I drifted in and out of consciousness, my whole body burning as if on fire, my throat so parched it felt like it was full of sand.
‘Mirabelle. Mirabelle...’ A man’s voice reached , familiar yet strange in that hazy mont.
Cold sweat beaded on my forehead. I felt utterly wretched.
‘Mirabelle, Mirabelle... wake up... you’re having a nightmare,’ the sa male voice urged. Then, to soone else, ‘Doctor, how is she?’
Another voice answered, ‘Physically, she’s stable. The main issue is her mind.’ The speaker sighed. ‘Once the fever breaks, the nightmares will cease and she’ll wake up properly. She’ll be fine.’
‘I see. Thank you, Doctor.’
I drifted off again.
The next ti I woke, the sky was just beginning to lighten.
My head was throbbing painfully, and my throat hurt so much it felt like swallowing glass.
I shifted my still feverish and aching body, and the figure slumped beside stirred and sat up.
‘You’re awake?’ He looked at with bloodshot eyes.
I stared blankly. ‘Rhys?’
My mind was still foggy, everything feeling like a distant dream.
Rhys quickly got up. ‘You must be thirsty. Let get you so water.’
He disappeared and returned with a glass of warm water. He helped sit up, supporting against his chest, and held the glass to my lips.
‘I... I can do it,’ I said.
We’d broken up. I wasn’t comfortable with this level of intimacy anymore, and I’d grown unused to his scent.
It only made think of Ashton—his sll, his presence.
Besides, the old Rhys had never been this thoughtful or caring.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, concerned. ‘You’re frowning. Are you in pain?’
I shook my head, sat up properly to free myself from his hold, and took the glass from him. I drank half of it in one go. It helped, but my throat still ached.
‘You saved ?’ I asked after putting the glass down.
He nodded. ‘After you left the restaurant, you seed really out of it. I was worried, so I followed you. I never expected you to just... fall into the water.’
I tried hard to piece things together. ‘You saw fall? Did you see who pushed ?’
Rhys’s eyes widened. ‘Soone pushed you? I didn’t see anything.’
‘You didn’t?’
He shook his head. ‘No.’ After a pause, he added, a bit awkwardly, ‘To be honest, I didn’t even realise it was you at first. After you left the restaurant, I didn’t follow. I knew you didn’t want around. I was driving ho and cut through the park as a shortcut. That’s when I heard a splash. I stopped and ran over—all I saw were hands struggling in the water. I didn’t think, I just jumped in. It wasn’t until I pulled you out that I realised it was you.’
I listened carefully, frowning as I tried to rember. ‘How long was I out?’
‘Two days.’
I looked around. This didn’t look like a hospital. ‘Where are we?’
‘My place. I bought it after I moved out of the family ho.’
He went on to explain, ‘I was going to take you to the hospital, but this was closer, and my neighbour to the left is a doctor. So I brought you here and let Dr Gould look after you. I hope you don’t mind.’
I shook my head, which made the throbbing worse. ‘No, of course not. You saved . I should be thanking you.’
Even though my mind was still buzzing with questions.
I glanced around. ‘Where’s my phone?’
I’d been missing for two days. Ashton and Yvaine were probably worried sick.
Rhys said, ‘I don’t know. You didn’t have it on you when I pulled you out.’
I looked down. I was wearing pyjamas.
Sensing where my thoughts were heading, he added quickly, ‘Don’t worry, I hired a nurse. She’s the one who changed you.’
I nodded. ‘Thank you for saving . But I should go.’
‘Why the rush? You’ve still got a fever. That lake was freezing, and who knows how long you were in there. Why not stay until you’ve recovered? Dr Gould can keep an eye on you.’ Rhys watched closely, almost pleading.
I shook my head. ‘No, I need to go. People will be worried.’
As I threw back the covers and tried to stand, a wave of dizziness hit , forcing back onto the bed.
‘See? You’re still weak. How are you going to leave like this?’ Rhys said.
‘Can I at least use your phone, then?’
‘Of course. Who do you want to call?’
‘Ashton.’
Rhys frowned. ‘You still want to go back to him?’
I didn’t answer.
‘Haven’t you seen enough? His heart belongs to soone else—he doesn’t love you. Mirabelle, co back to . Let’s start over.’ Rhys reached for my hand.
I pulled away. ‘I told you, it’s not going to happen. Are you trying to hold saving over my head? Is that why you did it?’
He looked genuinely offended. ‘Is that what you think of ? That I’m that kind of person? That I’d take advantage of you like this?’
I t his gaze evenly. ‘While I was unconscious, did you call Ashton to tell him I was here?’
He glanced away. ‘Why would I call my rival?’
‘Did you call Yvaine, then?’
He hesitated. ‘I was so worried about you, I didn’t get round to it.’
‘Really? So you brought to your place and didn’t tell a soul. What would you call that, if not taking advantage?’
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