Chapter 328
He gently laid her on the bed, tucked the covers around her, and turned away. A moment later, he returned with three glasses of water on a tray.
One with ginger tea, one with sweetened water, and one plain hot water.
Anastasia stared at them in speechless resignation.
Clearly, her husband had taken the doctor’s advice to heart. But why, she wondered, couldn’t he just mix the ginger and sugar together and be done with it? Three separate drinks seemed like overkill.
She hated the taste of ginger tea and the sugary water, but when she caught sight of the deep crease between Harrison’s brows, she swallowed her complaints and obediently reached for the glass.
“Don’t move.” Harrison, seeing how weak she was, couldn’t bring himself to let her handle the heavy cup on her own.
He gently propped her up, settling her against his chest, then brought the rim of the glass to her lips. “Drink,” he said softly.
Anastasia opened her mouth without protest.
After downing all three glasses and taking her painkillers, the relief was barely noticeable.
She didn’t understand why the pain was so much worse this time it had never been this bad before. Clearly, she’d need to start taking better care of herself.
Curled up on the bed like a shrimp, her face pale and drawn, soft whimpers escaping her lips, Anastasia looked so fragile that Harrison felt his own heart twist painfully.
He grabbed his phone and, voice low and tense, ordered Logan on the other end, “Get the doctor over here. Now.”
“It’s no use Anastasia’s hand emerged from beneath the covers, tugging at the corner of his sleeve.
Not wanting him to worry, she forced a shaky smile through the sweat on her brow. “I’ll be fine soon, darling. Don’t worry about me
Suddenly, as if struck by an idea, she caught his hand and pressed it gently to her stomach.
In a plaintive, childlike whisper, she pleaded, “Will you warm my tummy for me? It always helps
Harrison’s voice was hoarse. “Of course.”
He climbed onto the bed beside her, wrapped her in his arms, and pressed his warm palm snugly over her abdomen.
Maybe it really did help. At first, Anastasia kept whimpering softly, but soon her voice faded, and half an hour later, she’d fallen asleep in his embrace.
Harrison glanced down and saw that the tension had finally eased from her brow. Only then did his own heart begin to settle. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ
He lowered his head and brushed a gentle kiss across her forehead, leaving his hand resting protectively on her stomach.
Nearby, Anastasia’s silenced phone was lost beneath a corner of the blanket. Its screen glowed a few times, hidden by the covers, until the last of the battery finally drained and it went dark.
***
At the university.
“Still can’t get through?” Sandra frowned.
Maggie shook her head, worry etched in her voice. “No one picked up earlier, and now her phone’s just dead.”
Juliet was hunched over her phone, scrolling through the forum, her hands shaking with frustration. “People are making up the wildest rumors!”
Anastasia had no idea that trouble had broken out soon after she left her elective class.
A woman who claimed to be the housekeeper for some wealthy family had suddenly appeared at the classroom door right after the lecture, asking for her by
name.
The professor replied that Anastasia was absent and had taken leave, but the woman wouldn’t accept it. She let out a cold laugh in the hallway, loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Is she really out for an emergency, or just hiding because she caught wind of what’s coming?”
“If you’re bold enough to go after my lady’s husband, what’s the point in running away now? Are you scared of facing us?”