Erick kept soothing Elin with gentle strokes on her back.
The subtle scent of sandalwood emanating from Erickâs body enveloped Elin, offering a comforting embrace that seemed to ease her turmoil.
She held onto him tightly, as if he were the sole beacon of hope in her lifeâs darkness.
Instead of returning to Elinâs apartment, the car proceeded to Erickâs villa.
Upon arrival, Elin remained in the car, gazing at the house but hesitant to step out.
Erick opened the car door and stooped to lift her, his arms supporting her back with a chivalrous touch, creating a sense of warmth and security.
It was clear that he paid attention to every detail.
Once inside the bedroom, Erick gently laid Elin down and suggested, âIâll prepare a bath for you to relax in.
Then, weâll have dinner together.
â
Elin clutched at his shirt and said uneasily, âI should go backâ¦â
But Erick promptly vetoed the idea and asserted, âYouâll stay here until weâve sorted out the situation with Dayton.
Itâs not safe for you to stay at your place.
â
With that, he proceeded to draw a bath before returning downstairs with a bag containing clean clothes, thoughtfully prepared by his assistant.
After placing them by the bathtub, he left the room to give her privacy.
âs BunnyBookery The warm bath eased Elinâs tension, leaving her feeling much more comfortable.
The meal, skillfully prepared by the villaâs housekeeper, was both light and nourishing.
Elin could only manage to eat a small amount before feeling full.
But Erickâs encouragement led her to eat almost half of her meal.
Later that evening, Erick returned with a first aid kit to tend to Elinâs injuries.
Under the soft glow of the roomâs lights, his focused attention exuded a captivating charm.
Lost in her thoughts, Elin found herself gazing at him until their eyes met.
Embarrassed, she quickly looked away.
However, Erick gently lifted her chin and whispered, âFeel free to look.
I donât charge.
â
Elinâs cheeks flushed crimson at his words.
The meticulous arrangements Erick had made helped dissipate almost entirely the fear she had felt.
Seeing Elinâs dispirited appearance at the police station had pained Erick deeply, causing him to no longer dwell on her previous distant behavior toward him.
Men like Erick admired and pursued by many, often held strong pride.
Even if it was just companionship, he hoped for genuine affection, not fickleness.
Elinâs casual mention of having accustomed to being Daytonâs wife had wounded his pride deeply.
Despite having grown up together like childhood sweethearts, it seemed to Erick that Elin placed more value on Dayton, who had suddenly appeared and treated her poorly.
Even though she claimed not to love Dayton anymore, it still stung, as they had surely married for love initially.
Erick knew he couldnât have entered the picture at all if it hadnât been for Daytonâs mistreatment of Elin, which led her to give up on Dayton.
Erick tried not to dwell on these thoughts, feeling somewhat embarrassed for pondering such concerns.