Chapter 221 The Fever
Byron extinguished the cigarette with a sigh, his eyes clouded with frustration.
“How did you come over here?” he asked, trying to mask the irritation in his voice.
Freya looked down at her feet, her voice barely above a whisper. “I… I woke up and didn’t see you. I was afraid…” She hesitated before adding, “Are you smoking?”
Byron’s eyes softened for a moment. “Just relieving fatigue,” he said, stepping closer. “It’s cold outside. Let’s go back to the ward.”
“You didn’t smoke before,” Freya observed, her tone tinged with concern. “Am I making you annoyed?”
“Freya, you need to stop thinking like that,” Byron said sternly, his words almost clipped. “You have to live for yourself, not always worry about whether others will be annoyed or if they’ll like you.”
To be honest, Freya’s constant dependence on him was starting to feel suffocating. He couldn’t bear the pressure anymore, but at the same time, he couldn’t bring himself to walk away from her.
Freya’s eyes widened with immediate regret. “I understand. I will! Please don’t be angry!”
Byron felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He didn’t know whether to feel angry, helpless, or just plain drained. He couldn’t win in this situation.
“Come on,” he muttered, a sense of defeat in his voice. “Let’s go back to the ward.”
Freya followed him without protest, her footsteps quiet.
Meanwhile, Athena stirred in bed, her body trembling with the aftereffects of a nightmare. She sat up, dizziness clouding her senses.
She stumbled to the living room in search of a thermometer, only to discover that she had a slight fever. The exertion of the day had likely caused it—a mix of sweating and the sudden temperature changes. Athena wrapped herself in a small blanket and sank into the couch, trying to calm her racing thoughts.
She had some fever-reducing medicine for pregnant women, along with a cooling patch. After a half-hour, the medicine arrived, and Athena took it, applying the cooling patch before crawling back into bed.
She couldn’t help but feel the absence of Byron’s warmth. She had always complained about how hot his body was, but now, the empty bed seemed colder than she expected.
The next morning, Athena woke up just after 9 o’clock. She checked her temperature again—no fever. However, she still felt weak and a little drained. She dressed warmly in a cozy set of clothes and added a white knitted hat to ward off the chill.
As she passed by the study, she glanced inside—nothing had changed since the day before.
She stood there for a moment, taking in the peaceful surroundings.
Thinking nothing of it, Athena left for the sandwich shop downstairs. She bought the shop’s signature sandwich, followed by a large bouquet of vibrant red roses. Sally had once said only roses as fiery as her own personality would do.
Athena made her way to the private hospital where Sally was staying. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but she wasn’t prepared for the surprise that awaited her.
As she approached Sally’s room, she heard a voice call out to her.
“Athn, over here!”
Sally was peeking out from the doorway, her mischievous eyes lighting up when she saw Athena. But then, Sally’s gaze flickered, and she suddenly realized where Athena had stopped—right outside the room of Byron’s mistress.
Sally quickly waved her over, a playful smile on her face.
“Ms. Campbell!” she greeted warmly, despite the cast on her arm and the bandage on her forehead. She spun around Athena in a show of energy, despite her injuries.
Athena couldn’t help but laugh, the smile fading into concern. “Is your head okay?” she asked, reaching for the flowers in her hands.
“Just a minor concussion!” Sally said, her voice light and teasing. “And I have to say, curls really suit you. When you had straight hair, I always wanted to design a hairstyle for you!”
Athena chuckled, offering Sally the flowers. “Wishing you a speedy recovery. When you’re better, I’ll treat you to a meal at a Mexican restaurant!”
Sally winked. “I’ll remember that promise.”
Sally placed the flowers by the bedside with one hand, the other reaching out to link arms with Athena.
“Don’t sit here. The weather’s too good to stay inside. Help me downstairs to the small garden, so we can enjoy the sun.”
“Sure,” Athena agreed, a smile tugging at her lips. She didn’t realize it yet, but this casual visit was about to change everything.