With Eliza falling ill, the entire mansion remained brightly lit, and those who stayed got busy the whole night.
"Mr. Deleon, it's already very late. Why don't you get some rest, and I'll take care of Mrs. Deleon?" Aunt Bell's heart ached a little when she saw Tanner take care of Eliza even until now.
It was already past midnight, but Mr. Deleon had so much work to get done every day; she thought he should get some rest.
"It's alright, Aunt Bell," Tanner said indifferently.
He was fine taking care of her himself.
……
Eliza felt groggy.
She did feel much better soaking in warm water, but she still felt a little dizzy.
And before she knew it, she started falling unconscious.
Later, she started feeling colder and colder, but her eyelids were so heavy that she couldn't open her eyes, and her body was getting so cold that she couldn't feel anything anymore, immobile.
The cold only got worse, and she began to lose her hearing; however, she could hear her heartbeat.
It was gradually getting weaker…
Then, she seemed to have fallen into a warm embrace.
It gave her a sense of security, at ease…
Someone kept touching her the entire night, and she didn't like it very much. It wasn't until a cool breath lingered in her nose that she fell asleep peacefully.
This warm embrace… So it was Tanner…
……
The sky had turned bright when Eliza knitted her brows and opened her eyes, seeing the white ceiling at first sight.
"You're awake."
A husky male voice traveled to her ears.
Drifting her gaze to the direction of the voice, she saw Tanner sitting by the bedside, looking at her with this fathomless gaze. Was that… tenderness in his eyes?
Following that, she noticed his eyes were bloodshot.
He hadn't kept vigil the entire night, had he…
Her petite hand was in his, which was burning hot.
She opened her mouth only to realize she couldn't speak at all.
Taken aback, she had lost her voice?
On the other hand, Tanner's expression was even more dramatic when he saw Eliza's expression change.
"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?"
He sat upright immediately.
The scene of her unconscious in the bathtub with blue lips the night before shocked him to his core, and intense fear enveloped him as he hugged her freezing cold body.
He feared this was how he would lose her…
So her sudden change in expression got him thinking she was going to faint again.
This time, Eliza genuinely saw the concern in his eyes, and a jolt of electricity seemed to have struck her heart; it tingled.
Shaking her head, indicating she was fine, she pointed her free hand at her opened mouth, trying to tell him she seemed to have lost her voice.
Though she had woken up, she was still frail. In no time, her wrist felt boneless, and she put her hand down.
She had a habit of keeping a drawing board and a pen under her pillow, so she could write if she wanted to communicate with him.
But by the looks of it, her writing would look absolutely horrendous when she couldn't even hold a pen. Plus, Tanner had always been dictatorial, so he probably wouldn't care what she had to say, so she gave up the idea.
Though she answered his question with barely a response, Tanner couldn't care less right then, putting his palm on her forehead before feeling his as well. They were about the same temperature; her fever must have broken.
However, her face was still pallid, looking very weak and tired.
Watching his actions, Eliza thought something struck her heart; it thumped nonstop.
She could never figure out what Tanner was thinking. It was said that a woman's thoughts were impossible to fathom, but she thought his was even more unfathomable.
The one he liked so clearly was his sister. But if she remembered correctly, his gentlest side had only ever been presented to her. Who would believe the high and mighty Tanner Deleon would get nervous over someone.
His every action would truly have her believe she meant something to him.
Even though he had a bad temper and thought she had some unspeakable relationship with Nicholas, he would be by her side whenever she was in danger.
Feeling her eyes turning misty, she bit her lower lip. Though groggy, she could sense all he had done for her the entire night, and the sadness and grievance she felt a while back seemed to have all smoothed out.
There was something magical about Tanner; that she long knew, and she felt nothing but touched when he turned gentle.
Tanner's heart melted seeing her expression. The cold shoulder he had been giving her the past few days must have been hard for her.
With that, he planted a gentle kiss on her forehead.
And Eliza blushed, feeling his breath brushing her face.
Her complexion looked awful despite her rosy cheeks. It was a heartbreaking sight.
Tanner kept vigil the entire night, watching her in silence, his gaze filled with affection as though he could never be tired of looking at her.
He was the one who changed the damp towel on her forehead and fed her the medicine.
And her faintly discernible bashful smile was the best reward he could receive.
This heartless girl could finally see a bit of his heart.
With an entire night of nursing, in addition to keeping a close watch on her condition, even the all-capable Tanner Deleon was feeling exhausted. But it was all worth it.
With Eliza's fever broken, the tension between them had subsided as well.
As they exchanged glances, affection filled their gaze. Tanner wondered if he should ask for a morning kiss with the perfect timing, though he had kissed her lips somewhat swollen the night before.
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