The hospital room was quiet again.
Sunlight slipped through the narrow blinds, drawing pale lines across the white walls and the edge of Sebastian Wolfe's bed.
The steady beeping of the heart monitor filled the silence.
Lillian sat beside him, one leg crossed over the other, pretending to scroll through her phone even though she hadn't read a single word on the screen.
Sebastian leaned slightly back against the pillows, watching her.
"You're doing that thing again," he said calmly.
Lillian looked up.
"What thing?"
"Pretending you're busy when you're actually overthinking something."
Her eyebrows rose.
"You're very observant for someone who nearly bled to death yesterday."
He shrugged slightly, careful not to disturb the bandages wrapped around his side.
"I had a lot of time to study people."
"And here I thought you spent that time terrifying your employees."
"That too."
For a moment, they both smiled.
Then Lillian shook her head slightly.
"You know what's ironic?"
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"You're back in the hospital again."
He exhaled slowly.
"Yes. I noticed."
"But this time," she continued, "it's not because you ignored medical advice."
He gave her a dry look.
"This time I was stabbed. Slightly different."
"Only slightly," she teased.
Sebastian shook his head.
"I should charge Ethan for the inconvenience."
Lillian laughed softly before she could stop herself.
The sound made Sebastian pause.
He watched her carefully, something softer settling in his expression.
Then she looked up—and immediately looked away again.
Sebastian noticed.
Of course he did.
His eyes slowly narrowed with amusement.
"You keep doing that," he said.
"Doing what?" she asked quickly.
"Looking at me. Then looking away."
"I am not."
"You are."
Her eyes flicked toward him again—and immediately dropped to the floor.
Sebastian's smirk slowly returned.
"Ah," he said quietly.
"What?"
"Now I understand."
"Understand what?"
He shifted slightly against the pillows, the movement revealing more of his bare chest above the hospital blanket.
Lillian's eyes darted away again.
Sebastian's smirk deepened.
"That," he said.
Her face immediately turned red.
"Oh my god."
"What?" he asked innocently.
"You're not even wearing a shirt!"
"I'm in a hospital."
"That's not an excuse."
He chuckled quietly.
"You're very flustered."
"I am not flustered!"
"Your face disagrees."
Before she could protest again, Sebastian slowly reached out and took her hand.
Lillian froze.
"Sebastian—."
He lifted her hand and gently placed it against his chest.
Right over his heartbeat.
Her eyes widened.
"Sebastian!"
"You feel that?" he murmured teasingly.
"That's what you've been staring at."
She immediately pulled her hand away.
"I was not staring!"
He leaned back slightly with a satisfied expression.
"You absolutely were."
"I was concerned about your injury!"
"Of course you were."
Her cheeks burned.
"You're impossible."
"And yet," he said quietly, "you keep coming back."
She crossed her arms, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.
Sebastian watched her for a moment.
Then, unexpectedly—
He smiled.
Not the small controlled smile he sometimes allowed in public.
This one was warm.
Real.
And it caught Lillian completely off guard.
She stared at him.
Her breath caught slightly.
She had seen Sebastian Wolfe smirk, glare, and intimidate half the world.
But she had almost never seen him smile like that.
Without thinking, she leaned forward slightly.
Her hand lifted gently.
And before she could stop herself—
She cupped his face.
Her thumb brushed lightly across his cheek.
Sebastian froze.
The teasing expression vanished instantly.
For once, the confident CEO looked genuinely surprised.
Lillian realized what she had done.
Her hand pulled away immediately.
"I'm sorry!" she said quickly. "I didn't mean to—."
Sebastian caught her hand before it could fully retreat.
Then slowly guided it back to his cheek.
His voice was quieter now.
"The last time someone did that," he said softly, "I was thirteen."
Lillian blinked.
"Thirteen?"
He nodded slightly.
"My mother used to do that."
Her expression softened.
Sebastian rarely talked about his past.
Almost never.
"She had this habit," he continued quietly.
"Whenever I was angry or upset… she would just hold my face like that."
His thumb traced lightly over the back of Lillian's hand.
"She said it reminded me that someone was on my side."
Lillian swallowed slightly.
"What was she like?"
Sebastian looked smiled briefly.
"Kind."
The word hung in the air between them.
"I'm sorry," Lillian said softly.
He shrugged lightly.
"I was young. But I remember that."
His gaze returned to her.
"And no one's done it since."
Lillian's thumb moved slightly across his cheek again.
"Maybe someone should have," she said quietly.
Sebastian studied her for a long moment.
Then Chloe's voice suddenly echoed from the doorway.
"Well this looks suspicious."
Lillian jumped slightly and pulled her hand back.
Chloe stood there holding a bag of food, grinning like she had just discovered the greatest secret in the world.
"Wow," she said slowly.
"I leave for fifteen minutes and suddenly we're having emotional bonding moments."
Lillian groaned.
"Chloe…"
Sebastian looked mildly annoyed.
"You have terrible timing."
Chloe walked inside and placed the food on the table.
"I knew something was going on!" she said proudly.
"Nothing is going on," Lillian insisted.
Chloe pointed between them.
"You're blushing. He's smiling. I'm not an idiot."
Sebastian leaned back against the pillows.
"You're very close though."
Chloe gasped dramatically.
"Wow. He's recovering already."
Lillian buried her face in her hands.
"This is humiliating."
Chloe laughed.
"Relax. I'm happy for you."
"For what?"
"For whatever this is."
Sebastian looked completely unfazed.
"You're making assumptions."
"Am I?"
"Yes."
Chloe smirked.
"Okay. I'll pretend I didn't see anything."
She grabbed an apple from the bag.
"But if you two start kissing while I'm gone again, I want details later."
"Chloe!"
Chloe laughed and waved as she walked out again.
The door closed.
Silence returned.
Lillian slowly lowered her hands from her face.
Sebastian looked at her.
The teasing expression was gone again.
Something quieter had replaced it.
Lillian adjusted the blanket over his side again.
"You should rest," she said softly.
Sebastian watched her carefully.
The way she moved.
The way she stayed.
Most people would have left hours ago.
But she was still here.
Still stubborn.
Still caring.
Still… Lillian.
He exhaled quietly.
Then under his breath he muttered,
"I actually like her."
Lillian froze.
Her hand stopped moving.
Sebastian didn't notice.
He thought she hadn't heard him.
He stared at the ceiling slightly.
"I really do," he whispered softly.
Lillian's heart began racing.
He had said it so casually.
So honestly.
She wasn't supposed to hear that.
But she had.
Sebastian finally glanced toward her again.
Only then did he notice her strange expression.
"…What?"
Lillian shook her head quickly.
"Nothing."
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"You heard that."
It wasn't a question.
Her cheeks turned red again.
"I didn't hear anything."
"You're a terrible liar."
Finally she looked at him.
Her expression softer now.
Warmer.
Sebastian looked away again.
"Forget it," he muttered.
But Lillian wouldn't forget.
Not even a little.
Because for the first time since she met Sebastian Wolfe…
She knew he had accidentally told the truth.