Chapter 203
THIRD PERSON’S POV
The hospital room felt calmer now, but there was still a bit of tension.
Ashley sat on the bed, leaning slightly against the pillows. Her small face was still pale from the illness.
Damien stood nearby, watching her carefully, while Tiffany sat close to the edge of the bed. Her expression was soft and filled with concern.
Tiffany reached out gently, brushing Ashley’s hair back with a light touch.
“I heard you were very sick,” she said “You must have been so scared p>
Ashley nodded slightly. “I was p>
Tiffany’s expression changed, becoming more emotional, almost guilty.
This is my fault,” she said quietly.
Damien frowned. “What are you talking about p>
Tiffany shook her head slowly. Her voice trembled just enough to sound convincing. “If I hadn’t asked Damien to stay with me… if I hadn’t needed him… maybe he would have been home. Maybe Ashley wouldn’t have gotten this sick p>
Ashley immediately reacted.
“No,” she said quickly. “It’s not your fault p>
Tiffany looked up at her. “But p>
“It’s not,” Ashley insisted. “I just got sick p>
Her small hands reached out and held Tiffany’s arm gently, as if she was the one offering comfort.
Damien watched the scene silently. He didn’t interrupt.
Tiffany hesitated for a moment, then let out a soft breath, as if she was trying to hold back her emotions.
“You’re such a good girl,” she said.
Ashley smiled.
Tiffany reached for a container she had brought with her.
“I made something for you,” she said “Fish soup p>
Ashley’s eyes lit up again.
Tiffany opened the container, and the scent filled the room.
It wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t pleasant either. The smell was slightly off, like the balance of seasoning wasn’t right. It lacked the warmth and care that usually came with homemade food.
Ashley noticed. She didn’t like how the food looked. It didn’t look nice at all. For a brief moment, her expression faltered.
But then she quickly forced a smile. She didn’t want to hurt Tiffany’s feelings.
“Thank you,” she said.
Tiffany’s face brightened immediately.
“Try it,” she encouraged gently.
Ashley nodded, though there was hesitation in her movements. She took the spoon carefully andbrought it to her mouth.
She tasted it. Her reaction was subtle, but it was there. It tasted horrible.
But she didn’t say anything.
“It’s good,” she said, forcing a small smile.
Tiffany looked relieved. “Really p>
Ashley nodded. “Yes p>
She took another spoonful, even though it was clear she wasn’t enjoying it. Her movements were slow and careful, as if she was trying not to show anything.
Damien watched quietly. His eyes moved between them.
None of them noticed the figure standing just outside the door.
Sophia.
She had returned.
She had come quietly, hoping to see Ashley, hoping to check on her condition, maybe even stay for a while. But the moment she reached the door, she stopped.
Everything she saw inside froze her in place – Ashley sitting there, smiling at Tiffany, Tiffany feeding her, Damien standing nearby.
And her daughter… pretending.
Sophia saw it clearly.
She saw the way Ashley forced herself to eat, the way her small face tightened for just a second before she smiled again. She saw the effort.
Ashley wasn’t eating because she liked it. She was eating to make Tiffany happy.
Sophia’s chest tightened painfully.
She didn’t step inside. She couldn’t.
Her hand rested lightly against the door, but she didn’t push it open. Instead, she stood there, watching silently. Her heart broke with every second.
“She really likes you,” Damien said quietly to Tiffany.
Tiffany smiled softly. “She’s easy to love p>
Ashley laughed, still eating, still pretending.
Sophia couldn’t take it anymore.
She stepped back slowly. she kept her movements quiet, careful not to make a sound. The moment she turned away, her vision blurred slightly.
She didn’t cry, not there. But the pain stayed.
She walked down the corridor. Her body was already weak from the fever that had started earlier. Her head felt heavy. Her limbs were slow, but she kept moving.
She left the hospital without anyone noticing.
By the time she reached home, the world around her felt distant, like everything was fading.
The house was quiet when she entered, too quiet.
She didn’t bother turning on the lights. She didn’t have the energy.
Her steps were slow as she made her way to her room. Her breathing had become uneven. Her body burned with heat.
Her wolf tried to stay awake, tried to keep her conscious, but it was struggling.
She reached the bed and collapsed.
Her body hit the mattress heavily. Her vision faded almost immediately. The fever had taken over completely now, leaving her too weak to move, too weak to even think clearly.
Time passed. She didn’t know how much.
The room remained dark, silent, still.
Then, a shadow appeared outside the window.
It was Zade.
He moved quickly, climbing up effortlessly. His senses were heightened, and the moment he reached the window, he knew something was wrong.
The scent hit him first. It was the smell of a fever. From the scent, he could feel weakness and something like pain.
His expression changed instantly.
Without hesitation, he pushed the window open and stepped inside.
“Sophia?” he called softly.
No response.
He moved closer, his eyes adjusting to the darkness easily. Then he saw her.
She was laying on the bed, completely still. Her face was red. Her breathing was heavy.
Zade’s chest tightened. His eyes went wide with worry.
“Sophia,” he said again, this time more urgently.
He reached her side quickly. He touched her forehead.
The heat shocked him.
“She’s burning,” he muttered under his breath.
His wolf reacted immediately, rising to the surface with concern and anger. The protective instinct inside him rose.
“Damn it,” he said.
Without wasting another second, he slid one arm under her back and the other under her legs, lifting her carefully into his arms. She felt too light, too fragile.
“This isn’t okay,” he murmured.
He didn’t wait.
He turned and headed for the window again, moving quickly but carefully, making sure she was secure in his hold.
As he climbed down, his movements remained steady.
Just as he reached the ground, two figures appeared nearby.
Marco and Patricia.
They froze the moment they saw him – Zade holding Sophia.
“What-” Patricia started, her eyes widening in shock.
Marco stared, equally stunned.
“What happened to her?” he asked.
Zade didn’t stop.
“She’s sick,” he said shortly.
Without another word, he carried Sophia toward his car.
Behind him, Marco and Patricia remained where they were, still trying to process what they had just seen.
Zade…was carrying Sophia like she was the most important thing in the world.
And the urgency in his eyes…it said everything.