Amelia nodded, her tired eyes filled with a flicker of exhaustion. She forced herself to stay awake, afraid of making him angry.
Seeing her like this, James tightly embraced her waist, feeling a pang of heartache. She was so small and frail, he could hold her waist with just one hand.
Jamesâs hand gently caressed her thin back as he ran his fingers through her hair, soothing her. âIf youâre tired, just sleep.ââ
His tone softened, as if he wasnât angry or blaming her anymore.
Finally, Amelia rested her head on his firm and sturdy chest and closed her eyes lightly.
The man who held her in his arms didnât fall asleep, though. He just held her while staring at the moonlight outside the windowâ¦
Itâs unclear how much time passed when the woman in his arms suddenly spoke, âRyanâ¦â
Jamesâs heart skipped a beat, and the blood flowing through his veins seemed to freeze. Even the hands that held her grew cold.
In disbelief, he lowered his gaze and looked at the woman in his arms. He opened his mouth, wanting to ask her, but no sound came out.
She had told him that he was the only person she loved when they made love. Why did she still call out Ryanâs name in her sleep?
Did Amelia herself not know that deep down in her heart, she had always left a place for Ryan?
What were the proportions?
Did she love him more or less than James?
Feeling his body stiffen, Amelia quickly raised her head and looked at the pale-faced man. âHoney, Iâ¦â
Before she could finish her sentence, James tightly grabbed her wrist. âWhose name did you just call in your sleep?!â
He exerted a strong grip, causing Ameliaâs small and delicate hand to ache.
Enduring the pain, Amelia continued to explain, âJames, I wasnât asleep just now. I just wanted to talk to you about meeting Ryan today. I mentioned his name and then got worried that you might mind, so I didnât continue. Iâm sorry for the misunderstanding, but I didnât call his name in my sleep.â
Gradually loosening his tightly clenched hand, Jamesâs pale lips didnât regain their color. It was like the countless times before when he heard her call out Ryanâs name, making him feel uncomfortable. It was an uncontrollable discomfort that caused him to push Amelia away.
He pushed aside the covers, got out of bed, casually put on some clothes, and walked towards the desk. He took out a box of cigarettes and reached for a slender one, but Ameliaâs fair hand stopped him.
The room was not lit, only the faint moonlight seeped through the cracks in the curtains, shining upon the two of them. In this darkness, one lowered her head while the other looked up, looking at each other.
In the end, Amelia reached out with both hands and circled Jamesâs waist, snuggling into his embrace. She murmured, âHavenât I told you why I used to call out Ryanâs name in my sleep?â