Love Me Back (Amelia and Daniel) novel Chapter 435

When Ruby woke up, her fever still hadn’t broken.

“Mom…”

The moment she spoke, Amelia leaned over, her hand gently pressing Ruby’s forehead. “Where does it hurt, sweetheart?”

“I’m thirsty.”

Amelia had already prepared a glass of warm water. She propped Ruby up and held the straw to her lips.

Ruby drank hungrily, gulping down mouthful after mouthful.

“Mom, I feel so hot.”

Immediately, Amelia pulled away most of the blankets, leaving only a thin corner draped across Ruby’s belly.

“Mom, I didn’t even go outside to play with the other kids. Why did I get sick?”

Amelia had no answer. Waves of helplessness washed over her, threatening to drown her.

She forced a smile. “It’s okay, honey. You’ll feel much better tomorrow.”

Ruby’s cheeks were flushed, her little face burning red like a hot apple. She was about to say something else when, suddenly, she gagged and vomited up all the water she’d just drunk.

It came out of her nose and mouth, making Ruby cough and splutter. Water soaked the sheets and the mattress.

Panicked, Amelia scooped Ruby into her arms and quickly pressed the call button for the nurse.

The nurse changed the sheets and cleaned Ruby up. When it was over, Amelia cradled her daughter—so small, so soft, so frighteningly fragile, as if she might vanish from her arms at any moment.

A sharp, tight ache pressed in on Amelia’s chest.

She stopped the nurse as she was leaving, speaking quietly. “Could you please call for a private caregiver as soon as possible? I can pay extra.”

The caregiver arrived not long after. By then, Ruby had fallen asleep in Amelia’s arms, though her sleep was restless and her tiny brow was furrowed.

Amelia gently laid Ruby on the bed and asked the caregiver to watch her. Then she stepped out of the hospital room.

Mr. Martinez arrived at the hospital late that night, his expression grave as he flipped through Ruby’s test results.

“How did her numbers get so bad in just a week?”

Amelia’s heart seized. “Mr. Martinez, please, tell me exactly—what’s happening to Ruby?”

Just before dawn, Ruby finally stopped twitching and drifted into a calm, deep sleep.

Amelia’s nerves, stretched taut all night, relaxed a little. She closed her eyes at last.

The caregiver, knowing Amelia hadn’t slept, kept the cleaning staff from entering the room. With the blackout curtains drawn and the lights dim, the room was quiet and peaceful.

The insulated bag in his hand looked less like a lunch tote and more like a designer handbag—these days, anything could be fashion if you had the right label.

As the man reached for the door, the caregiver quickly stopped him. “They’re both still sleeping—please don’t wake them. And you are…?”

Daniel glanced at the name tag on her uniform. “I’m Amelia’s husband.”

Oh, so he’s family.

Still, the caregiver couldn’t help but think: their daughter had such a high fever last night and he didn’t even show up. In the end, it’s always the mother who bears the brunt.

She reached for the insulated bag. “Breakfast, right? I can take it. They’ll probably sleep a while longer. If you need to get to work—”

Daniel blocked her hand. “I’m her husband, not you. That’s my job.”