Watch him a little more

After Theron left, a gust of wind blew through the quiet hospital room.
The nurse, who had been startled to see Selene with her bandages removed, finally realized their mistake and apologized.
Although Theron and the people around her had misunderstood that she was seriously injured, it was true that she had fainted, so Selene also decided to let the matter go quietly.
The hospital also recommended that she stay hospitalized until the next day in case there were any other aftereffects, so she had no choice but to stay.
Nevertheless, Selene was able to spend the time in this meaningless flow of time peacefully, without feeling anxious or uneasy.
Although she couldn’t practice the piano, it wasn’t a bad idea to rest on this occasion, and she had also heard from Theron that Evelyn was safe.
‘And I also got to know a little more about Theron through this incident.’
Although she had known for a while that Theron had wounds from his past and family, it was the first time he had brought it up himself, so it was quite meaningful to Selene.
On top of that, the sight of Theron, who had rushed to the hospital room like a madman and rambled on with strange words, would become one of her unforgettable memories.
Selene’s lips curved gently as she recalled that sight.
Even though it was winter, it felt as if a tender flower bud had bloomed in her chest.
Every time she met Theron, this flower bud asserted its presence.
She had thought her chest was made of hard concrete, but it seemed there was a soft part.
So, Selene wanted to spend more time with Theron.
Then wouldn’t she be able to know how soft this soft part could get, and whether she could make this flower bud bloom?
“Selene!”
Just as Selene was enjoying the silence by herself, recalling various things, an intruder burst in.
It was Evelyn, who was finally allowed to visit.
Behind her was Orlando, who seemed to have come with her, but Evelyn didn’t mind him and hurried to Selene, who was sitting on the bed.
“Selene…! I’m so glad you’re safe! Do you know how worried I was? The hospital just said you hadn’t woken up yet and needed to rest, and they wouldn’t even tell me how badly you were hurt, even though they said you had burns on your face…!”
Evelyn’s eyes were swollen as if she had cried all night in worry.
“And in the midst of that, I thought I was going to go crazy seeing people being carried away on stretchers, all blackened, at the department store! But all I could do was ask to have you moved to a special room and pay the hospital bills, so I was so frustrated!”
So, the reason she was in a special room after losing consciousness was probably because of Evelyn.
Although Evelyn said she was frustrated because there was nothing she could do in that situation, Selene thought she had done the most important thing.
‘If I had used a regular room, the surroundings would have been noisy.’
She hated noise.
“But still, it’s a relief. That your face wasn’t hurt… I was so dumbfounded when I heard that at the reception. I wanted to complain because I felt wronged for crying yesterday…! No, I should complain a little right now…”
“Evelyn, that’s enough. Selene seems to be out of it.”
At the right moment, Orlando stopped the excited Evelyn.
Evelyn blushed in embarrassment, realizing she had raised her voice for a moment.
“…Anyway, I wanted to say I’m relieved. As long as you’re not hurt, Selene. But… did Mr. Cox come by here yesterday?”
Evelyn asked, glancing at Orlando who was standing next to her.
“Yes, Theron came by.”
“Hmm… I thought so.”
Although she wanted to say something, Evelyn kept her mouth shut, glancing at Orlando.
As if there was something she wanted to say but couldn’t because he was there.
“Selene. I was also very surprised when I heard what Evelyn said yesterday. Now I can be relieved that nothing happened.”
While Evelyn was silent for a moment, Orlando spoke.
“Thank you, uncle.”
“No. Of course I should take care of you. You’re the only daughter Nicholas left in this world.”
His gently curved lips and eyes were as affectionate as when he looked at Evelyn.
When Selene saw this side of Orlando, she would question her grandmother’s warning.
Her grandmother’s warning not to trust her uncle.
Although she knew she was not the type to say useless things, the uncle she had seen at her parents’ grave and the uncle now seemed to be genuinely worried about her, without a doubt.
“Evelyn. Now that we’ve confirmed that Selene is safe, we should probably be going.”
“Dad, you said you have a military meeting in the afternoon, right? I’ll stay a little longer.”
Orlando sighed at his stubborn daughter’s appearance and touched his forehead, but he nodded without another word.
“Don’t bother Selene.”
Orlando left the hospital room after telling Selene he would check on her again soon.
Thud.
As the door closed and the two were left alone, Evelyn muttered with dissatisfaction.
“Anyway, dad can’t stand to see me with you.”
Selene looked at Evelyn at that murmur.
“…Uncle?”
“Ah, no! Dad probably thinks I’m always bothering you. He keeps telling me to leave you alone.”
Evelyn, who was glaring at the hospital room door, explained in a startled manner.
Selene accepted that explanation.
Her uncle had always thought she was much more mature than Evelyn.
“By the way, of all days, for such an accident to happen on the day you visited the department store. You have no idea how surprised I was when I heard that the private salon you were in had completely burned down.”
“Were many people hurt?”
“They were. It was a big fire, after all. But thankfully, there were no deaths. And the department store only had a fire in the east wing, so they don’t have to close for a long time.”
Selene nodded.
“Oh, right. I called grandmother and told her not to worry. Since you weren’t seriously injured, there’s no need for her to come all the way to Cantora.”
That was a really good thing to do.
It wasn’t a big enough deal to make her elderly grandmother move.
And if the two of them were alone in this silent hospital room, there would be nothing more uncomfortable.
“But you have no idea how much I had to sweat to convince her to stay, even though she insisted on coming to the end? I had no idea grandmother would act so fussily.”
“Grandmother?”
“Yes. Your grandmother, whom you resemble so much, the previous Duchess of Ashcombe.”
It was hard for Selene to believe.
The grandmother she knew was not a person who would act fussily like Evelyn.
“Still, we’re her only two granddaughters, I guess. Though it seems she doesn’t cherish me that much. It’s all dad’s fault.”
“Grandmother considers you and Uncle Orlando to be separate.”
“I don’t know. Honestly, how many people can think of them separately like that?”
Evelyn shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, as if it didn’t matter.
“By the way, Selene. You said Mr. Cox came by yesterday, right?”
“Yes.”
“Do you know where Mr. Cox heard the news that you were hurt?”
Come to think of it, she had been out of it yesterday and hadn’t been able to ask about it.
Unless he was spying on her, there was no way Theron would have known about her accident right away.
“You don’t know, do you? Mr. Cox heard it from me.”
Selene slowly closed and opened her eyes.
“Did you run into him by chance?”
“By chance? Should I call that a coincidence… I went to dad’s office, and Mr. Cox was there.”
‘Theron in uncle’s office?’
As she heard that, a fragment of an old memory came to her.

“I don’t know if you know me, but my name is Theron Cox. I run a small business, and I have a friendly relationship with Colonel Ashcombe…”

Come to think of it, Theron, who was introducing himself at their first meeting, had said that.
Although he hadn’t been able to continue his introduction because of her words that she wasn’t interested, she vaguely remembered the beginning part.
But if there was something strange…
‘Theron has rarely talked about uncle.’
In the meantime, Evelyn had become as serious as a private detective chasing a murder case.
“I was out of my mind that day, so I didn’t find it strange, but looking back, it’s so strange. The place Mr. Cox came out of was the office, but dad usually meets guests in the drawing-room. He only meets people there when he’s talking about something secretive.”
“Are you trying to say uncle met Theron secretly?”
As Selene pointed it out, Evelyn clapped her hands.
“That’s right!”
“Why?”
“Why did they meet secretly…? Well, I don’t know either.”
It was surely for a trivial reason.
Although her uncle was a soldier, he might have met Theron for work, or he might have talked to the person his late brother’s daughter was dating once out of concern.
‘The latter is a bit fussy, though.’
But other than that, there was no reason for her uncle to meet Theron secretly.
“Selene… I’m just saying this out of an abundance of caution. If you’re thinking of marrying that man, Theron Cox, you should watch him a little more.”
At the cautious voice that was heard then, Selene turned her gaze to Evelyn.