Chapter 2109


    What the heck was he babbling about!


    "I''m stiff as a board, can''t dance a step."


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    Azriel would have none of it. "Just do the Bunny Hop."


    Phoebe froze for a moment, then her entire face suddenly turned beet red. "I... I don’t know how."


    Azriel reached over, grabbed his phone, and after a few taps, the familiar yet foreign tune filled the


    hospital room. The moment the intro hit, Phoebe wished the earth would swallow her whole.


    "You... you..." She red at Azriel, her face so hot she could probably cook an egg on it.d2


    Out of all the songs in the world, why on earth did it have to be this one? She had been the butt of


    the joke in her family for years because of that dance.


    Back in the day, she had performed it at a school event, showing off to her grandparents the day


    before. Everyone had pped and praised her, except for one good-looking boy who had


    dismissively said, "It''s alright."


    To a child, there''s only pretty or ugly. She couldn''t ept such a lukewarm review, so her


    confidence took a nosedive, and on the following day, she was pushed on stage unwillingly and


    ended up crying through the entire routine.


    She remembered the intermittentughter from the audience and couldn’t understand why they


    found joy in her misery.


    Little did she know, the performance was recorded and her grandparents had shamelessly unted


    it every chance they got. People would bring it up even now, yearster. She wouldn’t be surprised


    if the video was still floating around online.


    Why was this embarrassing memory resurfacing here and now?


    "You really can''t dance?"


    Azriel was undeniably bored and just looking for augh at her expense. Seeing her blush with


    mortification, he persisted, phone in hand, "Let me find you a tutorial video. You''ll pick it up after one


    watch."


    "No!" Phoebe shot out her hand in a stop sign, "No, no, no, no! I... I can do it, I just can''t do it well,


    but that doesn''t mean I can''t dance."


    Azriel arched an eyebrow, nodded, and after swiping on his phone for a bit, he said, "Alright, let''s


    see it then."


    The music from the phone started again. Phoebe, with her eyes closed, took deep breaths until the


    crucial moment when, resigned to her fate, she opened her eyes and started her stiff, awkward


    dance moves.


    The sight was cringeworthy, and it made Azriel look like he had a twisted sense of humor. Once


    wasn''t enough; he had her do it a second time, and Phoebe was grinding her teeth.


    You build up a tolerance for embarrassment, she thought. If at first, the prospect of dancing your


    most embarrassing dance alone in a hospital room made you want to vanish into thin air, by the


    second round, it felt like no big deal.


    However, just as she was mustering her resolve, the door to the room burst open without warning.


    Phoebe stiffened, staring nkly at the doorway.


    Azriel''s assistant Jace was frozen at the entrance, hand still on the doorknob, equally stunned for a


    moment.


    There stood Phoebe, hands poised like bunny ears atop her head, knees bent as if ready to


    bounce. Dressed in simple jeans and a knit burnt orange sweater with a delicate whitece cor,


    she really did look like a carrot-loving bunny.


    Jace''s gaze flipped between her and Azriel, who typically wore an air of aloof detachment but now


    sported a faint, almost schadenfreude smirk.


    Remembering the odd message he had received not long ago, Jace suspected that Azriel had


    anticipated this scene.


    Regaining herposure, Phoebe quickly dropped the act, pretending to be calm as she downed


    two sses of water, her eyes ring through the clear ss at the man on the bed who seemed to


    be asking for a p, her palms itching with the urge.


    Azriel nced at Jace, who had just entered, and his face slowly became more serious.


    Sensing her intense gaze, Azriel''s cool eyes met hers. "What are you looking at?"


    Phoebe bit her lip, set down the ss, and shook her head, "Nothing. Since you guys have


    business, I''ll just head out."


    As Jace handed over some documents, Azriel gave a nomittal "Hmm."


    With that, Phoebe was out the door. But just as she was about to escape, Azriel''s voice, chilly as


    ice, followed her, "Come back in half an hour, or else."


    Phoebe took a deep breath, then turned with a forced smile, "Okay," she said before slipping out


    and softly shutting the door behind her.


    Once out of sight, her expression fell. She mentally cursed Azriel out, and the embarrassment from


    earlier came flooding back. Her cheeks burned with shame as she grimaced, covering her face as


    she scurried away.


    Back in the room, Jace briefed Azriel on the Alonso family''stest antics and the mishap at the


    Bowles'' dim-witted heir''s birthday bash.


    When he mentioned that the Alonsos had been plotting to "sell" Phoebe off, especially during their


    recent close call, Azriel''s grip on the documents tightened.


    Jace added, "Ms. Phoebe''s been associating with the Harper family a lottely. Someone must''ve


    tipped her off, or else with her nature, she wouldn''t have acted out."


    So, without that tip-off, she would have likely fallen into their trap.


    Azriel''s eyes narrowed, and Jace felt a chill in the air.


    *


    When Jace left the hospital, he ran into Phoebe at the entrance. They exchanged polite greetings.


    Remembering the chill in the room and seeing Phoebe enjoying ice cream despite the cold, Jace


    couldn''t help butment, "Ms. Alonso, it''s chilly out. Ice cream isn''t great for a woman''s health."


    Phoebe waved him off, "I''ve got too much fire inside. This is literally saving my life."


    Thest few words seemed to be squeezed through clenched teeth. Jace couldn''t help but find it


    slightly amusing. He paused before adding, "Anyway, Ms. Alonso, it might be better to eat a bit less.


    Do you have ns for lunch, or are you going to use the hospital cafeteria? Do you want me to


    arrange something for you?"


    "Uh?" Phoebe paused and looked up at the hospital hall clock.


    It was indeed noon. Reminded like this, she suddenly felt her stomach growl in hunger.


    The previous night, she had only nibbled on a cucumber and a tomato, since she was keeping vigil


    by Azriel''s side, and had missed breakfast altogether. Thinking about it now, she must be on the


    brink of fainting from hunger.


    ncing down at the ice cream she held in her hand, she quickly took a bite. The cold rush gave


    her a shiver, and with a twirl of her deep brown eyes, she grinned at Jace and said, "I might need to


    take care of Mr. Azriel for a few more days, so I need to get a sense of his tastes. How about you


    arrange some of his favorite dishes for me today? I can try them out and maybe make them for him


    later."


    "Make them for Mr. Azriel?" Jace couldn''t help but ask, his gaze sweeping across the hospital lobby


    before settling on Phoebe with a hint of wariness, "Are you sure?"


    "Er..." Phoebe looked a bit embarrassed, "Cooking isn''t really that hard, you know. The incident was


    just an ident. It''s not about my cooking skills, it was the instant noodles—they were expired!"


    Jace thought to himself. “Poor instant noodles, taking the brunt of the me.”


    But considering Phoebe meant well and had asked him to arrange lunch, he guessed he might as


    well do as she asked. "Alright, I''ll have someone bring the food over to you in a bit."


    Phoebe''s eyes instantly lit up.


    Humming a tune, she made her way back to the room where Azriel watched her move from the


    door to the couch, her carefree demeanor coupled with Jace''s words darkening his already somber


    expression. "You seem happy?"


    Phoebe nced at him, startled by the gloom that lingered on his face.


    "Can''t I be happy?"


    Azriel stared at her silently, the chilly silence making Phoebe feel inexplicably out of sorts.


    After a while, as she began to frown slightly, Azriel said coolly, "Of course."


    Crazy mood swings, she thought. Why so moody all of a sudden?


    But the thought of the uing lunch perked her up and she shed him a bright, toothy smile. Her


    cheeks, with just a hint of baby fat, seemed so supple, her glowing skin blushing like the inside of a


    ripe peach. Her clear eyes were utterly guileless, even a bit goofy. Such a girl ought to be happy like


    this all the time.


    Azriel''s gaze softened as he picked up some documents from the side, his voice gentle, "What''s got


    you in such a good mood?"


    Phoebe raised an eyebrow in triumph, "You''ll see soon enough."


    Before long, the room''s coffee table wasden with an array of dishes, filling the room with the


    scent of a hearty meal.


    Phoebe ate with her eyes sparkling, circling the table with gusto.


    When Azriel first saw the spread, his face grew a shade darker, a suspicion taking root in his mind


    but without confirmation. He wasn''t quite sure until the woman finally sat down next to him with a


    te and ate with her mouth full. She was doing this on purpose.


    "Didn''t know you had such good taste.


    "Are these all your favorite dishes?


    "Are you hungry?


    "Too bad, you can''t eat anything right now."


    Azriel was speechless. He decided to take back his earlier thoughts. That face of hers was made for


    crying. Her crying would be the most pleasing sight.