Grace didn''t have the heart to shove Ethan off, not when he was sick. Thus, she let him hold onto her, silent and still.


    It was the first time she saw Ethan stripped of his invincibility. He, who once seemed so distant and indomitable, now clung to her-fragile and feverish.


    His skin was searing, radiating heat like a furnace.


    Grace suddenly remembered Ed, sick just a few days ago, holed up in that dim little house.


    He and Ethan couldn''t have been more different. When Ed got sick, he withdrew from the world, tending to his pain in silence.


    However, Ethan didn''t seem to hide his vulnerabilities-not from her, at least.


    She wasn''t sure if she was imagining things, yet she stayedpletely still, not daring to move.


    After three hours on the road, the car finally stopped.


    Grace gazed out at the barren ruins, feeling disbelief and anger rising within her.


    "Are you sure this is the ce, Mr. Bet?"


    "Yes."


    Her voice trembled with frustration. "This ce is aplete ruin! You can''t even tell where the manor used to be, and it looks like there was a fire. What could we possibly find here? I thought there would be a pharmacy nearby, but after driving for three hours, we''ve ended up somewhere even more remote. Are you trying to let Mr. Henderson die in the car?"


    They hadn''t passed a single soul along the way.


    And Ethan-why the hell hadn''t he told her this ce was a ruin?


    Grace was already a bundle of nerves, and feeling the heat pouring off him only made her panic worse.


    What were they supposed to do-drive three hours back?


    She inhaled deeply and cranked open the window.


    "Mr. Bet, call for backup, will you? Get someone out here to pick us up," she instructed.


    Tim nodded casually, pulled out his phone, and strolled away.


    "No signal here, Ms. Lambert. Stay with Mr. Henderson in the car. I''ll find reception. If I don''te back... just drive. I''ll handle myself."


    Grace stared after him, stunned.


    Handle himself? Out here?


    But Tim was already gone, phone in hand.


    Grace quickly rolled the window back up, trying to trap what little warmth remained.


    She slid across the seat, grabbed a bottle of water, and gently patted Ethan''s face.


    "Mr. Henderson, try to drink a little."


    Ethan opened his eyes, nced at her, and turned away stubbornly.


    Grace pressed the bottle lightly against his mouth.


    "Your lips are cracked from fever. Just a little sip, okay?" she coaxed.


    He frowned and turned his head again, refusing.


    With no other choice, she poured a


    little


    and


    into her palm, leaned in,


    abbed it onto his


    parched lips with her fingertips.


    They were much too close, and when her fingertips brushed his lips, Grace had


    the fleeting illusion that he was kissing her hand.


    When she looked up, she realized he had been staring at her the whole time.


    Startled, she pulled back immediately.


    In his fevered state, Ethan was


    nothing like his usual cool, detached


    self. His gaze was heavy and


    burning, cutting through the space


    between them like a de


    Grace finally understood-he was out of it. In his mind, she wasn''t herself.


    Was he seeing someone else? Someone he couldn''t let go of?


    There was no way she could be


    angry with someone burning with


    fever. She quietly set down the


    bottle and turned to leave, hoping to


    catch a breath of air outside.


    Just as she moved, his hand caught her wrist-wordless, but desperate, as if


    even his body was begging her to stay.


    "Mr. Henderson, get some rest. I''ll just be right outside..."


    Before she could finish, his hand slid down. His fingertips brushed against hers, then he intertwined their fingers together.


    Heat bloomed between them, making the small space feel unbearably tight.


    Grace instinctively tried to pull away, but he held on fiercely.


    "You''ve mistaken me for someone else, Mr. Henderson," she whispered, not pulling away.


    Truth be told, she didn''t want anything bad to happen to him.


    With his eyes still closed, Ethan tugged her closer.


    Startled, Grace threw a hand between them to keep from falling into his arms.


    She braced herself, expecting him to demand more. However, he simply turned his head and rested against her shoulder.


    Grace lowered her gaze, feeling her heart tightening as she heard his hoarse whisper.


    "Just this once... let me stay."