Chapter 865

Vivian Laurent turned her face away, rejecting the meal tray Ethan Roscente offered.

Ethan sighed and returned the food to the thermal container.

"Want to watch some variety shows?" He picked up the remote, the LCD screen glowing blue.

He deliberately avoided the laptop. Vivian, the hacker Queen, could send a distress signal at any moment.

"I need to sleep." Her voice was icy.

"I'll stay with you." Ethan's fingers brushed through her loose hair.

Vivian clenched the sheets. She wanted to punch that gentle face.

The mattress creaked slightly as she turned her back to him, her eyelashes casting shadows under the light.

Ethan's gaze felt tangible, clinging to her slender silhouette.

She stared at the wall. After twelve hours of forced sleep, she was now alert as morning dew.

The communicator vibrated beneath her pillow. She calculated how long before Lucas Lefèvre noticed her absence—three days max, and this farce would end.

Then she'd sever this absurd connection herself.

"Stop staring at me." She suddenly sat up.

Ethan retreated to the window, moonlight outlining his tense jawline.

"Get out!"

"Not until you eat." He shook the meal box.

By dawn, the fried eggs on the tray had gone cold.

"Trying to starve yourself?" Ethan pressed his hand over her IV line.

Vivian jerked away. "Let me go."

"Glucose or steak?" He pressed the call button.

As the needle pierced her vein, she laughed. "Since when did Mr. Roscente become a kidnapper?"

His Adam's apple bobbed. "I just—"

"Just what?" She yanked out the IV. "Proving love through captivity?"

Blood droplets rolled down her hand. Ethan reached for gauze with the care of handling fragile glass.

"Are you unhappy with me?"

"Happy?" She pointed outside. "See those iron bars? Even birds know to fly toward the sky."

His pupils contracted violently. Lips parting, he finally just pushed warm milk toward her.