<b>Chapter </b><b>35 </b>
Lucas drove straight to the nearest pharmacy without a second thought.
He bought every single anti–inmmatory and antiseptic medication avable, stuffing the car’s trunk until there <i>was </i>barely any room left.
By the time he arrived at Megan’s apartment, Aurora was sitting on the couch, cradling a cup of ice water, her expression dull and fatigued.
Lucas strode over to her, his usualposed demeanor reced by deep concern.
The moment he saw the redness and swelling on her face, a sharp pain stabbed through his chest.
“What happened? Who hit you? Does it hurt?”
His voice was so gentle it was almost unrecognizable–nothing like themanding and decisive Lucas that people in the business world knew.
Caught off guard by his sudden concern, Aurora instinctively turned her head away, avoiding his gaze.
“It’s nothing, just a small bruise.”
“Small? This is what you call small?!” Megan exaggeratedly shouted from the side.
“Look at her face! It’s swollen like a balloon! If I hadn’t iced it in time, who knows how much worse it would’ve gotten!”
Lucas‘ expression darkened further, his heart twisting in pain. “How could you be so careless? Does it hurt? Let me see.”
Feeling uneasy under his intense gaze, Aurora shifted ufortably, trying to dodge him. “It’s really nothing. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”
“You call this nothing? Your face ispletely swollen!” Lucas‘ voice held a hint of reproach, but there was more worry than actual me.
Megan turned to him. “Lucas, where’s the medicine? Did you bring it?”
“It’s in the car. Go get it!” 1
Megan hurried downstairs, opened the trunk, and was instantly dumbfounded by what she saw.
The entire trunk was packed full of medicine.
Ointments, sprays, painkillers, even iodine solution and rolls of gauze–there was enough medical supply for an entire clinic.
Staring at the “mountain of medicine,” Megan’s jaw nearly dropped.
Did her cousin just buy out the whole pharmacy?
Shaking her head in disbelief, she carefully sifted through the pile, grabbed a few essential medications, and returned to the
apartment.
“I’ll help you apply the medicine.”
Lucas gently helped Aurora sit up, squeezing a bit of ointment onto his fingertips before carefully smoothing it over her swollen cheek.
His movements were delicate, precise–handling her as though she were the most fragile porcin.
Aurora was caught off guard by Lucas‘ gentle touch, her heartbeat spiraling out of control.
She stole a nce at him, only to find him fully focused on applying the medicine. His eyes were filled with worry and tenderness, a stark contrast to his usual distant and unreadable demeanor.
**
At that moment, her heart fluttered wildly, like a startled deer trying to escape its own emotions.
The cooling ointment carried a faint minty scent, soothing the burning sensation on her swollen cheek.
Lucas‘ fingers moved with the lightest pressure, his touch soft and deliberate. His fingertips brushed against her skin like a feather, leaving behind a trail of tingling warmth.
Feeling flustered, Aurora instinctively turned her head away, her eyes avoiding his. But despite her effort to hide her reaction, the warmth on her cheeks deepened into a telltale blush.
“Don’t move.”
His voice was low,ced with a husky undertone, firm yet impossibly gentle.
His deep gaze locked onto her, as if he wanted to see through her very soul.
Aurora’s breath hitched, and suddenly, the air in the room felt too thin.
Megan returned, hugging a box of medicine to her chest<b>, </b>only to immediately sense the charged atmosphere between them. She cleared her throat awkwardly before forcing a smile.
“Uh… I’ll go get you some water.” With that, she practically bolted out of the room<b>, </b>thoughtfully closing the door behind her. Now, only the two of them remained. The silence between them felt thick, almost tangible.
Aurora shifted ufortably, wanting to escape Lucas‘ unwavering gaze, but before she could, he gently cupped her face with both hands.
“Don’t move,” he murmured, his voice deep and maic. “Let me take a good look at you.”