Chapter 15 Marry Me

Meryl looked down, biting her lip and glancing up at him nervously, trying to piece together what had happened. Why was this man in her hospital room?

“Are you 258?” she ventured cautiously.

Chandler raised an eyebrow and took a seat, crossing his long legs. His deep eyes locked onto hers.

“Yes, that’s me.”

His voice was cool, carrying a hint of early morning huskiness. “Ms. Stone, are you planning to use your favor from ten years ago to make up for last night?”

Their eyes met, and Meryl felt a bit lost.

Ten years ago, when she had saved him, he was covered in mud, lying behind a haystack with a frightening wound on his chest. She hadn’t expected that he would turn out to be so strikingly handsome. She had always thought Dalton was the most handsome man in Kingsdom, but now she had to admit he didn’t compare to the man in front of her.

Her fingers trembled slightly, and she asked in a small voice, “We didn’t… do anything else, did we?”

Chandler’s eyes twinkled with amusement. “What do you think?”

Meryl clutched the blanket, feeling anxious. Aside from pulling off his button, she couldn’t be sure if she had done anything more inappropriate.

Feeling pressured, she knew she had to say something. “How about I buy you a new shirt?”

Chandler’s smile widened. “Replace my shirt?”

Meryl bit her lip. That didn’t seem quite sufficient. He looked wealthy, surely not lacking a shirt or two. But she couldn’t think of anything else she could offer. Just having left the Stone family, she had nothing to her name.

After a brief silence, Meryl spoke softly, “If you have any requests, just let me know. I will…”

“Marry me.”

Her words were cut off abruptly, leaving her stunned. “What? What did you say?”

Chandler leaned back, his eyes fixed on her lips, which were small and red like a blooming rose. His Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.

“I said, marry me. Think about it.”

His tone was casual as if discussing lunch plans, but Meryl felt a shockwave pass through her.

“We’ve only met once. I don’t even know your name!”

Chandler rubbed his forehead with his fingers, looking slightly exasperated. “Ms. Stone, you might not realize this, but I’m a traditional guy. I’ve saved myself for 29 years.”

He paused. “But last night, you took my first time. How am I supposed to explain that to my future wife?”

He paused, leaning forward, a faint smile on his lips. “Besides, we haven’t just met once. We’ve known each other for ten years. You saved my life. Marrying you makes perfect sense.”

Meryl was at a loss for words. It seemed like not getting married would be hard to justify.

“You might not know, but I have a fiancé.” She bit her lip and then, as if remembering something, lowered her eyes, her expression turning sad. “But last night, we broke off the engagement.”

Chandler’s hair was tousled by the wind as his gaze settled on her lowered lashes. His hand clenched unconsciously, the veins on the back of his hand standing out.

The room fell into a quiet, almost somber silence, an unspoken tension hanging between them.

Then, there was a knock on the door.

A young nurse peeked in, holding a thermometer.

Chandler stood up, adjusting his tie. “If you make up your mind, let Walter know.”

As he spoke, he walked over to the water dispenser, poured a cup of warm water, and placed it on the bedside table.

“Take care of yourself. I’ll come back to see you.”