Even though they always used their actions, and this time, their life, to prove that they loved me, I still felt profoundly insecure deep down. I wasn’t sure if this was due to my deep-seated low self-esteem, or that this happened to every other woman.
I ended up spending the whole night watching over Marcus. Layla had come in intermittently and asked that I get some sleep myself, but after I repeatedly rejected her suggestion, she decided to just leave me alone.
The next day, the morning sunlight shone through the window and lit up the room as though bestowing upon it a new life. Marcus finally woke up and when he saw that I was unharmed, he smiled in relief. “Thank goodness that you’re okay.”
At that point, all my suppressed emotions had escaped into the form of unstoppable tears and I started to sob uncontrollably. I held onto his hand and tried to speak in between my sobs. “Please… never do this again! I-If something happens to you, how am I going to explain this to Camelia? You have a wife and a kid! You can’t do something so silly again!”
He smiled weakly and stroked my hair gently as he said, “Don’t be silly, I can’t have stopped my instinctive reflex even if I tried to. Besides, I actually feel honored being able to keep someone I wanted to protect safe.”
It took me a while to collect myself. After which, a doctor came by to check on Marcus. I was glad when the doctor informed me that he would recover fully with enough rest.
As soon as my heightened sense of wariness subsided, I was overcome with a new wave of tiredness. After all, I did stay up all night and had had very little rest.
Looking at my bloodshot eyes, Layla said, “Ms. Stovall, now that Mr. White has awakened, you should really get some rest yourself. I’ll continue to monitor his health. Please stop worrying.”
I nodded, finally feeling a heavy weight lifted off my shoulder. After leaving the ward, I headed to the hospital lobby, ready to take a cab home.
When I got to the hospital lobby, a familiar black Bentley was parked just outside the curb. Joseph rolled down the driver seat window and said, “Mrs. Fuller, I’ll give you a ride home.”
I was puzzled. Did he just happen to be here or…
I wasn’t sure if Ashton was in the car and appeared hesitant. As though reading my mind, Joseph added, “Mr. Fuller has left for some work stuff.”
I rubbed my nose awkwardly and got into the car.
As Joseph started the car, I hesitated for a brief moment before asking, “Have you been in the hospital this whole time?”
He tilted his head in my direction. “Not just me. Mr. Fuller has been here as well. He had been scrolling through his phone all night standing by.”
I paused before biting my lips. “I…”
“He understands your concern for Mr. White. But the fact that you didn’t return to your ward or the villa all night did sting him. If I were you, I’d probably give him a call to check in with him even for just a minute. At least it shows that you care.”
Joseph’s words had once again stabbed right onto my sore spot like a dagger.
Saying no more, I stared out the window and was lost in my thoughts.
Joseph dropped me back at the villa before heading out again.
After the whole site incident and me staying up all night, the pain in my lower belly hadn’t subsided. Back in my bedroom, I tried to take a nap, but the cramp took a turn for the worse, forbidding me to sleep well.
I finally got up and searched around the room for some painkillers. Failing to find any, I resorted to ordering some from an online delivery service.
After finally taking some medicine to control the cramps, I already lost all desire to sleep. I checked my watch and realized it was already six o’clock in the evening. Ashton should be back soon.
Giving up trying to sleep, I went into the kitchen and found some ingredients in the fridge for me to cook a meal for Ashton as my way of saying sorry.
Now that it was September, the weather had started to cool down. It was almost seven o’clock when I finished scuttling about in the kitchen. However, there was still no sight of Ashton.
Looking over at Armond’s well-lit house, I decided to give Nora a call. She was quick to answer her phone. “Hey babe, have you eaten?”
I took another look at my neighbor’s house. “Not yet. Are you at Armond’s?”
“I am. Are you next door?”
“Yup.”
Just then, Nora called for me from her backyard. I put down my phone and walked toward my own backyard to meet with Nora who was dressed in thick pajamas. “How are you doing?”
I nodded. “Let’s just say that I’m happy to be alive.” I didn’t think she knew about what happened at Lavelian Village.
Nora rested her upper body on the railing before she said weakly, “It’s been a few days since I last saw you. I’ve been so tired for the past few days. And I’ve basically been lying down all day today.”
I paused for a brief moment. “Is it that time of the month for you?”
It was her turn to pause. “How did you know?”
I shrugged. “Because it’s my time of the month as well.”
Nora let out a long sigh before she said, “This is so unfair! Armond has been out all day and right now, all I want to do is to take my frustrations out at him!”
