Rhianna went to the hospital with the mindset of performing her last duty. The Mr. and Mrs. Palmer had always treated her very well. Even though there were many rifts between her and Rylee, Rhianna didn't want to make things too awkward in front of them.
Maybe the doctor had just done his rounds, as the door to the hospital room was ajar. Rhianna pushed the door open and peeked inside, but there was no sign of Rylee.
She carried a thermos with a bowl of chicken soup inside. As Rhianna walked towards the room, wondering where Rylee was, he appeared out of nowhere and embraced her from behind.
He lowered his head, his hot lips pressed against her cool, pale neck. Rhianna felt the heat invading her skin, scorching her forehead.
"You have a fever."
He had been caught in the heavy rain yesterday, and his body was already injured.
"Has the doctor seen you? Is the wound infected?"
Her string of questions didn't elicit a single response.
Rylee seemed delirious from the fever, Rhianna thought with a headache.
But his arms tightly encircling her waist suggested otherwise.
Sometimes Rhianna felt that Rylee was schizophrenic. Given their current relationship, such intimate actions were inappropriate.
"Report, Commander…"
The door suddenly swung open, and a loud voice was abruptly cut off.
Milton knew he had made a big mistake. By that time, Rhianna had already jumped out of Rylee's embrace, looking down in embarrassment, unable to meet Milton's eyes.
Actually, this wasn't the first time he had seen the commander hugging the beautiful Rhianna.
"Who taught you to enter without knocking? Get out and do 100 squats." Rylee rubbed his forehead, his words as commanding as military orders.
Milton put down the warm hamburger and turned to leave.
"It wasn't intentional…" Rhianna suddenly felt responsible for getting Milton in trouble, feeling a wave of guilt.
"It's one of your business. I'm to blame for not disciplining him properly." Rylee looked at the girl's shy expression and remembered the scene from his dream, feeling his mouth go dry.
*
Rylee lay in bed, holding a book titled *National Will*. It was a fascinating novel, but he couldn't focus on a single word.
Rhianna sat by the balcony door, the morning sunlight casting a golden glow on her sweet, charming face.
A glass of milk was handed to her, and Rylee gestured for her to take it.
The glass was filled with milk, making Rhianna feel like she was the patient being cared for.
The door opened again, and Rylee's parents walked in.
Rhianna quickly stood up to greet them. Rylee's mother, who had worried and lost sleep over her son, felt reassured seeing him still remembering to care for his wife even now.
"He just has a slight fever, nothing serious." Rylee knew he couldn't hide his injury from his parents. He had already maintained a certain level of secrecy within the organization regarding the severity of his injuries.
His mother, still concerned, feared he was being too tough, worried that showing too much concern might hinder his recovery. After some words of advice, they left, comforted by Rylee's reassurances.
Rhianna promised to heed his mother's instructions. She was now acting on she will commit to supporting Rylee as an professional actress.
After his parents left, the atmosphere in the room grew cold.
The initial ambiguity had been washed away by Milton and Rylee's parents. Rhianna didn't know how to show her concern anymore. It wasn't that she didn't care for Rylee, but many things now seemed untimely.
Silence filled the room until the door opened again.
Rhianna looked up to see Arely. She wore a white cotton dress, her hair falling naturally to her shoulders, and carried a thermos, giving off a sweet lady vibe. Rhianna thought she should have left earlier to avoid such awkwardness.
Without looking at Rylee, Rhianna smiled at Arely. "I have something to do. I'll go now."
Arely hesitated, unsure of what to say. The soup she made was plentiful, perfect for sharing with her.
Rhianna grabbed her bag, gave a polite, distant nod, and left a place she felt she no longer belonged to.
Arely watched as Rylee, ignoring the IV drip in his arm, hurried out of bed, disregarding his abdominal wound, rushing down the corridor just to catch a glimpse of her leaving.
*
Having accepted Carlo's invitation, Rhianna now had something to occupy her time at home.
Unexpectedly, she received a call from an unknown number.
"Hello, is this Miss Rhianna?" The voice was soft and timid, and Rhianna immediately recognized who it was.
"Yes, it's me." She didn't want to come off too aggressive, unsure why Arely was calling her.
"I'm Arely. Could we meet for coffee to talk about Rylee?"
