Chapter 1933


    Yasmine wouldn''t face him, not when Boyd was around, but the next moment, Boyd pulled back the


    covers andy down next to her.


    She scooted back slightly, only to be stopped by Boyd''s firm grip around her waist. "What are you


    going to do?"


    Boyd inched closer, whispering, "To sleep."


    Yasmine frowned, attempting to turn away, but his hold was unyielding. "Boyd," her voice held a


    warning note.


    Unfazed, Boyd looked up at Yasmine with puppy-dog eyes. "I didn''t sleepst night."


    This sudden shift left Yasmine dumbfounded. Was this guy for real? A grown man, ying the


    sympathy card in front of her?d2


    Taking advantage of her momentary shock, Boyd nuzzled closer, eyes closed, pulling her waist


    toward him.


    Yasmine stiffened, "Boyd!"


    "Let''s just sleep a bit more. Lack of rest ages you quick."


    Yasmine was speechless.


    After a few futile attempts to break free, Yasmine resigned to her fate and drifted off again.


    Only when her breathing became steady did Boyd dare to open his eyes, red and weary. He


    watched her, blinking as little as possible, holding his breath as if even his breath could shatter the


    precious moment before him. It had been too long since he had the chance to observe her


    peacefully, up close. This scene was too precious and beautiful.


    Yasmine woke up around eight,ter than usual. Boydy quietly by her side, his face showing


    signs of fatigue despite the rest. Time had marched on over two decades, pushing everyone


    forward.


    She pursed her lips, shifted, and found she could move again. She slipped out of bed, grabbed her


    shoes, and went to freshen up in another room.


    After ensuring she was gone, Boyd slowly opened his eyes. He couldn''t sleep, not with Yasmine so


    peacefully in front of him. He didn''t want to let her go, but knowing her temper, he wouldn''t get away


    with it for long.


    She had allowed him to stay by her side, and that made him happy. He was greedy, but this was


    enough.


    After lying still for a while, Boyd got out of bed too.


    Yasmine had just finished freshening up when she found Boyd waiting, visibly more worn than


    before. She gave him a cold nce, "What do you want?"


    "Where are you heading today? I can drive you."


    Yasmine paused mid-brush, meeting Boyd''s gaze through the mirror. She decided not to dwell on


    his earlier antics, but his haggard reflection irritated her. "Don''t tell me you were faking sleep."


    "I slept."


    "The weather''s fine. I''m taking the flowers out for some sun. No ns to go out."


    A smile touched Boyd''s lips, "I''ll help."


    "Don''t bother me. Enjoying the flowers is supposed to be a pleasure. Don''t ruin it."


    With that, she tossed aside her brush and left the room, heading downstairs in a more casual, airy


    outfit fitting her gardening ns.


    After breakfast, Yasmine grabbed a trowel and watering can and headed for the backyard. Boyd,


    reassured, directed a couple of servants to assist her and then went upstairs. From his study


    window, he could see Yasmine moving the nts with practiced ease. But as she turned and looked


    directly at him, her gaze cold, Boyd recoiled and quickly shut the blinds.


    Later, feeling restless, he went to his room and fell asleep quickly from exhaustion. Waking to bright


    light, he realized it waste and hurried downstairs.


    Yasmine was watching TV on the living room sofa. She barely nced at him, catching his panicked


    look.


    Boyd rxed, "Have you had lunch?"


    She didn''t even look at him, "Why wouldn''t I? Do you think I''m stupid?"


    Boyd nodded, "Good. That’s good."


    Shortly after lunch, Herschel arrived, apanied by the same two from yesterday.


    Boyd''s mood darkened instantly. He looked at Yasmine, suddenly anxious, awkwardly trying to


    shield her from view. His gaze at Herschel was dark and threatening. "Wait in the study!"


    Herschel''s eyes left the sofa, stating tly, "Let the doctors check you. If you''re better, I''ll take them


    and leave."


    Boyd bristled with tension, sneaking another nce at Yasmine, who remained unfazed.


    "She didn''t tell you? She knew about your condition yesterday morning. No need to pretend around


    her."


    Boyd''s face froze, then he looked at Yasmine again. After a pause, his eyes darkened like a tornado


    aftermath, chaotic and devastated. "What exactly did you tell her?"


    The TV went silent. Boyd turned around, and Yasmine stood from the sofa. "That you''re mentally


    ill."


    Boyd paled, "I''m not..."


    "Boyd, you''ve been locked in the study since yesterday afternoon, and you spent the whole night


    sitting on the floor by my bed. To my knowledge, that''s not what a sane person does."


    "Yasmine..."


    "So don''t try to pretend. I tend to do things as I please, without considering others'' feelings. If I’m


    going to live with someone with a mental illness, who knows, one day, I might identally hit a


    nerve, and you''ll go crazy and hurt me."


    "I wouldn''t!"


    "Can you promise me that?"


    "I promise!"


    Yasmine let out a soft chuckle, "Do you really think I''d trust the word of a loon?"


    That term, ''loon'', it had a sting to it when overheard. Herschel had been frowning for a while now.


    She knew what she was, yet she kept poking the bear. To keep this up, anyone would start


    questioning their own sanity.


    However, Boyd didn''t show a hint of anger, despite the harsh words. His hands hung loosely by his


    sides, head slightly lowered, a picture of dejected helplessness. "I would never hurt you."


    Yasmine''s smile was faint, "I don''t believe you."


    Just four simple words, but Boyd heard the sarcasm loud and clear. She had never believed him.


    Not in the past, not now. And he had no words to make her trust him.


    "What am I to do? You say you love me, insist on having me by your side, say you want to take care


    of me, and make it up to me, but look at you, I have to be on guard every second to avoid getting


    hurt. Boyd, past or present, is your so-called love just another way to torment me? Do I have to lose


    something else to you before you''re satisfied?"


    Boyd was silent, his eyes, his whole being, radiated nothing but despair. "Please, trust me one more


    time."


    She hadn''t believed him before. Now that he was sick, she was even less likely to.


    He knew that, but what could he do? He couldn''t let her go.


    Boyd''s current state, and that word “Please,” cast a suffocating silence in the living room. For a


    moment, Yasmine felt as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room, leaving her gasping for


    air. Her eyes blinked rapidly, her fingertips trembled, suppressing the emotions welling up inside her.


    This man was both familiar and foreign to her. The once proud and confident man was nowhere to


    be found. Now, there was only this shell of a man, overly cautious, utterly humble, humbled to the


    extreme.


    Even Herschel had never seen Boyd like this. Men understand another man''s pride all too well.


    Seeing Boyd like this, he couldn''t help but me Yasmine for some of it. At the very least, it was


    she who had shattered his father''s dignity and pride, even trampling it underfoot.


    N?velDrama.Org content rights.


    Boyd''s gaze locked onto her, a mix of hope and avoidance that trapped him in a vortex of self-


    contradiction.


    Yasmine''s hands clenched the shawl in front of her tightly. After a long silence, she slowly spoke to


    Boyd, "Boyd, do you remember thest birthday gift you gave me at the orphanage?"


    Boyd paused, his eyes darkening once more. "I remember."


    "I found that empty ss jar on the bedroom windowsill yesterday."


    "I just wanted to see what wishes you had, but it seems you never used it."


    Yasmine nodded, "I never needed to before, living without a care or desire. But now, I''m thinking of


    using it."