‘Fine. Just make sure you call if you need anything, okay? And if that absolute bastard gives you any more trouble, you call too.’ Yvaine shot another venomous look in Ashton’s direction.
‘I know.’
‘Okay, well... just look after yourself. No more jumping into lakes, you hear ?’
‘It wasn’t exactly by choice. I’ll explain it all another ti. Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Now go ho and get so sleep. I’ll ssage you later.’ I managed a faint, pale smile.
‘Alright.’ Yvaine sighed in resignation and added one last thing: ‘You have to be okay.’
I was nodding again.
‘I’ll watch you go,’ she said with another sigh.
Ashton swept up into his arms. ‘You’ve lost weight,’ he said, his voice rough.
Hearing him say that, I felt, for so reason, like I might cry.
I pressed my lips together and stayed silent.
He carried to the car, settled into the passenger seat, and fastened my seatbelt for . He kissed my forehead, closed the door, got into the driver’s seat, then pulled away.
He drove with one hand, the other holding mine tightly. He never let go.
‘You’re still feverish. I’m taking you to the hospital.’
‘No. I just need to go ho and sleep.’
‘Fine. We’ll go ho. I’ll call the doctor to co to us.’
I closed my eyes and said no more. There must have been sedative in the dicine Dr Gould had given , because I was asleep before we even got ho.
By the ti I woke up, it was already the next morning.
‘Morning. Are you hungry?’ Ashton was looking at . His face was stubbled and unshaven. He’d probably stayed by my side all night.
I didn’t answer, just stared blankly at the ceiling.
How had it only been a few days? It felt like a lifeti.
Had everything changed, or was it just my world that was different?
‘The doctor ca by yesterday, and he’ll be back again soon.’ Ashton reached out and pressed his hand to my forehead, his brows knitting together. ‘You’re still burning up.’
I didn’t answer.
‘Are you hungry?’ he asked again. His voice was soft. ‘Shall I get Carn to make you so French toast?’
I still said nothing.
‘Porridge, then?’
Silence from .
‘How about so soup? Would that be alright?’ He kept his eyes on , waiting.
‘Okay.’ I knew that if I didn’t say sothing, Ashton would just keep asking, on and on.
He left the room.
‘Carn says it’ll take about half an hour. Here, drink so of this.’ He returned holding a glass. He helped sit up, leaning against his chest, and held up the straw for .
I watched him, breathing in that familiar scent of his. Yes, this was what felt familiar to . It was completely different from the way Rhys slled.
About halfway through, I shook my head. ‘No more.’
‘Alright.’ He laid back down and, in one go, finished the rest of the smoothie himself.
I frowned as I watched him drink what was left. My heart gave a faint, painful twinge.
He looked exhausted, his eyes bloodshot and his hair dishevelled.
Normally, he’d have been at the office hours ago. But he was still here by my side, doing a nurse’s job.
The truth was, I still cared about him. But I couldn’t bring myself to forgive him.
This ti, Ashton had really and truly broken my heart.
‘Be good and get so more sleep, alright?’ he said gently, tucking the duvet around .
I didn’t answer, just lay there with my eyes open. I couldn’t sleep. I’d been asleep for so long already.
Seeing I was wide awake, he asked, ‘Do you feel like talking?’
I said calmly, ‘I didn’t jump. Soone pushed .’
He nodded. ‘I know. I know you aren’t the type to give up on life.’
I didn’t look at him. ‘Have you found out who it was?’
He shook his head. ‘Harry and Dominic are still looking into it. The police are too. There aren’t any leads yet. No caras in that area, and no witnesses. I...’
I cut him off. ‘There was soone else there that day.’
‘Who?’
‘Genevieve.’
Ashton fell into a long silence. ‘Did she push you in?’
‘I didn’t see.’ I told him what happened: Genevieve approaching by the lake, walking away, sohow ending up back at the water’s edge, and then soone shoving from behind.
‘So,’ he said carefully, ‘when you went back to the lake, Genevieve wasn’t actually there. Is that right?’
I realised then that I’d been wrong, wrong to have let myself hope for so much from him.
Fine. So be it.
I closed my eyes. ‘I’m tired. I want to sleep.’
He nodded and stood. ‘I’ll co check on you later.’
I shut my eyes and ignored him.
Slowly, I actually did drift off to sleep.
That afternoon, the doctor ca by to check on again.
My temperature was coming down slowly, and though I was still a bit feverish, it was nothing so paracetamol and plenty of rest and fluids wouldn’t fix.
Nothing wrong with , really, just general weakness.
Hearing that, Ashton finally seed to relax.
I took the dicine and drifted in and out of a hazy sleep. At so point, I could make out voices floating up from the living room downstairs.
‘She was absolutely insisting on coming to see her. Didn’t have much choice in the matter, I’m afraid,’ said Ryan Fenty, his tone slightly awkward.
Naomi clearly wasn’t bothered by formalities. ‘I was worried about Mirabelle. I had to see her. Where did you finally find her, anyway?’
‘A... friend’s house,’ Ashton replied after a brief pause. ‘Soone pulled her out and took her back to theirs.’
‘Why take her to a house?’ Naomi pressed. ‘Why not straight to a hospital?’
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