Chapter 14
That night, Zoey developed a fever in the middle of the night. Levi was still up working as usual. The weight of the entire Gordon Group rested on his shoulders, and there was always something that needed his attention.
Suddenly, he heard soft moans coming from the guest room. He walked over and knocked on the door. “Zozo?”
Zoey was trapped in a deep nightmare. Her face was pale, completely drained of color, and beads of sweat formed on her forehead. She clutched the blanket and was shivering uncontrollably. “Go away…Please, go away…Where are you taking me?”
A wave of concern swept over Levi as he heard her faint and broken words. He pushed the door open. Zoey looked like she was caught in the throes of a nightmare. She was writhing on the bed as if she were drowning. “No, I don’t want to go… This isn’t my home…”
“Zozo, you okay?” Levi called out, gripping her shoulders and shaking her gently. But she didn’t wake up. When he placed his hand on her forehead, it was burning hot.
“Jeez, she’s running a fever again?” Levi muttered to himself, frustrated. “She’s so fragile–a simple cold and she was still sick after all this time.”
It was late, so he decided not to call the family doctor. Levi wasn’t a doctor, but as a double PhD in finance and law, he had learned enough basic medical knowledge over the years.
Just like before, Levi wrapped some ice in a towel and began cooling her down. When her fever still wouldn’t break, he resorted to wiping her down with a warm cloth. However, Levi never took care of anyone before, so he was a bit rough with his movements, leaving her smooth skin red from the friction.
That was when he noticed something—a butterfly–shaped birthmark on her back near her shoulder blades. Zoey was so slender that her delicate shoulder blades jutted out like wings ready to take flight, and the mark only made the image more striking.
“Please, don’t come near me. Let me go. I just want to go home. I miss my mom and dad,” Zoey murmured in her sleep, tears slipping down her cheeks, her voice thick with sobs.
She looked so vulnerable, and it tugged at something in Levi’s heart. Levi spent the rest of the night tending to her, finally managing to bring her fever down.
The next morning, when Zoey woke up, she was startled to find Levi slumped over and was asleep at her bedside. She blinked in surprise and called, “Mr. Horton, did you sleep here the whole night?”
Groggy and exhausted, Levi slowly woke up. He had worked half the night and only rested in the early hours of the morning, too tired to do anything but fall asleep right there at her bedside.
Levi rubbed his aching temples while asking her, “Had a nightmare last night, huh?” His voice was husky from just waking up, low and undeniably
sexy.
Zoey clutched the blanket tightly and replied, “Yeah, I dreamt of something really scary.”
“What was it about?” he asked.
“I dreamt that someone was trying to take me away to some village and forced me to marry someone,” Zoey said, the nightmare still clouding her mind. The dream felt so real, as if it had actually happened.
In the nightmare, Zoey had been trapped in a small, powerless body, unable to escape, and each attempt only resulted in more beatings.
She quickly shook her head, trying to push the terrifying’images from her mind.
Levi’s expression darkened, and he thought to himself, ‘Why would she dream something like that out of the blue?‘
Zoey was now feeling much better, and she asked, “Mr. Horton, did you take care of me last night?” Though the nightmare had gripped her, she had faint memories, a vague awareness of someone tirelessly wiping her down and cooling her fever with ice.
All her life, no one had ever treated her with such care. Zoey’s heart softened, warmth seeping in like a trickle of light. She silently thanked him in her heart. ‘Mr. Horton, thank you!
Later that morning, Linda came over to make breakfast for them. As soon as she tied her apron and started preparing, she noticed the faint red marks on Zoey’s neck and collarbone.
Then she remembered seeing Levi leaving the guest room early in the morning. A knowing smile spread across Linda’s face, her thoughts immediately jumping to conclusions.
1/2
Σ
Extra Check–in
Vouchers
Exclusive Profile
Ad–Free Reading
Badge
Chapter 14
Zoey sat down at the dining table, a little puzzled. “Linda, why did you make so much food today? Even beef stew for breakfast?” Zoey felt it was way too extravagant compared to their usual breakfast.
Linda replied with a warm smile, “I was worried you might’ve overexerted yourself last night. So I took care to prepare something nutritious to help you recover.”
Zoey tilted her head and mumbled, “I didn’t feel tired at all, but Mr. Horton definitely wore himself out.” Zoey then reached out to ladle some beef stew for Levi, but he quickly snatched the spoon from her hand.
“You know you can’t see well, so just don’t mess with hot things. You’ll burn yourself,” Levi said in a cool tone, and it sounded harsh.
But Zoey knew he was just concerned for her safety, so she obediently sat back down and replied, “Oh… okay.”
Linda, meanwhile, had to cover her mouth to hide her laughter. She had clearly misunderstood the situation. Levi noticed her expression and immediately realized what she was thinking, so he told her to head next door and come back later to clean up.
“Sure, I’ll leave you two alone. Enjoy your time,” Linda said with a playful smile, tactfully excusing herself.
Zoey, being naive and inexperienced, didn’t understand what was going on. She asked Levi, “Why don’t you allow Linda to have breakfast with us today?”
“Eat up and shut up,” Levi said curtly, placing a bowl of beef stew in front of her.
Zoey, however, pushed the bowl back toward him, her expression serious. “Mr. Horton, you were exhausted last night. You should have more.”
Levi’s face immediately turned gloomy. ‘Oh, dear, this clueless girl still has no idea how easy it is for her words to be misunderstood. Besides, I’m in excellent shape–no need for nourishing soup to recover from anything. If anything, her fragile body needs more extra care.
“Help yourself to more,” he ordered in a firm and commanding tone.
“Okay,” Zoey replied.
“That’s it? You’re full already?” Levi frowned, noticing how little she had eaten. No wonder she hadn’t gained any weight after all this time. He was sure a cat could eat more than she did.
Zoey patted her round belly and replied, “I really can’t eat anymore.”
“Two more bites,” Levi said, not giving her a choice, as he picked up a shrimp and held it to her lips.
His voice carried the authority, leaving no room for argument. Zoey opened her mouth and ate the shrimp, followed by another. She really was full, though.
Satisfied, Levi finally stopped pushing food on her. “Go to class. Don’t forget to take the milk Linda packed for you.”
“Got it,” Zoey replied with a nod. She grabbed her cane and headed for the door. Levi left the house with her, and as they approached the elevator, he instinctively reached out to help guide her inside. The elevator quickly filled with people. Levi’s expression darkened, and the atmosphere around him seemed to grow heavier.
Levi wasn’t used to this–he typically traveled by private jet or car, and his company had elevators reserved just for the CEO. Sharing an elevator with others was far from his norm. On top of that, his mild germaphobia made him particularly uncomfortable in crowded places.
Amidst the crowd, someone stepped on Zoey’s foot, and she let out a soft ouch. Seeing her stand in the corner with her cane, looking completely lost, Levi, for once, softened his heart. With one swift motion, he reached out his long arm and pulled her into his embrace to shield her from the crowd.
Zoey, caught off guard, found herself pressed against his broad and solid chest. The woody scent of him filled her nose. Feeling safe and comforted, she couldn’t help but nuzzle her face against him and thought to herself, ‘Mr. Horton may seem cold, but his embrace is really warm.‘
2/2
AD
Comment
Send gift
No Ads
