Chapter 49: Kiss till your knees give up
Daniel remembered clearly—last night, when he had cleaned her up, there had been no wound on her palm. But now...
His brows drew together, doubt flickering in his eyes. Did something happen at her parents’ house?
The thought made his jaw tighten. He looked back at Anna, who sat stubbornly silent, and that silence was enough to spark his temper.
"Did something happen at your parents’ house?" His tone cut sharp as steel, his hand closing firmly around hers. His grip was unyielding, pressing his words into her skin as much as his voice did.
Anna blinked, startled by the simmering rage in his eyes. Why is he angry? her thoughts stumbled. Is he... worried?
"N-no, nothing happened," she stammered, tugging lightly, but his hold didn’t budge.
Daniel’s gaze darkened. "I’ll ask you one last time, Anna. Tell me how you got hurt." His voice dropped lower, heavier—so sharp it made her flinch.
Her chest tightened. She couldn’t comprehend it—why he cared, why he raised his voice. He had never looked at her this way before.
But then her shoulders slumped when realization drew in. Daniel wouldn’t give up and in the end she gave up the fight.
"I got hurt while saving a child," she murmured, her voice quiet as the memory of the near accident replayed in her mind.
Daniel froze. His expression shifted, processing her words.
"You got into an accident," he said, the statement harsh, clipped.
Anna blinked rapidly. When did I say that?
Her lips parted to argue, but the expression on Daniel’s face stopped her. Something weighed heavy there, an intensity she couldn’t read—was it anger? Was it... worry?
For a fleeting moment, she almost believed the latter. Because ever since she’d woken up, Daniel’s every word had been sharp, displeased. Yet now... now she wasn’t sure.
"How can you be so careless?"
Daniel’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Before Anna could respond, his hand closed around her wrist, dragging her toward the bed. He pressed her down firmly until she sat, stunned.
Her eyes widened as he moved with sharp efficiency, pulling open the drawer beside the bed and retrieving a first-aid kit. His fingers flipped through it swiftly until he found the ointment.
"Have you learned nothing? This—" he lifted her hand, glaring at the poorly wrapped bandage, "—this is not how you treat a wound."
His scolding tone instantly made Anna bristle. Her brows furrowed, her lips tightening in defiance.
"Listen," she snapped, tugging lightly against his grip. "I didn’t ask you to help me, okay? And I already cleaned it. So cut this crap."
Daniel’s gaze lifted, his glare sharp enough to silence the air between them. But he said nothing. Not a word.
Instead, he leaned closer, peeling away the sloppy bandage with deliberate care.
Anna inhaled sharply, watching him. He didn’t waver, didn’t flinch. His focus was entirely on her hand.
The wound itself wasn’t deep, but it had been left half-clean, careless enough to invite infection.
The silence between them stretched, heavy but unbroken. Daniel said nothing as he worked with steady precision, cleaning and dressing the wound with practiced ease.
Anna, however, couldn’t tear her gaze from him. Her mind reeled, replaying the same question over and over.
What is wrong with him? Why is he suddenly acting so... nice?
The Daniel Clafford she knew never spared her a glance. He never lingered, never cared. Yet here he was, tending her wound as if it mattered.
And wasn’t it funny? Wasn’t it cruel? Because this was the same man who hadn’t even bothered to show up when he was informed about her deteriorating health during her miscarriage. But as usual he completely ignored her and was travelling overseas for a bussiness trip
A bitter scoff slipped from her lips. She blinked hard, forcing away the sting in her eyes, masking it with sarcasm.
"Daniel," she said with a humorless chuckle, "don’t tell me you’re the one suffering a hangover."
His hand stilled, his gaze lifting to hers. She was still smiling, still laughing—but her eyes...
Her eyes betrayed her.
Anna jerked her hand free, rising abruptly to her feet. The smile fell from her lips, leaving only rawness in its wake. Her gaze bore into him, unbearable, almost accusing.
"Instead of showing me your fake kindness, why don’t you give me something real?"
Her voice was steady, but it trembled at the edges, daring him to answer, to prove her wrong.
Daniel rose slowly, meeting her eye to eye, his expression unreadable as the distance between them seemed to shrink.
For a fleeting second, Daniel thought he had glimpsed something raw in Anna’s eyes—pain, vulnerability—but it was gone as quickly as it came. What remained now was a cold, unyielding stare.
"How about you leave this room and give me some ventilation," she snapped. "Your presence is too suffocating."
"..."
Anna had had enough of him invading her space. She needed to breathe, needed him gone.
Daniel’s lips twitched, the faintest smirk tugging at them, though his eyes stayed hard. "And what if I don’t?" he asked, standing his ground.
Her response came sharp and defiant. "Then I’ll throw you out!"
He almost scoffed at her boldness, assuming it was nothing more than a bluff—until she spun around, braced herself, and shoved at his chest with all her strength.
Daniel didn’t move an inch. His stance was firm, unshakable, while Anna gritted her teeth and pushed harder.
"Argh, Daniel, I swear—if you don’t get out, I’ll kick your balls!"
The sheer audacity of her threat almost made him laugh, but before he could react, she lost her balance. Her foot slipped against the floor, and a startled cry left her lips.
"Ah—"
Before she could hit the ground, his arms wrapped around her, steadying her firmly against his chest.
Silence fell.
Anna’s breath hitched, her wide eyes locking onto his face—so close, devilishly handsome, his gaze pinning her in place. Her heart betrayed her, fluttering wildly despite every reason it had not to. Even after all this time—even after everything—he still had the power to undo her with a single look.
Daniel leaned down slightly, his voice low and dangerous, brushing the air between them.
"And if you don’t stop," he murmured, "then I’ll kiss you until your knees give up"