To Love a Shadow, To Be the Sun novel Chapter 175

Jason and Ryan both froze, their faces stiffening at once.

The two men stared into the room, eyes wide, as if trying to catch a glimpse of what sort of delicate woman could possibly make a sound that even their uncle Zane couldn't resist.

Jason suddenly realized how inappropriate this was. Snapping back to his senses, he tried to cover for Zane, "Did Uncle Zane get a cat?"

"Don't be ridiculous. What kind of cat makes noises like that?" Ryan's clueless mind hadn't caught on, and his attempt at imitation came out as an awkward yelp.

Jason was about to curse him out when Zane's expression didn't even flicker. He coolly replied, "It's the AI voice assistant."

Then, with a sharp bang, he slammed the door shut.

"What kind of smart assistant sounds that seductive?" Ryan muttered to himself.

Jason shot him a look like he was the village idiot, then turned on his heel and walked off.

…

Elara was trapped in the cramped space behind the door, pushing with all her might. The door wouldn't budge.

"Zane!"

Just as she braced herself for another shove, the door suddenly swung closed. She stumbled forward, nearly falling.

Zane's reflexes were lightning-quick. He caught her around the waist, lifted her effortlessly, and cradled her in his arms.

"Put me down!" Elara squirmed and kicked, her voice sharp with annoyance. "Who I go to is none of your business!"

Zane ignored her resistance, striding straight toward the bathroom. His tone was calm, almost detached. "You need to cool off."

He flicked the shower on—water already set to a gentle, warm temperature—and the spray cascaded down.

But Elara still shuddered under the water. No one had ever handled her this way, as if she was some troublesome mess that needed to be forcibly subdued.

She snatched the showerhead from his hand and turned it on him instead.

"Can't you tell I'm not feeling well? How is this supposed to help?"

Zane calmly turned off the water. His expensive dress shirt was now see-through, clinging to the sharp lines of his chest, but he didn't flinch or even frown. His dark eyes regarded her in quiet silence.

Elara's anger deflated all at once.

She slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, hugging her throbbing head. Her voice dropped to a murmur.

"Thanks for getting me out of that mess, but I'm really not in a good place right now… Can I use your bathroom for the night? I'll handle it myself."

He didn't finish. Zane already saw where this was headed. He picked up his phone and dialed.

Outside the hotel, Jason's phone rang.

Seeing Zane's name on the screen, he took a deep breath before answering.

"Uncle."

"Go to the ninth floor and pick up something for me. I'll come down in half an hour."

"Got it."

Quincy caught on instantly and quickly went to make arrangements.

Zane walked to the bathroom door and knocked.

The female doctor stepped out. "Mr. Lawrence, the combination of acupuncture and cooling therapy worked. She's feeling much better now."

"Get her a change of clothes. Once she's stable, you're free to go."

The doctor nodded. "Of course, sir. I'll see to it."