Arwen looked back at the butler and asked again, "Mr. Jones, did he arrive?" Her voice was laced with pure worry, and her brows were knitted tightly, reflecting her rising anxiety.
Mr. Jones's expression was solemn. He shook his head and replied in a sombre tone, "Madam, he is already on his way and should be reaching soon. Don't worry."
"How can I not?" she sighed, turning her gaze back to Aiden, who lay there, unconscious or nearly so.
If she had known he would end up being like this, she would have never let his stubbornness win.
Her eyes couldn't move away from his face, but at the sa ti, it felt so unbearable to watch him like this. She had never seen him this way — so weak, so vulnerable. His usual calm, composed face was flushed in an alarming shade of red, and his entire body radiated heat, burning with fever.
If she doesn't worry about seeing him like this, she would be inhumane.
Mr. Jones observed from a distance, not knowing what to say. The situation was indeed serious, but having stayed by Aiden's side for so many years, he had seen the young man endure far worse. He was sure that he would be able to endure the sa this ti.
But just because he was sure of it, he couldn't stop the lady from worrying. Her worries were as righteous as the situation.
Just then, the subtle screech of a car pulling up outside broke in the tense silence. Mr. Jones perked up imdiately.
"Madam, I believe the doctor has arrived. I will go and escort him in," he said quickly and exited the room.
Arwen gave a faint nod before turning back to Aiden, gently placing another cool, damp cloth on his forehead. She had no experience in doing this, but she rembered reading that it helped to reduce fever.
However, she checked him again with her hand, his temperature still felt the sa — hot and burning.
She watched him closely, her fingers lightly brushing against his cheek. "Aide, she whispered, almost imploring, "wake up soon. Don't scare like this. You don't even know how I felt when you fell earlier like that."
She thought back and rembered. She was waiting for him to answer her question, but the mont he glanced up at her, she realized there was sothing wrong with him. His face looked red. She had just extended her hand out to check, but before she could even get to touch him, he fell on his back.
She closed her eyes, still not able to get over that scene.
"Arwen!"
She heard Jason's voice and imdiately turned to look at the door over her shoulder.
"Dr. Clark, you are here," she said, finally seeing him there. "I have been waiting for you. Please co in and check on Aiden. He is burning with temperature."
A frown settled between Jason's brows as his gaze shifted to look at Aiden. He had been expecting already. After all, the rigorous exhaustion building for so long would be showing up sooner or later.
He walked in, going straight to the bedside. "This is normal," he muttered under his breath, and Arwen frowned at that.
"Normal?" she asked.
Jason briefly looked at her and nodded before sighing. "Yes, he had pushed himself to the limit, working extra day and night for months, travelling here and there and working on things that did nothing but stress and drain him out. Fever has just co as a symptom to notify him to have so rest."
He sat down to take his temperature before checking the vitals.
Arwen's frown deepened, hearing that. "But he was fine all this while. He never looked too exhausted." When he returned ho, he would look the sa —always vibrant around her. Was that all a show?
Jason smiled, knowing well about his friend well. "Of course, he will look like that," he said before moving to prepare the injection and IV setup. "After all, practice makes a man perfect. Over the years, his ticulous practice has made him flawless. Now, even if he is on the stage of breaking down, he wouldn't flinch."
The more Arwen heard him, the more she felt guilty. No matter how flawless the act was, it was still an act. How could she not see it even after staying beside him so closely?
Once Jason was done with the setup, he turned and noted Arwen's expression. Her thoughts were so obvious on her face that it wasn't hard for him to read.
"It's fine, don't bla yourself. If you want to bla soone," he turned and pointed at Aiden, "bla him. He never takes himself seriously."
Arwen shook her head. "I should have seen through his act. But I didn't. How could I bla him?"
"Act?" he blinked to ask.
And she nodded. "Yes, if not an act, what else could it be? He always pretends to be vibrant around as if my presence around him sets him free from all stress and burden. But silly , how could that be even possible? We have barely known each other. How can I have such an influence on him?"
Jason understood what she was referring to. His lips curled up slightly, but he didn't say anything quickly. Rather, he waited.
While administering the dication, he finally spoke, his voice a tone deeper. "What if it's not really a pretense?"
"Huh?" Arwen blinked.
And he turned to look back at her. Pulling his lips in an obvious smile, he shrugged at her confusion, "What I an is to ask you, why do you feel it to be impossible? It could be possible as well, couldn't it be? After all, to every impossibility there lies a possibility. What if it's all true?" he paused his gaze turned deeper with certain intent. "What if you carry such influence on him? And what if you two do not just barely know each other rather have a deeper understanding?"
Arwen stared at Jason, not exactly understanding what he ant. "You an …?"
Before she could ask, Jason turned to look back at Aiden and casually said, "He will be fine by morning. The weakness would remain, but I am sure you will be able to take care of him just perfectly. Just stay by his side and you see if it's really the pretense, or you do carry that effect that you feel is impossible."
She wanted to ask, but he already moved to grab his bag to leave.
As he was about to exit the room, he turned to look back at Arwen. Her back was turned towards him.
His lips lifted in a faint smirk. Maybe you won't remain in your forgetfulness forever, Arwen. I truly wish you recover all the mories you have lost … soon. But until then, I won't give any hope that I am not sure of. His gaze shifted to look at Aiden once before he walked out of the room.
But when he was exiting, he stopped by and smiled at Mr. Jones, who had been standing there all this ti. He gave him a small, known smile which the old man reciprocated in quite understanding.
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