Chapter 31
Dawson entered the dining room, and Cressida and Felix stood to greet him. Without a word, he adjusted his chair to his liking before taking a seat. His eyes were noticeably red.
“Are you okay, sir?” Cressida asked, her voice laced with concern. She couldn’t help but notice his reddened eyes. “What’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?”
Dawson’s gaze dropped, and he shook his head slightly. “I’m fine,” he replied curtly. “Are you serving the meal or the maid? Please, let’s hurry. I have a meeting.”
Though Cressida wasn’t convinced, she didn’t press the issue, aware that Alaric’s presence meant she should maintain a level of detachment. She nodded and began serving the meal, trying to gauge Dawson’s condition without drawing further attention to it.
“Okay, sir,” she said, rising from her seat since the maids were still out on errands. Despite no longer seeking Dawson’s approval, a lingering habit prompted her to attend to him first. As she approached Dawson’s place, Alaric’s voice halted her.
“What are you doing?” He asked, his brow furrowed in disapproval. “I’m your husband. You should serve me first, not him.”
Dawson remained silent, his gaze drifting to Cressida’s face, leaving the decision to her.
Cressida’s lips curled into a subtle smile as she locked eyes with Alaric for a moment before turning away to serve Dawson’s meal.
After serving Dawson, she turned to Alaric and served him, offering a quiet apology. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to do it that way,”
Alaric’s silence was palpable, and Cressida avoided his gaze, focusing on serving herself and pushing the container toward Felix.
“The maids are out, and I prepared breakfast,” she said, facing Felix, whose expression was neutral. “If you want to eat, you're welcome to it.”
“Where’s your mother?” Dawson asked, his gaze sweeping around.
“She’s on the patio outside,” Cressida replied before Felix could respond. “She declined to eat with us because I prepared the meal and she doesn’t want to taste it. She’s waiting for the maids to return from the errands I sent them on so they can prepare her meal.”
Dawson nodded thoughtfully, then picked up his spoon to eat. “When do you plan to resume work at the office?” He asked Cressida. Before she could respond, he added, “You’re to resume immediately.”
“She’s not resuming until next week.” Alaric intervened, his voice firm.
Dawson’s spoon clattered to his plate as he turned to face Alaric, his expression inquiring. “Why?” He demanded, his tone sharp with curiosity.
“Because she needs time to prepare,” Alaric replied promptly. “It’s already mid-week, so resuming next week makes more sense.”
Dawson's expression turned skeptical. “Why did she take the position if she wasn’t ready?” He asked. Before Alaric could respond, he issued a directive. “If you can’t resume this week, then resign and let someone else take over.”
“She—” Alaric's voice rose in protest, but before he could continue, Cressida intervened, her hand on his arm silencing him. He exhaled deeply, his gaze dropping.
Cressida nodded, her eyes on Dawson. “Okay, sir. I’ll resume at the office this week.”
The sudden creak of the door startled Cressida, causing her phone to slip from her grasp. She collapsed onto the bed, her eyes wide with surprise, and a shocked gasp escaped her lips.
“Hun!”
Alaric’s brow furrowed in concern as he watched her for a moment before moving closer to the bed. “What's wrong?” He asked, his voice gentle.
Cressida’s lips tightened as she shook her head hastily. She picked up her phone and quickly turned off the screen, her gaze darting back to Alaric. Her eyes held a hint of fear. “Nothing... it’s nothing,” she stammered, attempting a reassuring smile that fell flat.
“I’m fine. Nothing’s wrong with me,” she insisted, her voice laced with tension.
Alaric’s skepticism was palpable, and he pressed on. “Are you sure?”
Cressida hid her phone behind her back, her smile growing more convincing as she nodded vigorously. “Yes!” She said, her voice a little too loud, betraying her attempt to appear calm.
Her smile brightened slightly as she asked, “You said you wanted some fresh air? Why are you back so soon? Did you get bored, or did something bring you back?”
His gaze lingered on her face, his intuition telling him that her smile was forced and her reaction was off. He was curious about what she was hiding, not out of distrust, but genuine interest. However, he had promised himself not to pry until she was ready to share.
“I did want some fresh air, but it felt suffocating without you,” he said, his tone neutral but hinting at his curiosity. “No one’s returned yet. I came back because you refused to join me outside,”
“It’s actually quite pleasant here, but if you need some space, I can step out.” He offered the option reluctantly, hoping she wouldn't take him up on it.
Cressida shook her head, her smile growing more genuine as she said, “No, you can stay,”
Alaric’s face softened, and he grinned.
As Cressida stood up from the bed, she informed him, “I’ve found a hospital for your treatment. Someone recommended it, and I’d like us to visit.”
Alaric’s brow furrowed. “Who recommended it?”
Cressida countered with a question of her own, “Does it matter?”
Alaric’s lips tightened, and he let her continue.
“You don’t need to worry about who it is or how I found out. What matters is the doctor's competence, and if the person who recommended him is satisfied, that’s all that counts,”
As she placed her phone on the nightstand, her tone turned firm. “Don’t question me, Alaric. We’re visiting him. Got it?”
Alaric nodded, responding, “got it, ma.”
“When are we going?” He asked, and Cressida’s reply was immediate.
“Now.”
Alaric’s lips parted to protest, but she silenced him with a raised finger. “Don’t question me, Alaric. As I said before, for your health, we’re doing it my way. No debates.”
Alaric nodded silently, agreeing to Cressida’s terms. “Okay, ma.” He said, refraining from further comment.
Cressida’s expression turned assertive. “And don’t forget who’s in charge here, hun? I’m the one calling the shots. You’re to follow my instructions and only argue if I permit it.”
Alaric nodded again, his face neutral.
He moved closer to the bed, lifted the pillow, and picked up a file hidden beneath it. Turning to Cressida, he held out the file. “Take it.” He instructed.
Cressida accepted the file, opened it, and scanned its contents, her expression confused. She flipped through the pages, struggling to understand the information. Holding the file lightly, she looked up at Alaric, her eyes questioning. “What's this?”
Alaric’s response was straightforward. “A gift.”
Cressida’s gaze lingered on the file for a moment before returning to Alaric's face. “A gift?” She echoed, her tone questioning.
Alaric nodded, his expression calm. “Yes, a gift from me to you. Something to ease your stress,” he said, offering a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about it now. Just go through it, and when the time comes, you’ll understand its value.”