lent, sayin

c on the other end. "Ava, sa

ly spoke, my voice

t a sigh o

tle longer. I'm working on it. My father's negotiatin

er of my mouth, a bi

he had everythi

path

softly, "is

e went

ered. "Everything went smoot

oo

, yo

want to rest."

verthink." Leo's voice carried a hi

d tossed the

uld this ch

n't k

I stepped into this estate

, I woke to

, as if stabbed by

roblem, cramps

eft me writhi

ld a hot water bottle to my stomach, cra

t doesn't hurt,

nbearable I ended up in

ouring o

trudging through the rain,

ir and clothes, bu

register, pay, and fetch medic

forehead, I learned he'd fallen at

I saw the bandage on his

e. "Silly, why are you crying? A

truly believed he'

erything ha

, cold sweat soaki

came at

s the

what's

." I could barely sp

shifted, and s

dro appeared

black suit, his

ce, he frowned. "

to be ill,"

hed the bed and to

gertips made

mily doctor,

n and scooped me

nctively clutch

s firm, surpri

glancing at me as he car

djusted the water temperat

ped me, easing th

the tub's edge,

xpression unchanged, tho

his bad?"

odd

nt for a momen

e, and a strange sen

ater, he

was a cup of

roz