#11 Scold Me

Gia opened her eyes slowly, feeling momentarily disoriented. She was confused by the unfamiliar sight in front of her.

“Good morning!”

A cold greeting snapped Gia into awareness.

Beside her, Raven sat casually, leaning against the headboard. He was staring at her—well, maybe not staring, since his eyes looked unfocused. But his head was turned directly toward Gia, who was now standing up.

For a brief moment, Gia felt like a terrible person for being relieved that Raven was blind. She could feel the dampness of drool on her cheek and knew she must look like a mess.

“You’re awake, Mr. Lindgren? No more pain, right? Then, if you’ll excuse me.” Gia hastily greeted him, eager to make herself presentable.

“I had Sophie move your things in here earlier, so you won’t need to go anywhere. I’ve also arranged for Jasper to order a new bed for you. However, until it arrives, you can continue to sleep as you did last night."

Raven spoke casually and calmly, as if they were discussing dinner plans. As if moving Gia into his room was the most natural thing in the world.

“You can’t do that!” Gia protested, indignant.

“I can, and I already have!” Raven replied.

“You’re responsible for my leg’s recovery, so it’s better for you to stay here. You’ll be able to monitor my progress more closely,” he added.

“But—”

“What are you so worried about? I’ve already told you I’m not interested in you. It’s not like I’m about to jump on you in this condition.” Raven gestured to his legs, still covered by the blanket.

Gia wanted to throw something at Raven’s face to wipe off his smug, condescending smile. 

"How could someone blind and paralyzed still be so confident?" she thought.

“I still need my privacy, Mr. Lindgren. I can’t possibly—”

“What privacy can’t you have here? I’m blind, Gia. I wouldn’t see or enjoy it even if you danced a naked tango in front of me.”

Gia blushed furiously. There was no need to bring up the topic of naked tango to highlight his blindness. And just like last night, Gia found herself unable to counter Raven’s absurd demands. His skill in arguing far exceeded hers, possibly one reason he was such a successful 

businessman.

Gia closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Remember... you’re here because Stefan asked you. Think of it as a way to finish this job quickly," she reminded herself.

Raven had already exhausted her patience. Typically, Gia would sweet-talk a troublesome patient, but that wouldn’t work with Raven.

“The schedule you prepared starts in half an hour. Are you planning to stand there just staring at me?”

Gia stared for a moment, observing Raven’s eyes. But his dark irises were blank, his question merely a sharp guess.

"Sophie, put your things in one of the wardrobes. Hurry up! My schedule is packed until noon.”

With a frustrated stomp, Gia moved to collect her belongings. Instead of enduring Raven's constant chatter, which would undoubtedly continue if she remained idle, she chose to keep herself occupied.

---

In her relatively brief career as a physiotherapist, Gia was already regarded as skilled. As a result, her patients came from all walks of life: regular employees, soldiers, homemakers like Beth, actors, and even famous athletes.

So, while she might lack romantic experience, Gia was certainly used to seeing men’s bodies of all kinds: average builds, chubby, muscular like bodybuilders, and lean, with tight, perfectly defined muscles, like Raven’s.

Yet, Gia found herself silently cursing when her body reacted differently to seeing Raven up close. Yesterday, during hydrotherapy, she’d had some breathing room, but today’s session would be even more challenging.

A land-based massage required Gia to see Raven’s body up close, making the task twice as exhausting. Not only did she have to concentrate on massaging Raven’s specific muscles, but she also had to resist glancing at other parts of his body.

As Gia worked, Raven lay face down, allowing her to massage his entire back, all the way down to his legs. Of course, Raven was only wearing shorts.

Gia felt warmth rise within her every time her hand touched Raven. A heated sensation flooded her stomach in waves, keeping pace with her racing heartbeat. Silently, she prayed for the massage to end soon.

The extra session was necessary because Raven's muscles had cramped the previous night.

“All done, Mr. Lindgren.”

Gia stood up and stepped back, tidying up her equipment, while Raven used his arms to push himself upright.

Raven’s upper body was still remarkably strong, allowing him to move using just his arm strength. With that, he could manage all his personal needs, including changing clothes or using the restroom.

After their argument earlier, Gia had watched Raven navigate the room with ease. He had memorized every piece of furniture and knew exactly where everything was, from clothes to other essentials.

Now, as he shifted from the bed to his wheelchair, he moved with precise control, steering it toward the bathroom. He found the door without trouble and wheeled himself inside.

Gia had seen the bathroom’s setup, which, like the bedroom, was tailored to Raven’s needs.

Fifteen minutes later, Raven emerged, neatly dressed, still carrying a hint of the aromatic oil Gia had used during the massage.

Oddly, despite his casual attire—a T-shirt and relaxed pants—the aura he exuded was just as commanding as when Gia had seen him in a tuxedo at a party before.

The man in front of her embodied dominance in its purest form. He had conquered his own weaknesses.

Gia imagined the challenges Raven must have faced to reach this point, feeling a pang of admiration as she did.

Raven could have easily relied on Sophie, who would surely have been willing to help, but he refused. Despite the complexity and adjustments needed, he had chosen to fight against his limitations and had done so admirably.

“Jasper, I’m ready.” Gia’s thoughts snapped back as Raven called Jasper. It was time to get to work.

“I’ll take my leave, Mr. Lindgren.” Gia wasn’t needed now. Jasper would be escorting Raven to his office.

“Call me Raven, like last night!” Raven commanded in a firm tone.

Gia nearly argued, as she didn’t recall calling him by his first name. But after sifting through her memory, she slapped her forehead. Indeed, she had yelled his name in a panic when she saw him in pain.

“Last night was a slip-up, Mr. Lindgren. I apologize, but I prefer to address you as Mr. Lindgren,” Gia replied firmly.

“Ha… Do you always resist patients who want to be more familiar with you? I heard that to be a competent physiotherapist, you need to build rapport with your patients for effective treatment.”

Gia hit her forehead again, frustrated that Raven knew something beyond his own world. He was right, of course. A physiotherapist must be friendly and familiar with patients, especially those requiring long-term care, like Beth and Raven. This familiarity helps establish trust so that patients don’t give up easily and follow their treatment with commitment.

“Silent again? That means I’m right. You love to argue, but you know you’ll lose eventually.”

Raven’s triumphant laugh as he opened the door was as infuriating as his victory. He had managed to get Gia to yield effortlessly.