Stella remained silent, her body trembling violently. Weston, feeling her distress, knew the pain she was enduring had to be severe.
“Does this have anything to do with what you ate?” he asked, though he knew she wouldn’t answer.
She turned her face away from him, her eyes squeezed shut, unwilling to acknowledge him.
His frustration boiled beneath the surface, but the sight of her suffering tempered his anger. “Why didn’t you stop eating if you knew you couldn’t handle it?” he demanded, his voice tight with both concern and exasperation. He had stopped her just in time, but the small amount she had consumed seemed to have brought her to the edge of her limit.
“Do you even care for your health?” His words were sharp, but the tenderness he felt for her made them feel more like a plea.
Stella opened her mouth, as if to answer, but the pain was so overwhelming that she could barely find the strength to speak.
“Water,” was all she managed, her voice faint and strained.
Weston’s heart ached for her. He immediately stood and rushed to get a glass of warm water. He returned quickly, but when he tried to feed it to her, Stella could barely lift her head, let alone drink. The water dripped down the sides of her mouth, and seeing her struggle, Weston’s heart shattered.
Without thinking, he took a sip of the water himself, then leaned down to press his lips to hers, slowly pouring the water into her mouth as they kissed.
Stella’s entire body trembled in his arms, a mixture of pain and exhaustion. Despite the water giving her a momentary relief, she remained curled tightly, her face pale with lingering discomfort.
“Stella…” Weston whispered, his voice laced with grief. He dialed the doctor’s number once again. “It’s been 20 minutes, and you’re not here. What good are you for?” His impatience was clear, but his concern for her outweighed his frustration.
His personal doctor was on call 24/7, but the evening rush had delayed them. When they finally arrived, it was already late at night. Weston glared at the doctors as they entered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “You couldn’t be any slower.”
The head doctor wiped sweat from his brow, his voice apologetic. “So sorry, Mr. Ford. We were caught in heavy traffic. We did our best to get here as quickly as possible.”
It wasn’t just one doctor who had arrived, but a team. Weston had briefed them over the phone about Stella’s condition. His private doctors were accustomed to treating him alone, but they were now confronted with someone they hadn’t yet encountered—Stella.
A female doctor stepped forward, her gaze shifting from Weston to Stella. “Mr. Ford, may I check on her?”
Weston hesitated but nodded, stepping away from Stella to give the doctor space. The moment his warmth left her, Stella’s eyes snapped open. Panic filled her gaze, and she recoiled, instinctively backing away. Her body was shaking, her rational thoughts clouded by the pain. All she wanted was to curl up into herself, to retreat from everything and everyone.
“Hello, miss,” the doctor said gently, kneeling beside her bed. “I’m a doctor. Can I have a look at you?”
Her voice was soft and soothing as she placed her hand gently on Stella’s back, attempting to calm her. She had seen this kind of response many times before, knew how to handle patients in distress. Yet Stella continued to pull away, as though the very presence of another person was a threat.
Weston couldn’t bear to watch her like this. With a deep sigh, he strode over to the bed and gently scooped her into his arms, hoping the comfort of his embrace might ease her panic.
But Stella fought him, pushing against him with surprising force. The doctor, witnessing this struggle, quickly intervened. “Mr. Ford, please don’t force her. You’ll only make it worse.”
Weston stopped, his frustration evident, but his concern for Stella’s well-being overriding everything else. He looked down at her, her small, fragile form trembling in his arms. His voice broke as he whispered, “Should I just watch her suffer like this?”
His anger, mingled with helplessness, laced his words. The doctor remained silent, unsure of how to handle the situation.
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