He held her hand gently, leading her toward the dining table, but before they could take another step, Daisy suddenly pulled away.
"Haatchooo! … Haatchooo!" she sneezed uncontrollably, turning away and walking toward the hall.
Jeff quickly followed her, grabbing a tissue box from the side table. "Here," he said, handing her one with concern written all over his face. "Thank you… Haatchooo!" "But what happened? Are you okay?" he asked, clearly worried.
"I… I'm allergic to white roses," she said between sneezes, sniffling. The color drained from Jeff's face, his expression darkening instantly. "I'm so sorry, Daisy. I didn't know I just assumed you'd like them… they're calm, just like you." Daisy's eyes narrowed through the watery blur. "Why would you assume? You should've just asked…" "Haatchooo!"
"Bless you," Jeff said softly, though his voice trembled with guilt. "Everything's happening so fast… and I'm so confused… Haatchooo!"
Before she could say another word, her knees buckled and in a terrifying instant, she collapsed.
"Daisy!" Jeff cried, rushing to catch her before she hit the ground. He scooped her up in his arms and sprinted upstairs, laying her gently on the bed. Without wasting another second, he dialed the doctor. "You need to get here in 60 seconds do you hear me? Sixty." He didn't wait for a response. He hung up and hurled the phone across the room, the device crashing against the wall.
"Shit!" he cursed, pacing furiously, running a hand through his already disheveled hair.
"What the hell have I done? I need to slow down… take my time with her." Less than 30 seconds later, the doctor arrived. He didn't need to knock the guard had already ushered him in.
He rushed up the stairs to find Jeff moving like a madman across the room. "Sir," the doctor said cautiously, stepping in. "Save it," Jeff snapped. "Just do your job. Now." "Yes, sir," the doctor replied quickly, kneeling beside Daisy and beginning his examination.
After a few tense minutes, he stood up.
"She's stable now," he said calmly. "I've prescribed some medication. Please ensure she takes it. And one more thing she can't be stressed, not even a little. "What exactly happened to her?" Jeff asked, his tone softer now. "She fainted from exhaustion. Her kidneys are weak, and even the slightest effort can tire her out drastically. She needs to avoid stress completely. Anything overwhelming could be dangerous."
Jeff gave a slow nod. "Thank you. My guard will see you out." As the doctor left, Jeff stayed beside Daisy, refusing to sleep. He spent the entire night watching over her, guilt gnawing at every corner of his soul.
The Next Morning — Alicia's P.O.V
Ugh… morning already?
I wasn't exactly in a rush to get out of bed. Last night was surprisingly peaceful. Actually… it was probably the best sleep I've had in my life. I groaned lazily, swinging my legs off the bed and stretching as I yawned, my bones cracking in satisfaction.
And then—
"So you finally decided to wake up, wife? Never knew you were this lazy…" Leo's voice sliced through the silence like a dagger dipped in sarcasm. I froze. God, not him first thing in the morning.
I turned slowly, glaring in the direction of the annoying voice. He was sitting on the couch in a white robe, casually flipping through a stack of files like he didn't just insult me.
I rolled my eyes and huffed, dragging myself into the bathroom. Ignore him, Alicia. Breathe.
After what felt like an hour soaking in the steamy bath, I stepped out feeling relaxed. I pulled on a pair of worn blue jeans and an oversized black top my kind of comfort. Then I walked over to the mirror, plugged in the dryer, and began blowing out my damp hair.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught him watching me again. I paused. "Will you stop staring?" I snapped, not even looking at him.
Leo chuckled, sipping from his coffee mug with infuriating calm. "You really do have a big mouth, huh? I always suspected it, but now I'm sure," he said coolly. I turned fully to face him, brow arched. "I'm sorry, what?" He stood and eyed me from head to toe. "From the very day I met you, I knew one thing you lack fashion sense. What… exactly… are you wearing?"
I gasped, hand flying to my hip.
"These?" I said, gesturing to my outfit. "These are my clothes, thank you very much."
Then I gave him a wicked smile. "And just so we're clear there's no way I'm wearing those ridiculous designer torture pieces you bought me." I chuckled mockingly.
"Sorry, darling," I continued with a dramatic flip of my hair, "but I'm much more comfortable in my so-called tacky clothes, as you like to call them." Leo blinked, speechless for a second. I could practically see the smoke rising from his perfectly trimmed head.