Chapter 473 What His Heart Remembered

Chapter 473: Chapter 473 What His Heart Remembered

Ryan’s gaze was intense.

The corners of his eyes were still slightly red from his long illness and recent recovery, making him look more vulnerable than usual.

But there was no hesitation in his expression.

He kept looking at Rose as though he were waiting for an answer he already believed he knew.

Rose looked away.

She was beginning to feel as though she had somehow started an argument she had no idea how to finish.

"No."

Ryan’s brows drew together.

"No?"

"If you really didn’t care about me anymore," he said quietly, "why would you have brought me all the way to Germany?"

His voice remained calm, but his eyes stayed fixed on her.

"Why would you risk so much to save me?"

Oliver had already told him what happened.

He knew Rose had spent weeks trying to find him.

He knew she had forced him to come to Germany when he refused treatment.

He knew she had worked beside Robert throughout the operation.

And he knew that after thirteen hours in the operating room, Rose had collapsed from exhaustion.

Ryan couldn’t reconcile any of that with the idea that he meant nothing to her.

Rose glanced at him.

His expression was far too earnest.

She looked away again.

"Because I owed you."

Ryan was silent for a moment.

Then he said, "We’re married. Why are you talking about owing me?"

Rose froze.

Ryan continued quietly.

"If I did something for you because I wanted to, I wouldn’t expect you to repay me."

Something in his voice made Rose’s chest tighten.

She hadn’t expected to hear those words from him.

Not like this.

Ryan studied her face.

"Did I hurt you?"

Rose didn’t answer.

"Did I make you angry enough that you wanted a divorce?"

She finally looked at him.

"You’ve forgotten everything. You don’t understand what happened."

"Then tell me."

"I can’t explain our entire marriage to you right now."

Ryan’s jaw tightened slightly.

He looked down at their hands.

"I know I don’t remember."

His voice softened.

"But I can still feel what I feel."

He lifted his eyes to hers.

"I know I love you."

Rose’s breath caught.

"I don’t remember our past. I don’t remember our marriage. I don’t remember why we separated."

He swallowed.

"But when I look at you, I know I don’t want to lose you."

Rose stared at him.

It felt as though someone had reached into her chest and squeezed her heart.

Ryan slowly continued.

"If I loved you this much before I lost my memory, then I don’t understand why I would have willingly let you go."

Rose couldn’t answer.

Ryan watched her carefully.

"So, I must have done something."

He shifted, trying to sit a little straighter.

"I made you angry, didn’t I?"

Rose instinctively leaned back.

Ryan immediately reached for her hand.

But the moment he felt her pull away, his grip loosened.

He was still recovering, and Rose could feel how careful he was trying to be with her.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked again.

Rose looked at him.

"Probably."

Ryan’s expression changed.

There was something almost wounded in his eyes.

"Don’t look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you’re disappointed in me."

Ryan’s fingers gently moved over the back of her hand.

"I don’t know what I did."

His voice was quiet.

"But if I hurt you before, I’ll do better now."

Rose stared at him.

"You can’t promise that when you don’t even remember what happened."

"I can try."

He didn’t hesitate.

Rose fell silent.

Ryan’s eyes remained on her.

"I don’t want to lose you."

Something about the simplicity of the words made them more painful.

Rose quickly looked away.

"You need to rest."

She wasn’t as firm as before.

Ryan noticed.

He didn’t press her further.

Instead, after a moment, he said quietly,

"Then let me stay with you tonight."

Rose looked back at him.

He added, almost cautiously, "I don’t want to be alone."

Rose sighed.

She looked at the clock.

It was late.

He was still weak, still recovering from major surgery, and his vision was impaired.

She didn’t have the energy to argue.

"Fine."

Ryan’s expression eased immediately.

"Come on."

Rose stood.

Ryan followed, moving slowly.

When he reached the doorway, he hesitated.

"I can’t see clearly."

Rose looked at him.

She knew exactly what he was doing.

Still, she held out her hand.

Ryan took it without hesitation.

His fingers closed gently around hers as she guided him toward the bedroom.

The bed was large enough to leave plenty of space between them.

Rose helped him sit down.

"You sleep on this side."

She pointed toward the far edge.

"Don’t move around. Don’t wake me up. And don’t cross the middle."

Ryan looked at the space she had deliberately left between them.

His brows lifted slightly.

It was practically a demilitarized zone.

"Okay."

His answer came so readily that Rose was suspicious.

She had expected an argument.

Instead, he simply lay down.

Rose went to the other side.

She had been exhausted for days.

Not just physically.

Mentally, she felt as though she had been carrying a weight that grew heavier every time she thought about the past.

The more tired she became, the harder it was to sleep.

Eventually, she turned off the main light.

Only the small bedside lamp remained on.

Ryan turned his head toward her.

His vision was still poor.

With his left eye, he could make out only a vague outline. His right eye was better, but still far from normal.

Rose lay on her back with her eyes closed.

She looked exhausted.

Ryan watched her for a while.

There was enough space between them for another person to lie comfortably.

He didn’t like it.

He didn’t understand why.

He simply knew that he wanted to be closer to her.

"Rose?"

No response.

He waited.

She seemed to be asleep.

Ryan turned onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

After a few seconds, he lifted a hand toward the bandage on his head.

"My head hurts."

Rose’s eyes opened immediately.

She turned toward him.

"Where?"

Her voice was instantly alert.

"How bad is it? Is it pressure, throbbing, or sharp pain?"

She pushed herself upright.

Ryan looked at her.

Rose reached toward him.

But before her fingers could touch his head, Ryan caught her hand.

His grip was gentle this time.

He lowered her hand onto the blanket.

Then he shifted closer.

"Ryan—"

He wrapped an arm around her waist and carefully pulled her toward him.

Rose stiffened as she found herself against his chest.

He buried his face against the side of her neck.

His breathing was warm against her skin.

"Ryan, what are you doing?"

"Trying to sleep."

"You just said your head hurt."

"It does."

"Then I need to check you."

Ryan closed his eyes.

"It feels better now."

Rose stared at him.

"You—"

He tightened his arm around her slightly.

Not enough to hurt her.

Just enough to make it clear he had no intention of letting go.

His voice was quiet and almost unbearably innocent.

"Please don’t make me go back to the other side."

Rose’s expression tightened.

"You are unbelievable."

Ryan’s eyelashes trembled.

"But it really does hurt."

He paused.

Then, in a softer voice, he added, "Honey, be a little nice to me."