Chapter 107
Chapter 107
An icy chill ran through Chloe’s body. She trembled beneath the sheets after a nightmare jolted her awake. That specific scene had haunted her since the day Ruan confessed his love. Chloe thought about it constantly; it became an almost sickly obsession, the words “I love you” circling her mind without granting her a single minute of peace.
She curled into a tighter ball as sweat covered her body. Chris sat up in bed, still half-asleep, and touched her shoulder.
“Are you okay, Mommy?” She turned her neck and stared at him, rubbing her eyes.
“I’m sorry if I’m keeping you awake,” she cleared her throat, her sunken eyes signaling that something was very wrong. “Don't worry, I'm fine.”
Chris stared directly at her face and placed his small hand on her sweaty forehead.
“What are you doing?” she asked.
“You're sick,” he stated with a certainty that startled her. “You need help.”
“What?” Chloe watched the boy get out of bed, open the door, and walk out of the room.
Chloe tried to get up to follow him, but her body felt far too weak. She sat on the edge of the bed with her back to the door, closing her eyes as her head spun like a top without stopping. She felt like an absolute wreck, and Chris was the first to notice.
A hand rested on her shoulder. She called out for Chris again, but when she turned around, she jumped in bed, shrinking back. Chloe stood up, and her body immediately swayed to the side until Ruan’s hands caught her.
“I told you she was sick,” Chris said with tears in his eyes. The whole situation terrified him right then.
“Go to your Aunt Grace’s room and stay with her,” Ruan ordered. “I’m going to take care of your mother.”
Chris nodded. Ruan never had to give the same order twice; the boy always followed his father's specific commands without questioning or complaining. When the door finally clicked shut, Ruan found himself alone with Chloe once more.
He watched her with his eyes closed, her fingers wrapped around the sweater he wore, pulling it so tightly she could have torn it. She clung to him with a desperate grip, as if he were an anchor that would save her life.
“I didn't ask you to take care of me,” she said, burying her face against his chest. “I’m fine. You can leave now.”
She didn't even realize he was sitting on the bed with her draped across his lap, literally resting in his arms. Ruan loved the feeling of holding her so close, breathing in the scent of her hair again. Twenty-four hours after he confessed his love, this was the very first time they had seen each other or exchanged a single word.
“You have a fever and you're shaking,” he whispered, his warm breath hitting her face.
“What?” She lifted her head and locked eyes with him. He was so close she didn't even have the strength to pull away. “I’ve been sick plenty of times before, and you never cared.”
“Because I never knew you were sick,” he countered, lifting his hand to touch her neck. “Now I know, and I’m here to take care of you.”
“I don't want…”
“I’m not asking if you want me to,” he slid his hands under her legs and scooped her up into his arms. “I’m taking care of you whether you like it or not.”
Ruan carried her out of the room. Chloe wrapped her arms around his neck, her gaze locked onto him, unable to look away for even a second. He brought her into the bathroom, sat her down on the restroom, dropped to his knees, and spoke to her.
“You need a cold shower to bring that fever down,” he said with an eerie calmness. “Do you want me to help you, or can you manage on your own?”
A lump formed in Chloe’s throat; she couldn't stand on her own, and she knew it. She could easily cause an accident if she tried to do this by herself. She looked at him and remembered the words he had spoken. Chloe recalled the sensation that had flooded her chest after hearing him say he loved her—how painful and utterly bizarre that feeling had been. She had waited years for that moment and had completely lost faith that it would ever happen.
Ruan claimed he loved her, and now she could actually see it in his eyes.
“I require help,” she whispered, swallowing the lump. The idea of being naked in front of him again absolutely terrified her.
“All right,” he smiled. “I’ll help you take your clothes off, and we’ll get under the shower together.”
“What?” Her body shivered as his hand moved to the shirt she wore and began to unbutton it.
“We’ve done this before,” he said, popping the first button open. She felt the heat of his finger brush against her skin.
“It’s different this time,” she whispered, her breathing turning irregular as he worked his way down until no buttons remained.
“Of course it is.” He looked up to meet her eyes. “You're sick.”
He slid the shirt off her shoulders, causing her skin to break out in goosebumps. Ruan looked at her breasts and averted his gaze a second later. He undressed her gently, then stripped off his clothes, held her tight, and guided her under the shower while the cold water cascaded over them in an endless, meaningful silence that both tried desperately to ignore.