Chapter 9: Getting Closer with Sophia

Adrian found himself awake in his room at midnight. The dim moonlight streamed through the window, casting a gentle glow on the sleeping figure beside him. Chris was there, soundly asleep on a chair next to his bed, her head resting near his side. She had been tending to him while he was unconscious.

Adrian tried to get out of bed, but his body was sore from all the practice, and he couldn't move properly. The slight movement he made woke Chris. She opened her eyes and, upon seeing him awake, immediately cried and hugged him tightly.

"Oh, Milord, you are awake, you scared me so much," she said, her voice trembling. "When I saw you unconscious, I didn't know what to do."

She explained how she and Isabella were talking when the guard came to inform them about his condition. Panicking, both women rushed to his side. Isabella was by his side crying when she saw her son in this condition.

Isabella wanted to stay there till he woke up, but Chris insisted Isabella go back to her room to rest and took over caring for Adrian herself. She also mentioned that Sophia had come to visit him and was quite worried about his condition.

Hearing that Sophia had come, Adrian had a smile on his face as he knew he was in the right direction to mend their relationship and he was one step closer to having sex with her. He couldn't wait till he conquered his big sister.

"Milord, you shouldn't push yourself so hard," Chris continued, her eyes full of concern. "You need to be more careful."

Adrian felt a surge of guilt and gratitude. He gently patted Chris's back, trying to reassure her. "I'm sorry, Chris. I didn't mean to worry you. I just wanted to show Sophia that I could change."

Chris pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes. "I understand, but Milord needs to take care of himself too. Pushing yourself to the point of collapse won't prove anything."

He nodded, appreciating her words. "I know. I'll be more careful from now on."

Chris smiled softly, wiping away her tears. "Good. Now, you need to rest. I'll stay here and make sure you're okay."

Adrian smiled back, feeling a warmth in his heart. "Thank you, Chris. You're the best."

She blushed slightly but stayed by his side, holding his hand as he slowly drifted back to sleep, comforted by her presence.

The next morning, Adrian woke up to the sound of Chris entering his room with a tray of breakfast. The aroma of freshly baked bread and warm broth filled the air. Chris smiled warmly at him as she set the tray on his bedside table.

"Good morning, Milord. I brought you some breakfast," she said softly, helping him sit up. She carefully fed him, her actions filled with tenderness and care.

As Adrian finished his meal, Chris gently wiped his mouth. "I need to check on my mother and sister. I was here all night, and I want to make sure they're okay."

Adrian nodded, appreciating her dedication. "Thank you, Chris. I understand. Please go take care of them."

Chris hesitated for a moment, her eyes full of concern. "Milord, please don't overexert yourself. Be safe and take it easy today."

Adrian smiled and reached out to take her hand. "Don't worry about me, Chris. I'll be fine. I'll miss you," he said, leaning in to give her a kiss. The touch was gentle yet filled with affection, leaving Chris blushing slightly as she stood up to leave.

"I'll be back soon, Milord. Take care," she said, giving him one last smile before heading out the door.

Adrian watched her leave, feeling a warm sense of gratitude and affection. He knew he had to rest and recover before his next training session with Sophia. The soreness in his body reminded him of his commitment, but he was determined to push through and keep his promise with Sophia.

Adrian decided to continue resting before his appointed time with Sophia. His body was still sore, but he knew he needed to be in the best shape possible for his training session.

Meanwhile, Sophia was training in solitude as usual. However, she was not her usual self today. The events from the previous day weighed heavily on her mind. Her brother, who seemed to have started to change for the better, had suffered a major setback on his first day. She hoped he wouldn't be discouraged and that he would come to train today. She wanted to know whether his determination was real or if he would give up from a small mishap.

As she practiced, her movements lacked their usual precision, her mind distracted by thoughts of Adrian. She remembered his earnest plea for training, his promise to change, and the way he had collapsed from exhaustion. Sophia couldn't shake the image of him lying unconscious, and it stirred a mix of worry and hope within her.

Sophia's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the training room door creaking open. She turned to see Adrian limping into the room, visibly tired but with a determined look on his face. He smiled at her and greeted her as "Teacher," just as she had instructed.

Sophia's heart swelled with a mix of pride and relief. She quickly turned her back to him, hiding her expression of joy. She didn't want to show how much his presence meant to her. She snorted, trying to keep her voice steady. "Why are you here, Adrian? You should be resting in bed."

Adrian, still smiling despite his pain, replied, "I made a promise to you, Teacher. I will show you my change through action. Even if my body is in pain, I will train. Besides, getting to spend time with such a beautiful teacher is enough to heal me."

Sophia blushed at his words and turned around, pulling his ear playfully. "Don't tease me, Adrian. Saying I'm beautiful just to get on my good side."

Adrian winced but maintained his smile. "I'm not lying, Sophia. You are truly beautiful. You're the most beautiful person in my heart." He then decided to strike hard and started to bluff his way to butter her up saying, "Do you know why I was acting stupid and unreasonable before? I was trying to get your attention. Once you started training, you stopped paying attention to me."

Sophia's face turned tomato red as she turned away from him again, trying to hide her embarrassment. Despite her stern exterior, she was extremely happy that not only was her brother on the right track, but he also had her in his heart and his erratic behavior was just to get her attention. She couldn't help but wonder if she had neglected her brother so much due to her training.

Despite all this, she snorted and said, "Don't call me Sophia or big sister. Call me Teacher."

"Yes, Ma'am," replied Adrian, noticing that his little trick had started working. She then told him that since he was hurt, she would let him off today with light exercise and from tomorrow, she would start training him rigorously.