CHAPTER 356: CHAPTER 356 WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

"I hate not moving! I mean, life is all about moving! I’m not an oyster who’s going to live his whole life stuck in one place!" Jay complained dramatically, his voice echoing across the room.

The doctor sighed for the third time that morning, patiently finishing the last strip of bandage around Jay’s arm. "If you move around too much, Mr. Moretti, your wounds will reopen. You need complete rest for a few days. Complete."

Jay groaned like the world had ended. "Rest? I’m dying here! You’re asking a lion to sit in a fishbowl!"

"If you don’t rest," Jace said dryly from the sofa, eyes still on his laptop, "you’ll become an oyster for real—with hands that never open again."

Jay glared at him. "You’re not funny."

"I wasn’t trying to be." Jace didn’t even look up. His fingers clicked lazily across the keyboard, perfectly calm in contrast to Jay’s theatrics.

Jay pouted like a child denied dessert, kicking at the blanket helplessly. "I can’t even scroll my phone! Both my hands are out of service! I’m basically a breathing statue."

"That’s the point," Jace said, finally glancing at him. "You’re supposed to rest, not start a protest."

Jay sighed loudly, turning his head toward the ceiling. "At least let me use voice command! Or blink control! Or—"

"Jay," Jace interrupted, closing his laptop with a sigh and giving him a warning look. "If you don’t stop talking nonsense, I’ll call Bella and tell her."

Jay’s mouth dropped open. "You wouldn’t!"

"I would," Jace said flatly.

The doctor, who had just finished wrapping Jay’s last bandage, looked relieved as he stood up, gathering his things. "All done for today, Mr. Moretti. Please, no sudden movements for a few days."

"Yeah, yeah..." Jay muttered, looking bored as the doctor left the room. The moment the door closed, he turned to Jace. "Oh, by the way, where’s Bella Bell?"

Jace didn’t look up from his tablet. "No idea," he said casually. "I just saw Leo and her going out early this morning."

Jay blinked. "Oh." He leaned back against the pillow, his expression softening a little. So that’s it, he thought. Looks like big bro finally understands what she means to him.

A small smile tugged at his lips. He had always known Leo’s feelings better than Leo himself ever admitted. The man could face entire armies without flinching but couldn’t handle his own emotions for one woman.

Jay closed his eyes and exhaled deeply. Guess he finally got it... took him long enough.

"What’s with that weird smile?" Jace asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Nothing," Jay said quickly, waving it off. "Just... feeling proud of my emotionally stunted brother."

Jace frowned, confused. "You need more painkillers."

Jay ignored him, staring at the ceiling. But then, without warning, a very unpleasant flashback hit him—that sofa scene. Leo. Bella. The couch. The horror.

His entire body stiffened, and he groaned loudly. "Gross."

Jace looked up again. "What’s gross?"

Jay covered his face with the blanket. "You don’t want to know. Trust me."

"Alright, don’t move. I’ll get you some snacks," Jace said after a while, standing from the couch.

Jay hummed lazily, clearly bored out of his mind. When Jace left, he stared at the ceiling, thinking about how strange life could be. He didn’t even remember when he and Jace had gotten so close. Somehow, Jace had quietly become one of the few people he truly trusted.

He still remembered that night—how Jace had saved him from that woman’s ambush without hesitation. Jay had been grateful ever since, but lately, he’d started noticing little things.

First

, Jace was really... good-looking. Sharp jawline, calm eyes, that quiet confidence he carried everywhere—it was almost unfair.

Second, he was too caring, always making sure Jay took his medicine, ate properly, or didn’t overwork himself.

And third, despite being so smart and skilled with computers, Jace had been homeless once. That part always confused Jay. If someone was this talented, why would he have nowhere to go?

Jay sighed and stopped thinking about it. Maybe he’d ask someday. For now, he just lay back, watching the beautiful ceiling above him lazily.

Meanwhile, Jace headed into the kitchen. The air smelled of citrus and freshly washed herbs, and Aunt Clara stood by the counter, pouring juice into a glass.

But what made him frown was the faint clink of something dropping into the drink.

"What are you doing?" Jace asked, his tone calm but sharp enough to make her flinch.

"Oh dear, you scared me!" Aunt Clara said, pressing a hand to her chest. "I was just preparing juice for young master Jay. The doctor told me to mix these medicines in liquid form," she explained quickly, showing him the small tablets in her wrinkled palm.

Jace took one, rolling it between his fingers. It looked familiar. Still, something inside him urged caution. Pulling out his phone, he searched the name printed faintly on the tablet foil. Within seconds, the result confirmed it—pain relief medicine, nothing suspicious.

He exhaled quietly, relief softening his face.

Aunt Clara noticed and smiled faintly, though her eyes looked a little hurt. "Dear, I’ve been taking care of Leo sir and Jay sir since they were young. You don’t have to doubt me," she said gently, her voice trembling as if she felt accused.

Jace immediately looked guilty. "I’m sorry, Aunt Clara," he said softly, his tone filled with genuine remorse. "It’s not you—I just... have trust issues."

Her expression softened again, and she patted his arm affectionately. "You’re a good boy. Worrying means you care."

He nodded quietly, accepting the glass of juice she handed him. "Thank you," he said, his tone low, before turning to leave.

As he walked away, he couldn’t help glancing at the glass again.

Meanwhile, Aunt Clara stood alone in the quiet kitchen, her back facing the doorway as she wiped the corners of her eyes with the edge of her apron. The sound of the ticking wall clock echoed faintly in the stillness. She took a slow breath, trying to compose herself.

Her trembling hands reached for another clean glass, the faint clink of it against the counter breaking the silence. She went to the fridge and pulled out the same bottle of chilled juice, pouring it slowly, her eyes distant and heavy. For a long moment, she just stood there staring at the glass.