Chapter 190: Elena Ward's Eyes Widened in Surprise

"You mentioned a job transfer before, but I never imagined it would be here. What a coincidence." Elena Ward's eyes widened in surprise. She hadn't expected Adrian Stone's transfer to be arranged like this.

Yet, a strange feeling stirred in her chest. What if she hadn’t come to this province?

Something didn’t quite add up.

Adrian chuckled and ruffled her hair. "I requested the transfer after finding out you were coming here for school. There’s no such thing as coincidence." He wasn’t the type to hide his intentions, especially when it came to something this important.

Elena pressed her face against his chest like a child seeking comfort, trusting him completely.

"Adrian, I want to take it back!"

His entire body stiffened at her words, muscles tensing instantly. Sensing his reaction, Elena patted his shoulder reassuringly.

"Take what back?" His voice turned noticeably rigid.

"Guess." She teased him deliberately, though her heart swelled with warmth. His concern for her satisfied her feminine pride in a way she hadn’t expected.

"Playing with me?" His deep eyes locked onto hers.

Elena suddenly felt guilty.

This version of Adrian made her hesitate to joke further. His seriousness reminded her that he wasn’t like Derek Harlan or any of the other men who had tried to win her favor. He was genuine—and her flippant attitude just now had been unfair.

"Adrian, I don’t want to let you go. I’ve decided I’m keeping you forever. You can only marry me." The words spilled out impulsively, startling even herself. Maybe it was the intensity in his gaze that made her speak without thinking.

His hand suddenly clamped around her wrist, the grip so tight she stumbled forward, crashing into his chest.

She tried to push away, but he only held her tighter.

Seeing her flustered expression, Adrian relaxed. She wasn’t indifferent to him—that realization lightened his mood. His arms tightened around her as he murmured in her ear, "I’d be happy to marry you. The marriage application has already been submitted. It should be approved soon."

Elena’s face flushed instantly. "How could you? You didn’t even ask me!" Her agreement was one thing, but him making decisions without consulting her was another.

Adrian released her, frowning when he saw the red marks his grip had left on her delicate skin. "You bruise too easily."

This girl was as fragile as a flower, yet stronger than anyone he knew.

"Don’t grab me like that again," she warned, holding up her wrist to make him feel guilty.

"Sorry." Adrian’s resistance crumbled completely.

Elena reached for her shoes under the blanket, but Adrian stopped her, kneeling to slip them on for her. "Not cold anymore?" He couldn’t help worrying—every time he saw her, she seemed to be in some kind of trouble.

She nodded and stood, wiping sweat from her forehead. "No wonder you said it was hot as a desert in here. I’m sweating." The room was unbearably stuffy.

Adrian turned off the AC and opened the window before swiftly folding the blanket into a perfect square—so fast it left Elena gaping.

"Let’s eat. It’s already noon. If you keep exhausting yourself like this, what will you do in the future?" His tone carried undisguised happiness. The mutual understanding between them confirmed that Elena felt the same way he did.

This feeling of reciprocated affection was damn near perfect.

Elena felt a little embarrassed. Men like Adrian—so attentive and gentle—were rare in this era. And the fact that he had such a cold, reserved face only made the contrast more striking.

"It’s fine. I had hot water and chocolate. The child’s condition was just too severe. Next time, I’ll be more careful. If it happens again, I’ll just come to you for warmth." She found it strange—this time, with Adrian beside her, the cold had faded much faster than usual. Normally, hot water and chocolate barely helped. She knew the side effects of forcibly stopping her ability had worsened. Thank goodness Adrian was here—he was like her personal savior.

Adrian watched as she removed her white coat and put on her jacket. November was freezing, so he carefully buttoned it up for her.

"Elena, there’s something I need to make clear. You still have a chance to back out now. But once we start, I won’t let go. I’m stubborn—when I commit to someone, it’s for life."

She met his gaze, her fingers lightly resting on his hand. "Adrian, I’m serious too. I’m just as stubborn. If I say it’s starting, I won’t think about ending it. But if you ever betray me..." Her eyes turned sharp. "I’ll kill you. My love is demanding—it doesn’t tolerate even a hint of betrayal. Do you still dare to take me as I am?"

In this second life, she could show mercy to her patients because life was precious. But marriage and love were different. The wounds Derek Harlan had inflicted in her past life ran too deep—she wouldn’t make the same mistake again. If anyone dared to hurt her, she wouldn’t hesitate to retaliate in the most extreme way. After all, she had the power to do so.