I Married the President-Chapter 25: Aftereffects
"Ah, right! I need to go shower!"
It suddenly hit Claire Sinclair that this was no time to chat. She had to shower right now and scrub every place that damned scumbag had touched at least ten times!
Adrian Quincy set her on the floor. The moment he let go, she crumpled to the ground.
Her legs were so weak she couldn’t muster any strength.
Claire Sinclair sat on the floor in frustration, slapping her thighs hard like a helpless child. "Why can’t I move again..."
’That incident was so long ago. I thought I was completely recovered, but I never expected my legs to fail me again the next time I was in danger.’
Adrian Quincy knelt beside her on one knee and scooped her up. His tone was surprisingly gentle. "What’s wrong with your legs?"
"It’s nothing. I was injured a while back, and it left some aftereffects. Whenever I get really nervous, my legs give out. I just need to rest for a bit and it’ll be fine."
"I’ll carry you to the bathroom."
As he spoke, the man carried her into the bathroom.
He paused. There was no bathtub, and the bathroom itself was run-down and looked a little grimy.
His inner germaphobe flaring up, Adrian Quincy carried her back out.
"You’ll stay in a hotel tonight. Tomorrow, I’ll find you a clean place to move into. This place isn’t suitable for you."
"I think it’s fine. The rent is really cheap here. If I move, I’m afraid I won’t be able to afford it."
"I have money."
"But it’s not *my* money..." the girl muttered under her breath.
By the time she finished speaking, they were already out of the rental unit. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺
Adrian Quincy carried her down the stairs. "Since we’re married, we need a place of our own. That will be our home from now on."
’He said "our home"...’
’Those words were so warm.’
Claire Sinclair couldn’t help but bury her face in his chest, nestling against him like a delicate bird, looking utterly adorable.
Feeling her small head pressed against his chest, Adrian Quincy glanced down at her. The initial sense of aversion he’d felt was gone; instead, he held her a little tighter.
He remembered Quinn telling him how the two of them had lost their mother when they were young. After that, their father became a hopeless alcoholic who all but ignored them. As the older sister, Quinn took on the responsibility of caring for Claire. She had been sensible from a young age and was fiercely protective of her little sister.
Quinn often said that her sister had a gentle disposition and was always getting bullied when left alone. Because of this, she vowed to enter the training camp and become the ultimate female warrior—a Goddess of War—so she could protect her sister in the future.
She eventually did become a Goddess of War. As she began to understand the bigger picture, she poured all her passion into serving her country, ultimately setting aside her personal devotion to her sister to dedicate herself completely to the greater good.
On her final mission, when Quinn knew she wouldn’t be rescued, she wrote him a letter and entrusted it to a survivor to bring home.
The letter was filled with her love and guilt for her sister. Cashing in on her meritorious service to the nation, she made one dying wish he couldn’t refuse: that he marry her sister and protect her for the rest of his life.
He was proud of her selfless sacrifice and moved by her love for her sister. However, when Quinn died, Claire hadn’t even graduated from college yet. Furthermore, the circumstances of Quinn’s death were still unresolved, and he had no time for romantic entanglements, so he never disturbed the girl’s life.
It wasn’t until his grandfather fell gravely ill that he knew the time had come. He hastily dragged the girl to the Civil Affairs Bureau to register their marriage.
After what had just happened, he finally understood why Quinn could never stop worrying about her sister, even in death.
He lowered his head abruptly, gazing at her delicate face.
Her breath ghosted across his chest. Her lowered eyelids couldn’t conceal her captivating charm. She was so beautiful, yet so fragile—like a porcelain doll that would shatter if dropped, awakening a primal, protective instinct in him.
