Aurelia crossed her arms,a cold smile tugging at her lips as she looked down at him.The man understood at once and began slapping himself across the face.
Only when his cheeks were swollen and bleeding did Aurelia finally speak.“Get lost.If I ever see you bullying my friend again,it won’t end this easily.”
The men scrambled away in fear.
When she looked at Astrid in her arms,the girl’s eyes were filled with admiration.“Aurelia,you were so cool just now.”
Aurelia let out a laugh at the blunt compliment,and just as she was about to answer,the door was suddenly kicked open from outside.
“Astrid!”
Santino rushed in,still wearing his lab coat,clearly having come straight from work after hearing the news.
When his eyes landed on the marks across Astrid’s face and the broken glass scattered on the floor,fury flashed through him.He pulled Astrid behind him,his expression dark.
“Aurelia,don’t go too far!”
Aurelia froze at the sudden scolding,the smile on her lips stiffening.
Astrid quickly tried to defend her.“No,it wasn’t like that.Aurelia saved me.”
But Santino refused to believe it.“Astrid,you don’t need to speak for her.I know exactly what kind of person she is.”
Cruel and ruthless,willing to do anything for her goals,a woman who,when rumors weren’t enough,even went as far as hurting his mother.
Aurelia paused,then let out a bitter laugh.“In your eyes,am I really that low?”
Santino ignored her words,let out a cold snort,then lifted Astrid into his arms and carried her away.
Watching his retreating back,Aurelia lost all mood to continue drinking.
Now she even wished Santino would misunderstand her,wished he would be angry with her,because even a quarrel felt better than this cold indifference.
Back home,Aurelia’s head throbbed again.The tumor inside her skull was like a nail driven deep,forcing her to remember her love for Santino with every breath while making her suffer all the same.
Late at night,as the pain grew unbearable,she fumbled for her phone in a daze and blindly sent out a message.The moment it was sent,her strength gave way,and she sank into unconsciousness.
When she woke,Santino was sitting quietly at her bedside,watching her.
Seeing her stir,he didn’t leave as he once would,and for a fleeting moment,Aurelia felt as if she had gone back to the days when he had guarded her with tenderness.