You Need Me

Chapter 15

Leon came back to find Viola had moved back to her tiny room. He had predicted much but still annoyed that his prediction was right. He had his dinner alone in his room and took a long warm bath after that. He could not concentrate much on his work today. His mind was filled with Viola. Tom had reported that she had met with an accident the day before and the authorities had concluded it as a deliberate attempt to hurt his wife after Tom made them check the surveillance cameras. Leon had refused to let the police question Viola for he did not want to scare her.

He got out from the bathroom and threw himself to the bed. He did not feel like working tonight. He stared at the empty space beside him and a smile came to his handsome face. Leon closed his eyes, trying to get some sleep.

***

The snow poured heavily outside. Viola woke up shivering although the heater was set in full blast. She had never liked winter. Her throat was dry and the glass on her bedside was empty. She wrapped herself with a shawl and came out of her room to get some water. As she stepped out, she heard the sound of a door opening from upstairs. Is Leon back? And then she heard footsteps on the staircase. Wait, is he coming down? I'd better go back to my room. Viola was still nervous around Leon and more so after what happened last night. She retracted her steps and closed the door. She sat on her bed waiting for the right moment to come out.

A sudden knock on the door made her jump. Viola knew who it was and she was sure he had come to reprimand her for disobeying his order. She ignored him hoping he would go away after a while.

On the other side, Leon knew Viola was still awake, so instead of leaving her alone he kept knocking. Viola was annoyed.

"What do you want?" Viola gave up and opened the door.

Leon looked at Viola, surprised. "Are you... angry?"

Not again... Viola felt a déjà vu. "I'm not. It's late. Please go to sleep." Viola was about to close her door but Leon's strong hand blocked it.

"Go back to our room."

Viola's heart skipped a beat. "N... No!" The embarrassing incident from last night was now playing back inside her head.

"Your legs have not fully recovered yet. It won't be comfortable sleeping here."

"I... I like it here. I want to stay here." Viola looked away.

"This room is too cold."

"It is not." Viola insisted.

Leon noticed her trembling hands. What a lousy liar.

"You just don't want to sleep with me."

Viola shook her head. Who can trust someone like him?

"Then, I'll sleep with you." Leon forced his way into the room without waiting for Viola's approval.

"Wa... wait, what? Hold on."

Leon ignored her and walked around, studying the room.

Viola followed behind him. "Listen, Leon. There is no place for you to sleep here."

Leon turned his head back to Viola. "I don't mind..." He gave the hard and uncomfortable looking mattress an unpleasant look. "the bed."

"Are you asking me to sleep on the cold floor?"

"We can sleep together in the bed."

"It's a SINGLE bed."

"We can try to fit in." Leon swiftly lifted her up with one arm like a father picking up his child and walked to the bed. He laid Viola on the bed and removed her shawl that had been hanging on her.

"Wa... wait, Leon!" Viola made an attempt to get up but Leon's arm was blocking her. He climbed onto the bed, pulled the blanket over them and closed his eyes.

Viola moved her body to distance herself from Leon and almost fell down from the bed. Leon saved her just in time.

"Just calm down. I'm not going to do anything to you. Not in your present state." Leon hugged her and gently pulled her head to his chest. Viola's heart was pounding crazily.

Viola pushed her body backwards and looked up. "Why are you doing this to me?"

Leon felt her hands on his chest. "Your hands are cold."

"Don't change the subject."

Leon gently pulled her back and lowered his head, his chin touching Viola's head.

"Why did you lie?" He spoke into her hair.

"What?"

"Why didn't you tell me you were almost ran down by a car yesterday?"

Viola was flustered. How did he know?

"It's... it's just an accident." Viola bit her lower lip. "I didn't want to make a fuss of it."

"Viola." Leon's voice made her shudder. This was the first time she heard him calling her name. He lifted her face upward and fixed his eyes on her emerald green eyes.

"You are now my family and I don't want to see you silently suffering alone. Do you hear me?"

Viola stared at Leon's dark eyes blankly. Her mind was taken back to her engagement day one year ago – with Walter standing by her side, holding her hand. We will soon be a family and I will always protect you, Viola.

A tear ran down her cheek. She raised her hand to wipe it away but Leon caught her hand before she could do it.

"Is something wrong?" He wiped her tear with his fingers.

Viola put her trembling hands around Leon's back and buried her face in his chest. The tears that she had been holding up all this time poured down uncontrollably.

"I... miss him... I... miss Walter... so badly." and cried herself to sleep in Leon's arms.