The corridor stretching from the chapel to the main house felt endless, every sound of the wheelchair sharp against the silence, the tension thick enough to taste.
Aiden tried to break the mood. "She''s okay, really. Just took a bullet to the shoulder. She''s resting now."
Dn barely seemed to hear him, his eyes drifting over the columns and pavilions around them. There was a wounded look in his gaze, something raw and exposed.
"Don''t me yourself, sir," Aiden added, a little gentler. "Mrs. Ferguson, she''s always been tough..."
Dn''s attention dropped to the ring on his finger. His lips twisted into something like a smile, but it was more pain than amusement.
"I just keep wondering," he murmured, "if living in his ce is really fair to anyone."
The world felt divided, always just out of reach. Only with ra did he get a moment''s peace—and even that was only because she''d lost her memory. The second she remembered, he knew that peace would be gone, and she''d slip away for good.
When they got back to Palm Bay, the doctor was already there to check ra. But she was burning up, drifting in and out of consciousness, her face flushed and her hair damp with sweat.
The doctor set his stethoscope aside. "She''s exhausted. Worn out from worry. I doubt she''s slept properly in days. Should I prescribe something to help her rest?"
Dn sat at her side, weaving his fingers through hers. Seeing her like this-so vulnerable, so feverish-stabbed at him, sharp and relentless.
The doctor tried again, a little firmer, "Sir, do you want me to give her a sedative?" Dn''s voice was rough. "When will the fever break?"
The doctor hesitated. "When it''s caused by stress, only she can fix it. Maybe try talking to her, help her figure out what''s weighing on her mind. Once she lets go, the fever might follow."
He paused, remembering something. "Someone already gave her some antidote. It''ll clear the toxins, but there was too much—especially with this fever. She might be confused for a while. She shouldn''t be left alone."
Dn''s expression turned cold. He called out to the hallway, "Get in here."
The man outside tensed, then slowly walked in. Dn''s eyes lingered on the ck cloak he wore. "How much did you give her?"
The man froze, guilt flickering across his face. He''d been in a rush to see Tara, not paying attention to the dosage.
"Just... two bottles."
Dn exhaled, sharp and angry. "Go take your punishment."
The man nodded, head down, and slipped away. As he left, he passed Aiden in the corridor.
Aiden let out a low whistle. "Punishment at Palm Bay isn''t a joke, you know. I''ve heard some people say they''d rather die than go through it again."
He shot the man a look, half pity, half annoyance. "Honestly? The
boss gives you one job, and your
can''Deven get that right. When are you going to learn?"
The two of them had never gotten along, and the feeling was mutual. Aiden always acted like the boss''s favorite, lording it over everyone else.
The man pressed his lips together, his wordsing out in a stammer. "You... you''ll get yours soon enough."
Aiden just grinned, pushing his sses up with a mock-serious air. "Funny, isn''t it? I was supposed to be punished in the Ferguson family chape today, but the boss said only he gets to punish his own people. Looks like I got lucky."
The man clenched his fists but swallowed his anger, turning away in silence to
ept whatever fate waited for him.
Aiden''s smirk faded as soon as he
was alone. He walked up to the master bedroom, pausing outside when he heard the doctor''s voice from inside. He didn''t go in.
Inside, the doctor was preparing a liquid sedative, ready to help ra sleep, but Dn stopped him.
"That won''t fix what''s wrong," Dn said quietly.
She didn''t want to marry him. She didn''t want to be trapped here in Palm Bay.
That was why she''d fallen ill so suddenly.
Medicine couldn''t solve what was in her heart.