His Untamed Rose novel Chapter 94

The tense atmosphere in the room finally settled.

Standing by the bedside, Lumina muttered to Cedric, “So what if you throw up? I could’ve stayed and helped you.”

The man lying in bed seemed to have regained a little strength. After sipping some water, he managed to speak. “You hate getting your hands dirty. Have you ever actually helped anyone like that?”

Was he criticizing her for being useless?

Lumina shot him a glare, clearly annoyed.

Hilton, meanwhile, simply smiled without a word.

Once Cedric drifted back to sleep, Hilton pulled Lumina aside, lowering his voice. “Do you know why Mr. Royce insisted on having me help?”

Lumina crossed her arms, not bothering to hide her irritation. “Didn’t he say? He thinks I’m clumsy and would just get in the way.”

Hilton shook his head, still smiling. “I know Mr. Royce. He didn’t want you to see him like that—throwing up and looking so helpless. Men can be vain, you know. Especially around a woman they care about. He didn’t want you to see him so weak.”

Lumina raised an eyebrow, surprised by this perspective.

Trust a man to understand another man.

“He’s really something, isn’t he? Even sick, he’s worried about how he looks.”

Hilton’s eyes flashed with a knowing look. “Well, that’s because it’s you. If it had been Ms. Tatum or Ms. Locke, Mr. Royce wouldn’t have cared a bit.”

“Oh, stop teasing me,” Lumina said, brushing off his comment. She turned away and went to fetch a fresh pitcher of water for the room.

She stayed with Cedric through the night and well into the next day. Finally, by noon, his fever had broken, though a faint warmth still lingered.

When Cedric woke, he felt as if a heavy weight had been lifted. His throat was parched, and as he reached for a glass of water, he noticed something heavy and warm resting against his leg.

Looking down, he saw Lumina asleep at his bedside, her head pillowed on her arms. She was completely defenseless in sleep, a thin blanket draped over her shoulders. Yet, even in slumber, her delicate brows were furrowed with worry.

He reached out, gently smoothing her hair with his fingers. For all its thickness and length, she was always complaining about it, especially when he made her work late. She’d tug out loose strands and demand he compensate her for the lost hair.

Just then, Nancy entered with a bowl of nourishing soup and caught Mr. Royce softly stroking Ms. Jardin’s hair.

He silently pressed a finger to his lips, then felt Lumina’s forehead. Detecting a thin sheen of sweat, he whispered to Nancy, “Can you open the window a bit?”

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