Videl stared as Eric reached Pamela, who was sobbing on the ground.
"Eric, our baby, she pushed me!"
Eric's face twisted with rage. He spun toward Videl, fist raised.
"How dare you!"
Before his hand could strike, a firm grip caught his wrist.
He froze. Amber eyes, sharp and unyielding, pinned him in place.
"Don't you dare touch my woman," a low, deadly voice warned.
Both Pamela and Eric were stunned. Recognition flashed across their faces.
"Mr. Dixon?" Pamela whispered.
Dawn released Eric's hand and looked down at Videl. "Are you alright?"
Videl remained frozen, trembling slightly. She nodded, still absorbing everything that had happened.
Eric stared at both of them, eyes wide, before forcing a dry, humorless laugh as he stepped forward.
"Mr. Dixon, you do not know the kind of woman you are dealing with," he said, voice low and almost pitying. "She is ruined. The whole world saw what she did. You really want someone like her beside you?"
Dawn said nothing. His expression remained calm and unreadable.
Eric mistook the silence for weakness and continued.
"Women like Videl, once they fall, they latch onto anyone who offers them a hand. She will cling to you, pretend innocence, pretend she needs saving. Do not be fooled."
Still, Dawn said nothing.
Eric smirked, confident he had finally hit his target.
"I am only trying to warn you. She used me, lied to me, embarrassed me in public. She will do the same to you. Men like us should not be cleaning up after a woman who—"
Dawn lifted his head slightly, and that movement sliced clean through Eric's words.
His voice came low and calm, almost too calm.
"Oh?"
Eric blinked, thrown off.
Dawn's gaze sharpened, cold and blade-like.
"You are saying my woman betrayed you?"
Eric nodded quickly. "Exactly. She—"
Dawn cut him off, precise and icy.
" Your fiancée is one month pregnant."
The words struck with quiet cruelty.
Eric stiffened and his face paled.
Dawn stepped closer, each step slow and deliberate.
"And the incident involving my woman happened three weeks ago."
Eric inhaled sharply as the dates collided in his mind.
Dawn's gaze never wavered.
"So tell me, Eric," he said softly, each word dangerous in its calm, "who exactly was cheating on who?"
Eric opened his mouth, but no sound came. His throat worked as his eyes darted, searching for an excuse that did not exist.
Dawn leaned in slightly and spoke with finality.
"Next time you try to taint my woman, make sure your own sins are not louder."
He did not give Eric another glance.
He turned toward Videl.
She stood frozen, stunned, thin body trembling, fingers clutching the edge of her sleeve. She had not realized she was holding her breath until Dawn reached her.
Without a word, he bent and slid an arm beneath her knees, another around her back.
Videl gasped softly as her feet lifted from the ground.
"Dawn?" she whispered.
He held her effortlessly as if she weighed nothing. His jaw was tight and his eyes dark with an emotion she could not read, something fierce and burning.
She stared at him and felt a strange warmth spread through her chest. A thought flickered. Maybe accepting to be his woman had not been a bad decision after all.
Eric and Pamela remained frozen, disbelief written across their faces.
Pamela's lips tightened, eyes narrowing. A flicker of jealousy and fury crossed her expression. Videl Fredericks with Dawn Dixon? Darn it! She looked up at Eric and suddenly found him oddly small, weak, and unworthy. The power and presence Dawn carried made Eric seem insignificant, and her carefully planned victory felt like it was slipping through her fingers.
...
Dawn carried Videl back to her ward with careful, steady steps, each movement deliberate and controlled. Once inside, he eased her onto the bed. As she settled against the mattress, his hands lingered briefly, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. At the same time, he set a small nylon bag beside her, the weight of it making a quiet thud against the bed.
Videl looked at the bag, curious, but said nothing.
"Why did you leave the ward?" Dawn asked, his voice calm but sharp, carrying the kind of concern that tightened her chest.
Videl looked down at her hands, fidgeting with the blanket. "I… I just wanted some fresh air," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dawn's amber eyes studied her intently. "Fresh air is fine, but you must not forget—your body is still recovering. You might be stronger than last week, but your strength is not back completely. Even now, a sudden shock or strain could set you back."
Videl stiffened, realizing he was right. She had been feeling almost normal, almost free, and maybe she had let her guard down.
He leaned slightly closer, softening his tone without losing the authority in his presence. "It is not just about your body. After everything you went through, your mind and heart are still fragile. You do not need to risk unnecessary stress or confrontations, not yet."
Videl swallowed hard, her chest tightening as she looked into his steady gaze. "I… I understand," she whispered.
Dawn's expression softened, though the weight of his presence remained undeniable. "Good. Promise me you will be careful. Not for anyone else, but for yourself."
Videl nodded slowly. "I promise."
A faint smile touched his lips, quiet acknowledgment that she had listened. "That is all I ask," he said, low and steady, like a shield wrapping around her.
Her breath caught, heart fluttering with a strange confusion. She lowered her gaze briefly before looking back up at him.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked quietly, unsure why the question felt so heavy.
Dawn raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth lifting in something that was almost a smile. "Doing what?"
"I mean… why are you being like this with me?" Videl asked softly, sincerity in her voice. "Why do you care this much?"
Dawn did not answer immediately. He stepped closer, so near she could feel the warmth radiating from him. His hand lifted, brushing gently against her cheek. The touch was tender, yet his presence remained undeniably commanding.
Videl's breath trembled. She did not pull away.
His thumb swept lightly across her skin, his gaze locking onto hers, deep and unwavering, holding an emotion she could not name. Something fierce. Something protective. Something that made her pulse quicken.
"What do you think?" he said quietly.
Her heart thudded violently.
"You are my woman, Videl," Dawn said, voice low and absolute. "And I do not joke with what is mine."