?Chapter 209:


    Cole was ted. It felt like today’s kiss finally counted—this time, it came after Elliana had agreed to give their rtionship a shot. In the past, he would either force a kiss or catch her off guard by stealing one, and she would just endure it passively. But now, there was something different. She had finally warmed up to him.


    That was why Cole was on cloud nine, kissing Elliana with unrestrained enthusiasm.


    Elliana endured his overwhelming kisses, secretly rolling her eyes at him in her mind.


    Out of nowhere, a sharp stingnded on her lower lip.


    “Ouch!” she blurted out and then looked at him with a hint of grievance. “Why did you bite me?”


    Cole narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased. “You zoned out during our kiss!”


    With a tiny pout, she admitted to herself that she had, in fact, been yfully scolding him in her mind. To make up for it, she leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. Her voice turned gentle as she said, “Forgive me, okay? I was just worried about your health. You really need to rest instead of overexerting yourself.”


    But instead of calming him, her kiss lit a spark. Her concern didn’t slow him down at all; it only stirred something deeper in him, and he kissed her again, more hungrily than before.


    All of a sudden, a loud crash rang out. The medicine box near the bed had been knocked to the floor.


    Elliana started to sit up, reaching to grab it, but Cole pressed her back against the mattress.


    “Leave it,” he said, his voice low and rough.


    Right after the words left his mouth, the door mmed open with a harsh kick, and a rush of footsteps stormed inside.


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    Both Elliana and Cole froze,pletely caught off guard.


    Cole’s instincts kicked in fast. He turned toward the door while pulling the nket up to cover Elliana, shielding her from whoever had barged in.


    Myles, Aron, and Hugh were the first ones to storm through the door, with An, Merlin, and Manley right behind them.


    Their faces were drawn tight with concern, but the second their eyesnded on the scene in front of them, they stopped cold.


    From outside, they had been keeping a close eye on things, anxious that Elliana might do something to harm Cole. When the loud crash echoed through the room, Hugh couldn’t stay put any longer—he kicked the door open and charged inside. The rest had followed him without hesitation. But now, standing there, none of them knew what to say.


    The nket covered Cole from the waist down, while his bare chest waspletely visible. His lips looked kissed raw, and his gaze burned with something fierce. Beside him, fully wrapped in the nket, was a slender figure pressed tightly against him.


    Even someone with no imagination could tell exactly what they had walked in on.


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