Chapter 308
Thanks to the spiritual water, Suzy’s wounds were already healing, though the soreness and stiffness of the surrounding tissue remained.
Everyone insisted on her taking several more days to rest, but Suzy was resolute in her decision––after what had happened in Liam’s apartment, he and Noah could no longer remain there, especially on their own.
At first, she did consider bringing both of them to her second apartment, but she was still uncertain about the consequences of revealing her safe house to him. After all, he was not bonded to her, leaving him an easy target for others.
What if he broke under pressure and revealed her secrets to the enemy?
No matter how she looked at it, the disadvantages were still there.
Thus, after careful consideration and a lengthy discussion with the others, they had made a decision to move Liam and Noah to the Edison brothers’ apartment instead.
While Suzy was recovering, she was invited to stay with them along with Leonard and Thomas. For the time being...
***
One evening, Suzy woke up from her nap and heard some noise coming from the living room. She rubbed her eyes, wrapped the blanket around her shoulders and stepped out of the room, instantly startled by the scene that unfolded before her.
Everyone was gathered around, playing cards, while Derek was sitting in the chair next to the couch, flipping through a book.
"Suzy, you’re awake!" Derek noticed her instantly. "Did the noise wake you up?"
She glanced at Derek, then looked over at the group of people gathering in the living room to play cards, a faint smile brushing her lips.
"How is this noisy?" she said. "It’s just lively. I like it."
The bustling scene before her briefly made her feel as though she were back in the days before the apocalypse.
It felt surreal.
Derek frowned. His gaze swept over the fresh deck of playing cards in Lucas’s hands, then over to Elijah, who was already rolling up his sleeves, looking ready for a fierce match. Derek’s brow furrowed even deeper.
"Suzy, your injuries haven’t healed completely yet. You need rest," he said, dropping his voice. "There are too many people here, and it’s loud. You’ll get tired if you stay too long."
Suzy knew he meant well, but she truly didn’t want to leave just yet. She was a little greedy for this chaotic, warm atmosphere.
"Just a little longer," she murmured. "Just a little bit."
Derek parted his lips, wanting to argue further, but meeting her gaze, he swallowed his words. He stopped pressing her, though he didn’t entirely give up either; he simply leaned back in his chair and waved for her to sit on the couch.
He was waiting for his chance—the exact moment she showed a hint of exhaustion—so he could sweep her away to rest.
Lucas had already unwrapped the cards and was dumping them onto the table. Elijah squatted by the edge of his chair, his eyes gleaming.
"What are we playing next? Poker? Spoons? Rummy" Lucas asked.
"Let’s play Poker, more people can join," Elijah suggested.
"Alright, Poker it is."
After a few rounds, even Leonard and Thomas joined in. Suzy didn’t participate in the games, content to watch from the sidelines, finding the whole display quite entertaining.
The room was filled with the boisterous, cheerful chatter of the group. As Suzy watched them, lost in thought, Derek was eventually dragged into the game by the others.
At first, he resisted, wanting only to stay by Suzy’s side. But as he watched, he found himself intrigued. With a few playful shoves and taunts from the group, he couldn’t help but jump in.
Once he started, there was no stopping.
As more people joined, they simply sat in a circle on the floor to make things easier.
Now, Suzy was left sitting alone on the sofa. It felt a bit lonely. She leaned back lazily against the cushions, wrapped in a blanket.
Her gaze drifted casually across the room, soon landing on a figure not far away.
It was Liam, who had just stepped out of the bedroom.
Noah had grown drowsy after eating his fill and wanted to sleep, so Liam had escorted him to the room and tidied up a bit while he was at it. He hadn’t joined the others for cards, and having finally finished his tasks, he looked a bit out of place standing there.
Liam lingered in spot for a moment, quickly noticing Suzy’s gaze.
When their eyes met, Suzy remained perfectly composed, while Liam looked away in slight discomfort.
Startled by his avoidance, Suzy turned her eyes away as well.
Liam stared at the floor for a long time without looking up. Yet, after that brief eye contact, a strange restlessness stirred in his chest. It felt like a feather brushing against his heart—soft and tingling. Unable to help himself, he looked back up at her.
By then, Suzy was no longer looking his way. Her attention had been captured by Aaron, who was sitting near the window.
Aaron had pulled up a chair and sat gazing outside, as if observing something.
It was hard to tell if the gray snow outside had let up. Suzy knew he was watching the snow, though she didn’t know why he had been staring at it for so long. If she recalled correctly, he had been there for a while.
He hadn’t joined the card game either; from the moment Lucas and the others started playing, he had remained by the window.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, Aaron turned to look at her. Realizing she had been staring, a flash of self-consciousness crossed his face, and he managed a strained smile.
Suzy offered him a small smile in return.
From across the room, Liam witnessed the entire interaction. An indefinable bitterness surged in his chest, leaving a sour taste in his mouth.
The rapport between Suzy and Aaron was entirely too natural. She had even saved Aaron’s life...
Liam desperately tried to stop overthinking, but he couldn’t help the jealousy taking root. He let out a soft sigh and averted his eyes.