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She awoke to sunlight.  And an unfamiliar bed.  An empty bed.

She had lain awake in this bed for what had felt like hours last night.  Waiting for him to return.  But he never had.

She stretched.  And wanted to scream. 

The bruises were inflamed this morning.  If only Jung Sook were here to rub more cream along them.

She nearly sat straight up.

Jung Sook!

Someone had come to her in the middle of the night and ministered to her back.

Or…had that just been a dream?

Those gentle fingers rubbing cream into her skin.  Even more tenderly than Jung Sook had.

She crumpled her brow.  Trying to decide if she had simply dreamt that encounter.  Or if someone had truly helped her late last night.

As she lay pondering this mystery, she became aware of something.  She wasn’t wearing a shirt.  Her eyes popped open.  Someone had put cream on her back!

Dan Se!

His voice had been just a breath in the dim light of the lamp last night.  And she had kept her eyes closed.  She’d been exhausted.  But she had felt greatly soothed by those tender fingertips spreading that cooling balm across her bruised skin.  She’d wanted to weep with gratefulness.

But…if he had come to bed with her long enough to detect her distress…and to help her…then where was he now?

Perhaps he had risen early.  She sat up and pulled her shirt on.  Then she crept towards the door to the adjoining room.  She opened it softly and glanced into her room.  And found her husband sound asleep in her bed.

She closed the door soundlessly and burst into tears.

Her plan had backfired!

He had found her in his bed.  And sought another.

He had wanted to sleep without her.

She stumbled across the room and fell back onto the bed as she buried her face in one of the pillows.  Dan Se had not wanted to stay with her last night.  He had been kind enough to help her when she needed him.  But then he had left her alone. 

The man clearly wanted nothing to do with her.  Now what was she to do?