The Kiss that Sparked it All (Ellinor and Theo) novel Chapter 2833

Francis cracked a warm smile and rubbed Regina's hair gently. "Not a big deal! Back in my day, I pulled more all-nighters than I could count. I'm sticking right by your side tonight."

When Regina was little, every time she fell ill, it was he and her mother who kept vigil. He’d kept up this habit over the years, always staying by Regina's side whenever she felt unwell.

Memories of the past made Regina's eyes moist. "Dad!" she whispered. Even though she was safe now, she still felt afraid. She would urge him to rest because she cared for her father, but deep down, she also needed his comforting presence.

The sense of security her father provided was irreplaceable.

Francis simply smoothed her tousled hair behind her ears. "Dad's right here, sweetheart. Don't be scared."

Just as Francis had predicted, Regina woke with a start in the night. She instinctively called out for her dad, and Francis, as if he hadn't been asleep at all, came rushing from the next room.

Before drifting off, Francis' words had been like a metaphor for the nightmare from which Regina now awoke.

She dreamed she had been drugged again, aware of the danger but unable to escape. Her body was being coerced by a stranger into a dimly lit room; her spirit felt disembodied, watching everything helplessly as her body couldn't break free.