Chapter 33

Alyssa was beaming with pride as she walked alongside Luther, who complained about his wet clothes. She couldn’t help but tease him about what the wetness represented – progress. Luther had just taken a brave step forward, making a move to conquer his fear of the sea. It was a big deal, and Alyssa was more than happy to pat him on the back for it.

Her positivity rubbed off on him, and Luther expressed his admiration of her selflessness. Alyssa had willingly come with him to this new place and had supported him every step of the way. It was all worth it because he had fallen in love with her. Alyssa reciprocated Luther’s love and kissed him. However, their romantic moment was interrupted by the housekeeper, Nanny Martha, who noticed his wet clothes.

Nanny Martha was appalled that Luther had gone into the sea since she knew about his fear. Alyssa quickly defused the situation by confessing that it was part of their plan to help Luther overcome his fear. Nanny Martha wasn’t pleased but accepted that Alyssa would be Luther’s guiding light. Alyssa felt that she was Luther’s “knight in shining armor,” a term that made Nanny smile.

Their private conversation came to an end when Alyssa remembered the surprise they had planned for Luther’s birthday, which was the next day. Alyssa took Nanny Martha aside to ensure everything was ready. They quickly confirmed that the preparations were complete, and they returned to Luther, who was curious about their private chat.

Luther was relentless in getting Alyssa to reveal what they were discussing, but Alyssa pretended it was nothing. Nanny Martha corroborated her story, and they proceeded to the room where a surprise party awaited Luther, with lights off and a cake lit up before him. Alyssa was excited to show Luther how much they cared for him, and everyone shouted “Happy Birthday” when he came in.

The room brightened up, and Luther was impressed by the surprise his friends had put together for him. Alyssa wished him a happy birthday and encouraged him to blow out the candles. Luther made a silent wish and blew them out, and the whole group applauded. Alyssa was right there, wishing him a happy birthday again and giving him her gift.

Alyssa brought out Luther’s birthday present from her bag, and it was a stunning watch. She presented it to him with a smile, proud of herself for picking such a thoughtful gift. Luther was grateful and hugged her, thanking her for the surprise and the gift. The two of them stayed at the party for a while, laughing, eating, and drinking with friends.

Later on, Alyssa walked to Luther’s room to find his tux for his official birthday celebration the next day. She felt something strange happen to her head, like an ache or a sharp stab. It was so sudden that she didn’t know what to make of it. Alyssa tried to shake it off, but it was a nagging feeling that lingered in the back of her mind.

Her head was spinning and she felt incredibly nauseous. She staggered slightly and held onto a wall and the feeling got worse. It felt like a heavy pressure was on her, like the house was falling on top of her. She tried to calm herself, taking small breaths trying desperately to hold on to her consciousness. After a few minutes of small raggedy breaths with sweat dropping down her chin, she felt the strong ache leave as suddenly as she came. She stood with her back to the wall, taking deep raspy breaths as she wondered about what had just happened.

Just then, Luther walked in and she quickly schooled her features into a pleasing and calm expression. The last thing she wanted was to ruin his birthday after all the plans they had made.

“What are you doing in here?”, He asked, looking at her with a wide grin on his face.

She laughed. “I just came in to retrieve your tuxedo. I was about heading out to ask you where you had left it”.

“Really now?”, He told her and walked closer. “That’s why you’ve stayed in this room for more than half an hour? It doesn’t even seem like you were searching for something in here. Or were waiting for me to come for you?”.

Alyssa rolled her eyes and pushed him off. He took her into his arms and kissed her. When he pulled away, they were out of breath and he stared deep into her eyes. “You look beautiful. And thank you for all of this. For being here and for helping me with this party”.

“Thank you. It’s not a big deal though. It’s your birthday and as long as I’m here, even after I leave, I want you to know that it is important to celebrate it as the day you were born rather than the day your parents passed”.

He smiled and gave her a peck on the cheek, leaving her to go get dressed. Alyssa took in deep breaths as she left the room, still unsure about the pain she had felt moments ago.

***###***####

As she went to the celebration, Alyssa couldn’t help but pause and reflect on the sensation she had felt earlier. The pain had come and gone without any explanation, and she was unsure of what it meant. She brushed the feeling aside, deciding it wasn’t worth worrying about, and joined the others to celebrate Luther’s birthday.

As the party went on, Alyssa and Luther played perfect hosts, making sure all the guests were happy and entertained. However, they soon retired to the balcony, wanting some privacy of their own. Alyssa noted how beautiful the stars were, but Luther assured her that they weren’t as pretty as she was.

When he asked what she wished for earlier, Luther revealed that he had wished for Alyssa to always be with him. The words warmed Alyssa but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to stay with him forever. Even then, she didn’t have any plans to ruin his happiness for the day so she gave him a big smile and pecked him on the lips. But just as the conversation took a romantic turn, Alyssa felt a sharp pain in her head for the second time that night.

The sensation was intense, and she clung to her head, unable to focus on anything else. Luther’s voice echoed in her head, and she could feel him reaching for her hand as pained groans escaped from her lips. The pain was so intense that she leaned unsteadily on Luther and quickly passed out.

Luther quickly sprung into action, calling out for Nanny Martha for help. She fetched a doctor, who examined Alyssa and assured Luther that the situation wasn’t too serious. However, when Luther brought Alyssa into his room, he noticed something strange – the book that had initially brought Alyssa to his world was there.

Luther knew that he had left the book with Max, and he couldn’t understand how it had ended up in his room. Luther was alarmed that the book had somehow found its place to where he was. He glanced at Alyssa who was next to him unconscious in bed. He shook his head slightly, not wanting to ponder on the issue at the moment. The most important thing was Alyssa and how she was doing.

Luther sat beside Alyssa, holding her hand and kissing it, praying that she would wake up soon and that everything would be okay. He hoped that the doctor’s prediction would come true, that it wasn’t anything serious and that she would soon recover.

As he waited, Luther remained deep in thought, wondering what he should do to protect Alyssa in case the situation became grave. He knew that he loved her deeply, and her safety was his top priority. Luther kept holding her hand, waiting for her to wake up and provide some answers.