Chapter 45
Arthur's voice carried a barely perceptible note of exhaustion. "Logan needs someone there. Could you take a few days off?"
Caroline's fingers tightened around her phone. "I have an important academic conference in a few days. I absolutely can't get away right now."
The keyboard clicking on the other end stopped.
"I have to finalize this project proposal tonight," Arthur said, his voice softening with a hint of resignation. "It's just a few days—can't the conference wait?"
Caroline closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could picture Arthur's expression: brows furrowed, fingers pressed against his temple, the very picture of professional obligation.
This was typical Arthur—always putting work first, always with reasons why he couldn't be there.
"Fine," she heard herself say, her voice carrying a weariness she didn't even recognize.
---
The lights at Windsor Villa were blindingly bright when Caroline pushed open the door to the children's room. Logan was curled up under the blankets, his little face as red as a ripe apple.
Nina stood by the bed, fever medicine in hand. "Mrs. Windsor, thank goodness you're here. Logan's temperature hit 102°F, and he's been asking for you."
"Mr. Windsor came by at noon, and the fever had broken then, but it flared up again. Poor thing, it breaks my heart to see him like this."
Caroline went to her son's side and placed her hand on his forehead. The burning heat made her heart ache. Logan opened his eyes groggily. When he saw her, his little mouth quivered, and tears spilled down his cheeks. "Mommy."
"I'm here." She took Logan's burning little hand in hers, and the heat transferring to her fingertips made all her resentment and frustration evaporate.
She stayed by his bedside, giving him medicine, wiping him down with cool cloths, and changing his fever patches, constantly in motion.
Layla stood in the doorway clutching her pillow, her small face full of worry. "Is Logan going to be okay?"
"He will be," Caroline said, softly stroking her daughter's head. "In a few days, he'll be fine."
Layla hesitated, then approached the bed and carefully touched her brother's hand. "Logan, you need to get better soon. I'll let you play with my teddy bear."
Watching this, Caroline felt a sudden warmth bloom in her chest.
As the night deepened, Logan's temperature finally dropped, and his breathing became more regular.
Caroline sat in the chair beside his bed, watching her son's sleeping face as her eyelids grew heavier.
She didn't know when she'd fallen asleep, but when she startled awake, the wall clock showed it was one in the morning. She stood up, gently tucked in the blanket corners, and walked out of the room.
The living room was empty. Arthur's shoes weren't in the entryway. He still hadn't come home.
---
Morning sunlight filtered through the blinds as Caroline rubbed her tired eyes and finished the last sip of coffee from her thermos.
When she'd left Windsor Villa in the early morning hours, daylight was just beginning to break. She'd gone to her apartment to quickly freshen up and change clothes before heading straight to the office.
The attendance sheet on her desk was already signed—she was the first one in.
Although Arthur had explicitly said Caroline could take time off for the children, she'd been at the company less than a week and didn't want to give anyone reason to talk.
The sound of dress shoes clicking against the floor echoed down the hallway. Caroline looked up to see Arthur stepping out of the elevator.
He was still wearing yesterday's dark gray suit, his tie knotted impeccably, though the dark circles under his eyes betrayed his exhaustion.
When she'd left the villa late last night, he still hadn't returned home. She'd assumed he'd spent the night at the office, given that the project proposal was supposedly too urgent to delay.
But now it seemed he had gone home after all. Perhaps, despite everything, he hadn't forgotten about his sick child at home. This thought was like a small pebble creating gentle ripples of warmth in the depths of her heart.
Arthur noticed her too, his steps faltering slightly. His eyes flashed with surprise, as if he hadn't expected her to show up at the office on time. He nodded briefly in acknowledgment before walking directly to his office.
Caroline watched his straight-backed figure, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting with her mouse.
The glass door opened, and Heidi walked in. She wore a light blue medical mask that revealed only her eyes, the dark circles beneath them clearly visible.
Upon seeing Caroline, she removed her mask, revealing a pale smile. "Morning, Caroline."
"Morning." Caroline nodded, her gaze falling on Heidi's slightly reddened eyes.
"Could I ask a favor?" Heidi approached the front desk and handed over a sticky note. "I'm expecting a package today, probably this afternoon. Would you mind signing for it when it arrives?"
"Sure." Caroline accepted the note, noticing the neat, elegant handwriting.
"This flu season is brutal," Heidi pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders, looking at Jessie and Caroline with a slightly whiny tone. "My fever hit nearly 104°F yesterday. I'm still not fully recovered. You both should be careful not to catch it."
With that, she put her mask back on. "I'll head upstairs now."
Caroline watched her enter the elevator, fingers pinching the note, an inexplicable heaviness settling in her chest.
Once both of them were gone, Jessie hurried over. "I've got some juicy gossip!"
Caroline tucked away the note and smiled. "Let's hear it."
"Have you seen the company's casual chat group?" Jessie lowered her voice, opening her phone to show the conversation. "Someone said yesterday that Ms. White suddenly came down with a high fever, and Mr. Windsor personally postponed his international conference call to take her to the hospital!"
Caroline's fingers froze suddenly, as if stung.
"Can you believe it?" Jessie marveled. "That meeting had apparently been in preparation for two weeks, with directors watching closely, but Mr. Windsor just canceled it. And someone saw Mr. Windsor leaving Serenity Health Center yesterday afternoon, driving Ms. White home."
Serenity Health Center? Caroline suddenly found it difficult to breathe. That was exactly where she'd gone for her follow-up appointment yesterday.
She recalled the conversation she'd overheard in the hospital corridor and Arthur's dark gray suit.
Caroline realized something was off—if Arthur wanted to meet Naomi, why would they meet at a hospital? It seemed Arthur had been taking care of sick Heidi, and that's why he ran into Naomi, who was also visiting someone.
"I knew it—Mr. Windsor definitely has feelings for Ms. White," Jessie said excitedly. "I've suspected something between them for a while. In every meeting, Mr. Windsor specifically asks Ms. White to report, and at the last celebration dinner..."
Caroline didn't catch the rest of Jessie "juicy" story. Her mind kept replaying yesterday's scenes.
So his claim about "working late at the office" was a lie, and the "project proposal" merely an excuse. He hadn't gone home to check on their child—he'd been at the hospital taking care of Heidi.
The empty villa in the middle of the night, her child's fever-flushed face, and her own foolish self-reassurance all crashed down on her at once.