"I''m sorry. If you don''t want to see me, I''ll leave right now." With that, Yvonne frantically turned to go.


    But Bet held on to her hand, his grip tightening as his face turned ashen.


    In his effort to stop her, he forced himself out of bed, identally yanking on his IV line. The needle ripped from the back of his hand, drawing a spurt of blood.


    "Yvonne! Are you going to leave me again?"


    His voice was incredibly hoarse as he practically roared the words at her.


    Yvonne froze, staring at him dumbly. Her vision blurred as tears welled up and spilled from her eyes.


    He had called her Yvonne, not Yvonne. Did that mean he had recognized her all along?


    The sight of her tears immediately softened Bet''s demeanor. He cupped her pale face with his cool hands, his long fingers gently wiping away her tears.


    "When I was shot, all I could think was, if I died, would you even care? Yvonne, I wanted you to feel the same pain I felt when I lost you. But when you''re in pain, I''m the one who hurts... Were you born just to torture me?"


    Yvonne choked back a sob, shaking her head.


    "Ben..." she whispered, her lips trembling, but before she could say more, he leaned in and silenced her with a kiss.


    He kissed her fiercely, almost punishingly, unleashing a storm in her mouth.


    Yvonne stumbled backward under the force of his kiss until her back hit the wall.


    Bet braced one hand against the wall, his other arm wrapping around her slender waist, pulling her so close it felt as if he wanted to merge their bodies into


    one.


    It was a wild, passionate kiss that left Yvonne breathless.


    Fearing she might actually suffocate, he finally, reluctantly, let her go.


    Yvonne sagged against him, gasping for air, her mind aplete nk. A momentter, she felt a sense of weightlessness as Bet lifted her into his arms.


    His body trembled slightly from the strain of his injuries, but his steps were steady.


    "Bet, are you insane?" Yvonne cried out, afraid to struggle for fear of tearing his wound open again.


    Bet didn''t answer. He carried her to the bed,id her down, and then followed, covering her body with his.


    He looked at her with a soft, tender gaze, as if trying to etch her image into his very soul.


    Then, he leaned down and kissed her again.


    Two people who had once been deeply in love, separated for so long, and now having survived a brush with death.


    Yvonne didn''t push him away this


    time. The lingering, tender kiss slowly spiraled out of control. Just


    as they were lost in each other, the dog to the room was suddenly thrown open.


    The scene that greeted Ynda made her freeze in ce. A momentter, she let


    out a strangled, horrified scream. "What... what are you doing?"


    Ynda''s shrill voice shattered the intimate atmosphere.


    Yvonne''s senses came rushing back. Her body went rigid, and she


    began to tremble uncon & she


    felt caught, exposed, and utterly humiliated.


    Bet, however, remained perfectly calm.


    He pulled the nket up, gently covering Yvonne''s body to protect her modesty.


    Only then did he turn to look at Ynda, his expression deep andposed.


    He offered no exnation. Instead, he called out to the person outside the door. "Simon."


    "Mr. Thompson." Simon entered, his head slightly bowed, looking like he had done something wrong.


    He was now regretting letting Yvonne in. Or no, he should have regretted letting Ms. Walker in.