Chapter 190 - Oops?

After Devon reassured him she was fine, Lewis helped her to their bed. With her back resting against the headboard, she waited for him to return with a first aid kit. Lewis sat on the edge of the mattress, tending to the deep cut in her hand. 

"Don't hurt yourself like this," he muttered while wiping her wound after sanitizing it. Her fingers twitched, so he put less pressure on it. 

"It was an accident," she explained in a dead tone, shifting her eyes to the broken vase. "I was trying to move things and then it slip from my hands and broke. I tried cleaning the mess I caused, but this happened."

Lewis glanced at her, and there wasn't a trace of falsehood in her eyes. Well, she was the type of person who wouldn't lie about this. She was too honest and arrogant that she never found the reason to lie.

"Then, be careful next time," he said in a low tone while bandaging her hand. "This is quite deep. I should call the family doctor to stitch it up."

"I said, I am fine." She rolled her head, setting her eyes back to him. 

"You're not fine, Dev. Stop saying you are when, in fact, you're not." Lewis paused as he cast her a look. "If you want to cry, shout, or break things, just do it if that will make you feel better."

"You're implying I should embrace my violent tendency?"

"Sort of." He shrugged as his eyes slid back to the unfinished bandage of her palm. "It's better to break things... instead of people breaking."

"Why? Do you feel like you're breaking?" she asked, watching him bandage her hand even more. "Hey, are you trying to aid my wound or suffocate it?"

"Uh, sorry." 

Devon sighed as Lewis lessened the bandage around her hand. She could not help but stare at his side profile. A faint scent of alcohol wafted her nose, but she suppressed herself from pointing it out. She was aware he was barely keeping it together, that was why she was trying to fulfill her promise to him. 

"There," he said, returning her hand to her. Devon raised it and checked for a closer look. 

"Not bad." She nodded, putting her hand on her lap while staring back at him. "What?"

Lewis wasn't saying anything and just stared at her for a moment. "Earlier... you called me..."

"Lu?" she asked and quirked a brow. He pressed his lips into a thin line, having this a little sense of relief in his heart. It had been a while since he heard someone call him like that, so it somehow felt... touching.

"Why?" he inquired along with a deep exhale. "Why would you call me that and not anything but my name?"

Devon hummed, tapping her lap. "Rest your head here. Let me pet you."

"Dev."

"Just do it, damn it." She rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue. Lewis sighed, but he didn't follow her instructions.

"I'm not a pushover, Lin Devon." Instead of resting his head on her lap like a pet, he moved and sat beside her. His space was narrow, but it was better. His back rested against the headboard, glancing at her with a knowing look.

"Wow... my husband is rebelling now?" she snickered as she raised her chin. "I kind of see this as a challenge."

A dry chuckle slipped past his lips as he cocked his head back. He stared ahead, pressing his lips together, and let out a sharp exhale. Devon also did the same, and they kept quiet for a moment.

"Tell me, Dev." He spoke in a quiet voice. "Why did you call me Lu? And not the usual, Handsome Qin, Hardworker Qin, Breadwinner Qin, or anything like that?"

"Hmm... I'm trying to save myself?" she answered after a long hum. "If you break, I will have no more reason on why I should keep myself together. I'm getting worse, Lu. Earlier, when I accidentally cut myself, I thought how nice would it be if it was my wrist? The therapy helps, but until when do I have to see that person before I can say I am better?"

Lewis nodded his head in understanding while staring at her. He said nothing but slipped his fingers in between hers. His action made her glance at their hands and then back up at him.

"What are you doing?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. 

He cast her a quick look as he leaned back while playing with her hand. "Holding you. I don't know what to say, so I will just hold you. By this, you know you are not alone."

"So cheesy," she humored but let him hold her. "Thank you, though."

Again, silence enveloped the two of them. They just stayed like that for as long as they could remember until she opened her mouth to speak.

"Did the wine help?" she asked as she turned her head to him. 

"A bit." He cast her a quick side-eye, closed-lipped. "I didn't finish it, though. Since I threw it away out of frustration."

"Wild."

"At least, I didn't return with a stitch." Lewis shrugged nonchalantly while she chuckled, shaking her head lightly. "I just missed you very much."

"You will break my heart if you say it like that while looking into my face."

"Sorry. I just wanted to tell her that." He squeezed her hand and smiled bitterly. "I'm sorry for my insensitivity."

"It's fine, my husband. This time, it's really fine. I understand." She offered him a smile, trying to be a little kinder to him. "I can kiss you too if you want. I mean, shit... I still remember I'm a virgin. That damn Kai..."

Lewis chuckled at her light take on this matter. His eyes softened, recalling how he promised not to touch her until they got married. Now that they were, he still couldn't touch her because the soul of this body was different. Not that he regretted it as much as he regretted not loving her more. 

"I wish he would have erectile dysfunction, so he stops fooling around!" she ground her teeth and panted.

"Don't curse him like that." Lewis rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb as she glared at him. 

"That damn brother of yours deserves the hatred of this world, Lu." she huffed while he stroked her head to calm her down. 

"There, there. Calm down. Teach him a lesson once you recover."

"I will surely put him in his place." Devon frowned and watched him stroke her head. "Stop treating me like a baby before I start calling you daddy."

Lewis froze, and only then did Devon realize that telling him that was akin to opening a portal of memories. She bit her tongue and pressed her lips into a thin line. 

"Oops?" she raised her brows awkwardly.. But he smiled and let out a shallow breath.