Getting Sebastian upstairs had taken longer than Lillian expected.
By the time they reached his bedroom, both of them were breathing a little heavier.
Sebastian slowly lowered himself onto the edge of the bed. His jaw tightened as a dull wave of pain ran through his back.
Lillian noticed immediately.
"Careful," she said.
"I am being careful," he muttered.
He shifted slightly, clearly trying to find a position that didn't hurt.
Lillian stepped closer.
"Lie down."
"I'm not—."
"Mr. Wolfe."
He sighed.
Then slowly lowered himself onto the bed.
The moment his back touched the mattress, he winced.
Lillian pretended not to comment.
Instead, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
Sebastian noticed.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm checking the list."
"The list."
"The nurse gave me instructions."
His expression immediately turned suspicious.
"…Instructions."
"Yes."
She unlocked her phone and started scrolling.
Sebastian watched her.
"I don't like the sound of this."
"You're recovering from spinal surgery," she said calmly. "You don't get to like it."
He exhaled slowly.
"Unbelievable."
Lillian cleared her throat and began reading quietly.
"Okay…"
She squinted slightly at the screen.
"Painkillers at breakfast and dinner."
Sebastian groaned softly.
"I hate painkillers."
"You're taking them."
"They make me tired."
"You need to be tired."
He glared at the ceiling.
"Next," she continued.
"Baths only. No showers."
Sebastian's head turned slightly toward her.
"…Baths?"
"Yes."
"That's unnecessary."
"It's on the list."
He sighed again.
"Of course it is."
Lillian kept reading.
Then suddenly froze.
Her eyes widened slightly.
Sebastian noticed instantly.
"What?"
"…Nothing."
"You stopped reading."
"I didn't."
"You did."
She cleared her throat.
"It also says…"
She hesitated.
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"Miss Parker."
She forced herself to read it.
"…Apply cream to the incision area."
Silence.
Sebastian blinked.
Then slowly turned his head toward her.
"…The incision area."
"Yes."
"Which is…"
"Yes."
"On my spine."
"Yes."
He watched her.
Lillian's cheeks had turned slightly pink.
Sebastian noticed.
Of course he noticed.
A faint, almost amused look appeared in his eyes.
"…You're blushing."
"I am not."
"You are."
She looked back at her phone quickly.
"Next item."
He smirked faintly.
"Miss Parker."
"Yes?"
"You're the one applying the cream."
Her blush deepened.
"I am aware."
"That will be… interesting."
She shot him a look.
"Don't make this weird."
"I didn't say anything."
"You implied it."
"I simply stated a fact."
She ignored him.
"Last item," she said quickly.
"Short walks daily."
Sebastian nodded once.
"That one is reasonable."
"Yes."
Lillian lowered her phone.
Then looked at him.
"You also need to eat dinner before taking the painkillers."
Sebastian closed his eyes briefly.
"I'm not hungry."
"That's not optional."
"I'm fine."
"You haven't eaten since this morning."
"I'm still fine."
Lillian crossed her arms.
"Mr. Wolfe."
"Yes?"
"You're eating."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
She stepped closer to the bed.
"You need food with your medication."
"I'll survive."
"You're impossible."
"You've mentioned that before."
Lillian stared at him.
Then sighed.
"…What would you like to eat?"
"I'm not hungry."
"Mr. Wolfe."
"I mean it."
She narrowed her eyes.
"You're eating something."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
She stared at him for another long moment.
Finally he sighed.
"…Fine."
"Good."
"Surprise me."
She blinked.
"What?"
"I said surprise me."
"That's not helpful."
"It's efficient."
Lillian rolled her eyes.
"Fine."
She turned toward the door.
Then paused.
Slowly.
She turned back.
Sebastian immediately noticed the look in her eyes.
"…No."
She held out her hand.
"Your phone."
His eyes widened slightly.
"No."
"Yes."
"Absolutely not."
"You're recovering."
"That has nothing to do with my phone."
"It has everything to do with your phone."
"I need it."
"No, you don't."
"I run a company."
"You run yourself into hospitals."
He sat up slightly.
"Miss Parker."
She didn't move her hand.
"Phone."
"This is abuse of power."
"This is medical care."
He sighed heavily.
"…Unbelievable."
But after a moment…
He reached over to the bedside table.
Picked up his phone.
And reluctantly handed it to her.
Lillian took it immediately.
Sebastian leaned back against the pillows again.
"You're enjoying this far too much."
She smiled.
"A little."
She slipped the phone into her pocket.
Then walked toward the door again.
"Get some sleep while I make dinner."
Sebastian stared at her.
"…You did not just say that."
She stopped.
"What?"
He looked at her like she had just committed a crime.
"You told me to sleep."
"Yes."
"I have insomnia."
She froze.
Right.
Lillian slowly turned around.
"…Right."
Sebastian raised an eyebrow.
"You forgot."
"I didn't forget."
"You absolutely forgot."
She sighed.
"…Maybe a little."
He crossed his arms.
"You told an insomniac to sleep."
"That wasn't intentional."
"You're very bad at this."
"Excuse me?"
"You're a terrible nurse."
"I'm not a nurse."
"That explains it."
She rolled her eyes.
"Just… rest."
"I can't rest."
"You can lie down."
"That's not the same thing."
"It's close enough."
Sebastian watched her carefully.
"You're not apologizing."
"For what?"
"For telling an insomniac to sleep."
She paused.
Then shrugged slightly.
"…You'll survive."
Sebastian blinked.
Then huffed a quiet laugh.
"Unbelievable."
Lillian opened the bedroom door.
"I'll be back soon."
He leaned back against the pillows.
"…Don't burn the kitchen down."
"I can cook."
"That remains to be seen."
She ignored that.
And walked out.
Downstairs, the mansion felt enormous again.
Quiet.
Lillian walked into the kitchen and placed Sebastian's phone on the counter.
She exhaled slowly.
"Okay…"
She looked around.
The kitchen was massive.
Professional appliances.
Everything perfectly organized.
Definitely not a place Sebastian Wolfe actually used.
Lillian opened the fridge.
"…Wow."
The fridge was fully stocked.
But not with normal food.
Protein meals.
Healthy ingredients.
Meal prep containers.
She blinked.
"…When does he even have time to eat?"
She shook her head and grabbed ingredients.
Chicken.
Rice.
Vegetables.
Simple.
Healthy.
Doctor-approved.
As she began cooking, her mind drifted back to the list.
Baths.
Cream for his spine.
Her cheeks warmed slightly again.
"…This is going to be awkward."
Upstairs.
Sebastian Wolfe lay in bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
His phone was gone.
His laptop was gone.
His secretary had taken both.
And she had ordered him to rest.
He exhaled slowly.
"…Unbelievable."
But despite his complaints…
For the first time in years—
His room felt less empty.
Because somewhere downstairs…
Lillian Parker was in his kitchen.
Cooking dinner.
And taking care of him.