Chapter 24: Where Is Your Ring?
With a resigned sigh, Kourtney picked up the hospital menu. “So what would you like to eat, Your Highness?”
“I don’t eat hospital food. My Assistant will bring in the meal my personal Chef made.”
Kourtney eyed him annoyingly. The man had a thing for always showing off, never missing an opportunity to flaunt his wealth and privileged lifestyle. His arrogant manners kind of made her want to punch him across his devilishly handsome face.
“Must be nice,” she muttered under her breath.
“Well, when you’re used to a certain standard, settling for less just isn’t an option,” Sebastian smirked, seemingly unfazed by her remark while Kourtney rolled her eyes.
A few minutes later, Jamie rolled in a trolley containing dishes that would make even the most perceptive food critic’s mouth water.
Kourtney couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the spectacle. Each dish looked like it had been carefully crafted to nourish and delight the senses. The centerpiece was a rich, velvety soup in an ornate bowl.
Even the aroma that wafted through the hospital room was nothing short of heavenly!
Kourtney grudgingly poured a generous portion of the soup into an elegant bowl and then picked up a tablespoon.
“I can’t believe I left my work for this,” she cursed under her breath before sitting beside Sebastian on the bed.
She blew on the soup to cool it before pointing it at his mouth.
“Here, have your soup. But remember, I’m not your permanent nurse.”
Sebastian quickly lowered his head to accept the food, his demeanor appearing somewhat subdued now that he was getting what he wanted. To be fed and nurtured by his wife!
As he savored the first spoonful of the exquisite soup, a look of genuine pleasure washed over Sebastian’s face, momentarily softening his features more. Even his typical aloof expression was devoid of his usual royal airs.
“Mmm.”
His eyes never left Kourtney as she carefully brought the spoon to his lips again. It was as if he was testing her, not the food. His gaze lingered on her face, his eyes tracing every contour and feature as if committing them to memory.
His usually guarded and calculating eyes softened as they followed Kourtney’s every move and the way her fingers carefully and delicately lifted the spoon.
Kourtney was aware of the intense look Sebastian was giving her, and this made her blush, feeling so awkward at the intimate moment.
Meanwhile, Jamie and the others quickly left to give them privacy. And the room, once filled with the tension of their banter, now had an air of unexpected tenderness.
Kourtney watched as he continued to enjoy the soup she fed, slowly savoring each spoonful as if it were a rare delicacy. Catering to her husband’s desires wasn’t feeling too bad, after all. She found that she liked it, which was so unexpected.
Sebastian, known for his extravagant lifestyle, had always been a man who enjoyed the finest things in life. He had a penchant for luxury, whether it was the opulent mansions he owned or the designer clothes that filled his walk-in closet.
And now, Kourtney had learned early on in their marriage that his meals were not to be taken lightly. They were made so elegantly and meticulously as if he was some “Arab Prince.” She couldn’t help but sneer at the thought as she continued to feed him in silence.Original from NôvelDrama.Org.
Just then, Sebastian’s piercing gaze bore into her tiny finger. His eyes darkened in an instant. He spoke up, breaking the dead silence with a low growl.
“Your ring! Where’s your wedding ring?
“UUh?” Kourtney stammered, her heart racing as she looked down at her bare finger.
“Why ain’t you wearing your goddam ring?” Sebastian’s tone was cold and accusatory as he leaned forward, his eyes locked onto hers.
“Uhmm… It’s home. I left it at home.”
“And why would you do that?” he snapped.
Sebastian was wearing his ring which was gleaming with the brightness of wealth and tradition. He didn’t for once think of ever taking it off since she put it on him about four days ago.
The stark contrast between his adorned hand and Kourtney’s bare one was glaring, and he felt his anger rising. The absence of her ring gnawed at him like an itch he couldn’t scratch.
“Uhmm… Actually… I… I don’t wear it to work.”
“WHY?? Why not?” Sebastian demanded with a rough and dangerous edge to his voice, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.
His anger was glaring as his eyes showed a new reddish shade. The intensity behind it was unmistakable. It was as if a switch had been flipped within him.
Kourtney watched as his jaw clenched and his eyes bore into her with a ferocity that sent shivers down her spine. The room suddenly felt suffocating for her as she took deep breaths.
She had heard stories from the media about how Sebastian could transform into a different kind of monster when he got angry about something. Whispers about his explosive temper when something didn’t go his way were also rampant.
Her nervousness grew as she fumbled for an explanation.
“It’s… it’s because it’s too expensive,” she finally admitted, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“I didn’t want it to draw attention to me at my workplace,” she added honestly.
Not everyone can have the guts to walk around with a ring worth over 80 million dollars, to be honest. She sincerely took it off so as not to garner unnecessary attention not just at work but from everyone else, especially after that row with Kathlyn over the authenticity of the ring. How many more people would she have to argue with over it?
Sebastian’s sharp gaze didn’t waver, but there was a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Perhaps he hadn’t expected that explanation. He leaned back on the bed, his gaze still locked on her, and Kourtney felt like she was under a microscope.
“I see,” Sebastian replied. His voice was slightly softer but still filled with a hint of irritation.
“Uhmm… Yeah,” Kourtney said awkwardly.
“Too expensive, uh? Do you think I care about the cost of the damn rings? It’s a symbol of our commitment, Kourtney, not just a piece of jewelry. You should wear it. Always,” Sebastian said firmly, his superiority leaving no room for argument.
Kourtney’s cheeks flushed. The last thing she wanted right now was to argue with the man over this topic. “Sure. I will.”
Sebastian’s gaze remained fixed on her like a laser. “Just make sure to wear it at all times.”
“I said I will. Now, open your mouth. I don’t have all day to feed you.”
“Hmmm.”
They both did not say anything else, and she continued to feed him until he nearly emptied the big bowl of soup. Kourtney wondered how the man had such a big appetite when he was a patient. Perhaps, he wasn’t sick at all!
As the last spoonful disappeared, Sebastian’s huge baritone voice cut through the dead silence again. He said something he probably hadn’t told anyone in a long time, making the words sound foreign from his lips.
“Thank you.”
Kourtney, caught off guard by the tenderness in his gaze, felt a blush creeping up her cheeks. She smiled, appreciating the glimpse of her cold husband’s softer side.
“You’re welcome, I guess.”
Sebastian cleared his throat, regaining his usual stoic expression. Since when did he ever express gratitude to anyone?
“Don’t get used to hearing that from me, though!”
Kourtney sneered. “Well… Whatever! Mr. Grumpy Pants.”
The man was simply impossible. One moment, he was vulnerable, expressing gratefulness, and the next, he retreated behind the walls of his arrogance and pridefulness. One could tell that he had an ego the size of Mount Everest!
“Is there anything else you’d like, my dear husband?” she asked sarcastically.
Sebastian looked at her, his eyes searching for something she couldn’t quite understand. He watched her with a predatory glint in his eyes, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.
“Just some water.”
Kourtney nodded and poured a glass of water from the pitcher on the bedside table. As she handed it to him, their fingers brushed briefly, sending a shudder down her spine. She quickly pulled her hand away and turned to distance herself from him, but he pulled her into his lap.
His movement was so swift, and she hadn’t seen it coming.
“You… Wwhat are you doing?” she stammered. Her heart raced while her voice betrayed a mixture of surprise and unease.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Sebastian’s chuckle was low and seductive.