Soft morning light filtered through the hospital blinds, casting pale lines across the quiet room.
The steady beeping of the heart monitor filled the silence.
Sebastian Wolfe slowly became aware of the dull, persistent pain in his side.
His eyes opened slightly.
For a moment everything felt distant, foggy. The sterile smell of the hospital, the weight of the blankets, the faint hum of machines beside him.
Then his vision cleared.
And he saw her.
Lillian was asleep in the chair beside the bed, her head resting near the mattress. One arm was stretched across the bed, her hand loosely holding his.
Sebastian stayed perfectly still.
He studied her quietly.
Her hair had fallen slightly across her face, and she looked exhausted, like she hadn't slept properly in hours.
Maybe longer.
His gaze drifted to their hands.
She was still holding onto him.
Even in her sleep.
A faint, almost amused smile touched his lips.
"You really are a stubborn woman," he murmured under his breath.
His fingers shifted slightly, squeezing her hand gently.
The reaction was immediate.
Lillian's eyes flew open.
"Sebastian?!"
She jumped up so quickly the chair nearly scraped across the floor.
Her eyes scanned his face in panic.
"Oh my god—are you okay? Does it hurt? Should I get a doctor?"
Sebastian blinked at her rapid questions.
"You're very loud," he said hoarsely, his voice rough from sleep.
Lillian froze.
Then she let out a long breath of relief.
"You're awake."
"Clearly."
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
"You scared me," she admitted quietly.
Sebastian shifted slightly against the pillows, immediately wincing at the sharp pain in his side.
Lillian noticed instantly.
"Don't move," she said quickly.
"I wasn't planning on running a marathon," he muttered.
Despite everything, she almost smiled.
For a moment they simply looked at each other.
Then Sebastian spoke again.
"You stayed."
It wasn't really a question.
Lillian folded her arms lightly.
"Of course I stayed."
"You didn't have to."
"Yes," she said simply. "I did."
Something in her tone made Sebastian pause.
He studied her carefully.
But before he could respond—
The hospital door suddenly opened.
"Good morning, survivors!"
Chloe walked into the room holding two large coffee cups.
She stopped mid-step when she saw Sebastian sitting up.
"Well look at that," she said. "The billionaire decided not to die after all."
Sebastian sighed faintly.
"Good morning, Miss Jones."
She walked over and handed Lillian a coffee.
"Here. You look like you haven't slept in three days."
"That's because she hasn't," Sebastian said quietly.
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really?"
Lillian rolled her eyes.
"I slept."
"Sure you did," Chloe replied.
Then Chloe glanced between the two of them.
The atmosphere in the room was… strange.
Quiet.
Awkward.
Suspiciously emotional.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"So," she said slowly, "did the dramatic hospital scene happen before or after the kiss?"
Lillian nearly choked on her coffee.
"Chloe!"
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"The what?"
Chloe grinned.
"Oh, nothing."
Lillian glared at her.
"Stop talking."
Chloe looked delighted.
"Oh wow," she said. "You're blushing."
"I am not."
"Are too."
Sebastian watched the interaction silently, a small trace of amusement in his expression.
Before Chloe could continue tormenting her friend, another knock came at the door.
A doctor stepped inside.
"Good morning, Mr. Wolfe."
Sebastian straightened slightly.
"Doctor."
The doctor checked the monitor beside the bed.
"How are you feeling?"
"Like I was stabbed," Sebastian replied dryly.
The doctor didn't react.
"That would make sense," he said calmly.
Lillian crossed her arms.
"Is he going to be okay?"
The doctor nodded.
"The surgery went well. However, Mr. Wolfe lost a significant amount of blood."
Sebastian looked unimpressed.
"I'm aware."
"You'll need to remain in the hospital for several days," the doctor continued.
Sebastian immediately shook his head.
"No."
Lillian turned toward him.
"Yes."
The doctor nodded firmly.
"Yes."
Sebastian looked between them both.
"I have a company to run."
"You also have a stab wound," Lillian replied.
Chloe lifted her coffee cup.
"She's got a point."
Sebastian sighed heavily.
"For how long?"
"At least three days," the doctor said.
Sebastian looked extremely displeased.
But he didn't argue further.
The doctor finished checking the IV and heart monitor.
"Get some rest," he said before leaving the room.
The door closed behind him.
Silence returned.
Chloe stretched her arms slightly.
"Well," she said, "I'm going to go get actual food before hospital coffee kills me."
Lillian nodded.
"Okay."
Chloe paused at the door.
Then looked back at them with a mischievous grin.
"Try not to have another emotional breakthrough while I'm gone."
"Chloe."
She laughed and left.
The door closed.
Now the room was quiet again.
Just the steady beeping of the monitor.
Lillian moved closer to the bed, adjusting the blanket slightly.
"You should rest," she said softly.
Sebastian watched her.
"Lillian."
She paused.
"Yes?"
He hesitated for a moment.
"About earlier…"
She froze slightly.
"You mean… the bathroom?"
Sebastian shook his head slowly.
"No."
The kiss.
He meant the kiss.
But he didn't say it directly.
Lillian suddenly felt very aware of how close she was standing.
"Well," she said awkwardly, "you were bleeding out."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"And?"
She shrugged lightly.
"I think that excuses a lot of things."
He watched her for a moment.
His memory of that moment was perfectly clear.
The way she had leaned toward him.
The way she had looked at him.
The kiss had been soft.
Real.
And he had meant every second of it.
But he didn't say that.
Instead he simply said,
"Right."
The silence that followed was heavier.
But not uncomfortable.
Just full of things neither of them were ready to say yet.
Lillian finally sat down in the chair beside the bed again.
Sebastian looked at their hands.
Then slowly reached out.
His fingers wrapped around hers again.
She didn't pull away.
"Thank you," he said quietly.
"For what?"
"For staying."
Lillian squeezed his hand gently.
"Of course I stayed."
Sebastian looked at her for a long moment.
For once, the usually confident CEO of Sovereign Technologies had absolutely no idea what to say next.
And strangely enough…
He didn't hate the feeling.