fleeting moment, his expression unreadable yet layered with unspoken urgency.
"Aries, what are you doing?" Grace whispered, her voice tinged with confusion as she tried to process the sudden proximity.
Aries's gaze flickered away from her and toward a specific direction. He raised his hand slightly and pointed, his expression tightening. Grace followed his line of sight and immediately understood.
At the exit of the building, Vivianne and her entourage lingered, their laughter faint but sharp enough to reach even this hidden corner. They appeared to be gathering their things, their movements casual yet deliberate. If Vivianne saw Grace and Aries together, Grace knew the storm that would inevitably follow.
Aries turned back to her, his eyes locking onto hers briefly before pressing a finger to his lips. The silent gesture was a plea, a command, and an assurance all at once. Grace nodded faintly, her breath caught in her throat as she realized just how close they were.
The silence that followed was thick and charged, the air between them almost suffocating with tension. Grace couldn't look away from Aries, her gaze drawn to the calm intensity of his face. His eyes, however, betrayed him. The longer they lingered on hers, the more they softened, until something unspoken and magnetic passed between them.
It wasn't just the proximity—it was the way his presence enveloped her, protective yet restrained.
The world seemed to blur, the distant sounds fading into the background as the weight of the moment pressed down on them.
Grace's soft voice broke the spell. "They're gone."
Aries blinked, as if pulled from a trance. His gaze tore away from her, and he stepped back abruptly, his movements measured but hurried. The space between them felt like a sudden gust of cold air, and Grace couldn't help but feel the absence of his protective shield.
Her phone rang, breaking the lingering silence. Grace fumbled for the device, her hands trembling slightly as she answered the call. Her brow furrowed in worry as she listened, the tension in her shoulders easing only slightly when she heard the voice on the other end.
"It's the hospital," she said, her voice shaking slightly as she glanced up at Aries. "My mother... She's regained consciousness."
Relief and anxiety warred within her, and it showed in the way her fingers clutched the phone tightly. Her mother's condition had weighed on her for so long that the news felt almost surreal.
But amidst the relief came the dread of what lay ahead—her father's ban on visiting her mother loomed like an unrelenting shadow.
Aries's calm voice cut through her thoughts. "I can take you to the hospital," he offered, his tone steady but resolute.
Grace shook her head almost immediately. "You can't. You're Vivianne's bodyguard. If she needs you or sees us together—" She stopped herself, her words trailing off as the storm of possibilities churned in her mind. "I can't handle another storm in my life. Not now."
Aries hesitated for a moment, his gaze thoughtful before he replied. "My superior took pity on me," he said evenly. "After what happened, they told me to go home. Vivianne doesn't expect me to be around for the rest of the evening."
The words surprised Grace, but more than that, they comforted her. She searched his face for any sign of hesitation, but there was none. Aries was resolute, his calm assurance steadying her even as doubt gnawed at her mind.
"If she finds out—" Grace began, but Aries interrupted.
"She won't," he said firmly.
For a moment, Grace hesitated. Then, with a heavy sigh, she nodded. "Alright," she agreed quietly.
They walked together to Aries's car, the silence between them thick with unspoken emotions. Grace slipped into the passenger seat, her movements hurried and nervous as she cast quick glances around, half-expecting Vivianne to appear out of nowhere.
The drive to the hospital was quiet. Aries focused on the road, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the turmoil brewing within Grace. She stared out of the window, her thoughts tangled with anticipation, worry, and an unshakable sense of gratitude.
When they arrived, Grace hesitated before stepping out of the car. Her father's ban loomed in her mind, but the thought of seeing her mother—awake and alive—propelled her forward. Aries walked beside her, his presence silent yet reassuring.
Inside the hospital room, Grace's eyes brimmed with tears as she took in the sight of her mother. The older woman's eyes fluttered open, a weak but genuine smile gracing her lips as she saw her daughter. Grace rushed to her side, her heart aching as she took her mother's hand in hers.
Aries watched the reunion from a respectful distance, his lips curling into a small, rare smile. There was no trace of the tension he carried earlier, only quiet contentment as he witnessed the bond between mother and daughter.
When Grace finally turned to him, her eyes red-rimmed from tears, she offered him a grateful smile.
"Thank you," she said softly, her voice heavy with emotion.
Aries nodded, his expression calm yet sincere. "You don't owe me anything," he replied, echoing his earlier words. But this time, Grace's smile lingered, her heart feeling just a little lighter despite the weight of her circumstances.