Investing in My Crippled Wife: Every Return Makes Me Stronger

Chapter 134: Sleeping Together [2]

An hour after the final goodnights had been exchanged, the bedroom remained plunged in a profound, unbroken silence.

"..."

Amidst this silence, Soren lay perfectly flat on his back, staring into the pitch-black room with his arms locked rigidly at his sides.

He didn’t dare roll over; any movement would shift the mattress, and his senses were already picking up the restless, tightly wound anxiety buzzing from her side of the bed.

’I’m an awakened anyway; this much is nothing. Yeah...’

Across that narrow gap of space, Ethea was staring blankly at the ceiling, her mind locked in an endless, hyper-aware loop. The comforting warmth she had noted earlier had transformed into a massive, distracting presence just a couple of feet away.

She too refused to move a single muscle, determined not to let him know she was struggling to sleep after she had set up the entire thing.

’I am used to this anyway; yeah, one sleepless night doesn’t make a difference.’

"..."

As the hours bled away in absolute stillness, the sheer mental drain of their separate internal monologues finally began to take its toll.

No matter their individual tolerances for sleeplessness, the relentless overthinking eventually wore them both down.

Somewhere around four in the morning, the stubborn tension holding Ethea awake finally dissolved, and her shallow, guarded breathing gave way to a deep, even rhythm.

Sensing the chaotic energy on her side of the bed finally soften into a calm tranquility, Soren let out a long, silent sigh of relief. With his self-imposed watch completed, his own heavy eyelids closed just a few minutes later.

Enveloped in the quiet darkness and each other’s reassuring presence, they both slipped into a profound, restful slumber.

For exactly two hours.

───────

"..."

When the first pale, faint rays of dawn crept through the window curtains, Soren’s internal clock snapped him awake.

Despite the late hour he had finally fallen asleep, he felt surprisingly clear-headed and well-rested, a lingering sense of comfort remaining from a remarkably peaceful dream he couldn’t quite recall.

Turning his head, he looked over at his right side. At the exact same moment, Ethea’s eyes flitted open, her gaze locking onto his instantly. She, too, looked completely refreshed, the short but deep slumber having thoroughly wiped away all her previous mental fatigue.

Yet, the sudden morning reality of finding themselves face-to-face instantly brought back a wave of self-conscious tension.

Soren cleared his throat, his voice slightly raspy in the quiet morning air as he tried to sound perfectly casual. "...Did you sleep well?"

Ethea stared back at him, her emotional baseline instantly spiking with that familiar mix of stubborn pride and lingering embarrassment.

"Mmm," she replied, her voice entirely flat as she tried to maintain her usual poise. "And you?"

"Me too," Soren said as he slowly sat up. "It was a truly restful night."

"...That’s good," Ethea said, blinking away the last remnants of sleep.

Internally, a wave of ease washed over her.

’Thankfully, he must have slept well,’ she thought, glad that her silent overthinking hadn’t disrupted his rest in the slightest.

As for Soren, knowing the absolute truth of the night, he simply stood up from the bed and stretched his limbs.

"I will be back in a moment," he said, turning back to give her a reassuring nod before heading straight to the bathroom.

A few minutes later, he returned, carrying a cleanly folded, damp towel and a glass of cool water, which he set down gently on the bedside table.

With practiced care, he moved the wheelchair closer, positioning it perfectly alongside the bed. He then turned back to Ethea, leaning down with effortless precision. Supporting her securely, he carefully lifted her from the mattress, ensuring her comfort before settling her gently into the seat.

Once she was safely positioned, he reached for the damp towel and the water, quietly stepping in to help her wash up and refresh herself for the day ahead.

The rest of the morning went as usual as well.

After moving her to the living room and turning on a light morning show to keep her entertained, Soren moved into the kitchen to make breakfast. The comforting, familiar scent of cooking soon filled the air, gently erasing the last lingering traces of their overnight awkwardness.

Once everything was ready, he brought the food over and joined her.

During breakfast, he shared details of yesterday’s deal with the bureau.

"...Now, I’m trying to decide the best way to handle the capital." He finished. "I’m torn between investing it into other businesses, or if it’s better to use it to directly raise up the companies you gifted me."

Ethea didn’t reply immediately. She waited until he helped her take a small sip of water, using the moment to think over the numbers before looking up at him.

"Before looking at markets, what is it that you actually want from this money?" she asked softly. "The companies I gave you are working fine on their own, and they will keep running perfectly even without our intervention. They don’t need a massive investment unless you specifically want to expand them into something much bigger."

When Soren didn’t immediately answer, she guided his focus straight to the most practical reality.

"If you want my true opinion, ordinary businesses shouldn’t even be on your radar right now. You should just invest that money directly into yourself," she suggested, her tone dead serious. "As you might already know, in our world, absolute strength is the only true currency. That’s why you should use these funds to secure high-grade cultivation resources, better elixir ingredients, or advanced equipment. Anything that ensures you can cultivate faster, grow stronger, and stay safe."

She paused for a moment, her mind analyzing the broader landscape before she continued. "If you absolutely want to invest outside of your own cultivation, you should strictly target Hunter-related markets. Focus on mana stone distribution, artifact trading, monster companion breeding, or elite recovery clinics. From what I know, those are the only sectors that actually yield real leverage and long-term security."

"I see..." Soren nodded in understanding, absorbing her advice. "I’ll research the market a bit more before reaching any conclusion then. Thanks."

"Mmm, it’s not a big deal," Ethea muttered, brushing off the gratitude as she glanced toward the window. "Right, are you going to the gates again today?"

Soren nodded as he cleared away the empty dishes. "Yes, but after lunch. Ryan has classes in the morning."

"Mmm... then, can I—"

A sudden, sharp ring from the front door paused her mid-sentence.

Soren stopped, setting the plates down on the table.

"I will take a look," he said, giving her a quick glance before leaving the room to open the door.

As his footsteps faded down the hallway, Ethea stared blankly at the empty space across the table, the unfinished question lingering heavily in her mind.

’...It’s alright. I can show him later.’

Ethea brushed the brief interruption aside, refusing to let any trace of disappointment settle in her chest.

However, as the minutes stretched on, the hallway’s quiet grew uncomfortably heavy. Soren didn’t return. Three minutes passed, then five, and the silence from the front door began to tug at her nerves.

Was he talking with someone out there? Or did something urgent come up?

Being trapped in her chair, unable to simply go and look, only amplified the sudden prickle of worry in the back of her mind.

Just as the tension in her chest was about to tighten, the sound of returning footsteps broke the silence.

Her worries instantly vanished, replaced by curiosity as she watched him walk back into the living room. Soren was holding a few unfamiliar items in his hands, his gaze fixed on them so intently that he seemed completely absentminded, nearly missing his step as he approached the table.

"What happened?" Ethea asked, her eyes darting from his blank expression to the objects in his grip.

"Eh?"

Soren blinked rapidly, snapping out of his deep trance as if her voice had suddenly pulled him back to reality. He looked up, letting out an awkward chuckle as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ah, sorry about that. It’s just... President Craig sent over a courier with a gift," Soren explained, gesturing to the items in his hands before his expression turned a bit complex. "And apparently, he’s calling me over to meet him right now."