Chapter 306

306
Raising her voice a little , she called out , “ I’m coming in , okay ? ”
The door slowly swung open , and a damp chill laced with the faint scent of medicine grested her .
Aria walked into the room and immediately spotted the AC set to a chilly 61 ° F . She frowned and hurriedly grabbed the remote , raising the temperature to a much more comfortable 79 ° F .
‘ He set the AC this low ? Is he nuts ? ‘ Aria thought with an eye roll .
Her gaze then fell on the bed , where Owen lay motionless – his face unnaturally pale , and strands of hair plastered to his sweaty f
forehead .
Aria stepped closer and reached out to touch his forehead . The burning heat was even worse than this afternoon . She frowned in confusion and asked , “ Why is it getting worse ? ”
Aria reached out to wake Owen , but just as her fingers were about to brush his cheek , she froze , her hand suspended mid – air
“ Face or head ? ‘ Aria hesitated , torn . ‘ Tapping his face feels too intimate , but patting his head seems a bit disrespectful …
Eyes shut tight , Owen could practically feel her burning gaze on him .
His heart hammered in his chest – he was terrified she’d discover he was already awake . He held his breath , not daring to even blink .
‘ I’ve never been this nervous , not even on covert missions , ‘ Owen thought wryly .
When Aria gave his shoulder a light pat , Owen nearly gave himself away . Hidden beneath the covers , his hand clenched into a tight fist .
“ Owen , wake up ,” Aria urged .
‘ Would it be too obvious if I woke up now ? Better keep pretending , ‘ Owen thought , steeling himself to keep up the act .
Aria gave him a firm shake .
Owen sensed the timing was right . He first feigned a slight frown , then , with deliberate effort , slowly fluttered his eyes open – the perfect act of someone struggling to regain consciousness .
At the sight of her , he first feigned a dazed expression , then mustered a weak smile and murmured hoarsely , “ You’re here ? ”
Being sick really brought out his acting skills .
Without thinking twice , Aria helped Owen sit up and casually handed him the thermometer . “ Take your temperature , ” she said .
“ Drink some water . I’ll go make you some soup . ” With that , she set the warm water she’d prepared on the nightstand before heading out .
Owen leaned against the headboard , finished his water , slipped the thermometer under his arm , and closed his eyes , pretending to nap .
Aria came back in and shook him awake . “ Give me the thermometer , ” she said .
His throat tightened , and his Adam’s apple bobbed violently . Keeping his eyes shut , he fumbled for the thermometer before handing it to her .
Aria checked the thermometer and immediately exclaimed , “ 102.6 ° F ! We’re going to the hospital now ! Get up . ”
Owen coughed weakly , his pale face flushing slightly . “ Just … wipe me down with some alcohol , ” he murmured hoarsely . “ That’ll do . ”
His voice was hoarse , as if shrouded in mist , so veiled that it was almost impossible to catch any hint of probing in it .
“ Get up ! ” Aria commanded .
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Owen swallowed hard and nodded in resignation . “ Alright , ” he said ,
He threw off the covers , pulled on his jacket , and slipped on his shoes .
Perhaps it was karma for overacting – just as Owen stood up , his vision swam , and he staggered uncontrollably to the side .
Aria quickly reached out to steady him , guiding his arm over her shoulders . “ Lean on me , ” she said .
Her faint , delicate fragrance wafted into his nostrils as his hand lightly grazed the skin of her neck .
Her skin felt a little cool to the touch , sending a faint shiver through him .
It was irresistibly tempting to lean in closer .
Owen couldn’t help but swallow hard , feeling his body heat rise even higher .
‘ Breathe in , breathe out , Owen told himself , gradually calming down .
Aria steadied Owen with an arm around his waist and pressed the elevator button .
A long , tense minute ticked by .
The elevator doors slid open .
Aria froze as the elevator doors opened – Orlando and two women stood before her .
Their gazes met , and silence hung thick in the air.
AD