Chapter 5

The afternoon sun was hidden behind thick gray clouds. Mrs. Wallace walked into the guest room carrying a tray of clear broth and steamed vegetables. She placed a brand-new, black smartphone next to the bowl.

Mrs. Wallace smiled kindly. She told Tina that Mr. Santiago left the phone for her. She said it was fully encrypted and had all the necessary numbers saved inside.

Tina picked up the phone. Her fingers felt weak. She immediately dialed the private number of her best friend, Orlaith Regan.

The phone rang twice before it was picked up. Orlaith's voice came through the speaker, loud and panicked. She screamed Tina's name, asking where she was and if she was alive.

Hearing Orlaith's voice made Tina's chest ache. Her eyes burned. She swallowed hard and forced her voice to stay steady. She said she was safe.

Orlaith let out a loud breath, then her voice turned furious. She told Tina that Cathi was destroying her name. Cathi had sent out a press release to the entire New York social circle.

Orlaith said Cathi claimed Tina was caught stealing family jewels. The statement said Tina was officially disowned and kicked out for being a thief.

Orlaith added that the tabloids were already running stories calling Tina a degenerate who slept around and did drugs.

Tina's hand clamped down on the phone. Her fingernails dug into her palm until the skin turned white. A hot, burning anger spread through her veins.

She took a deep breath. She told Orlaith to stay calm. She promised she was going to make Cathi and Felicia choke on every single lie they told.

Tina hung up the phone. The adrenaline left her body all at once. The physical trauma and the mental exhaustion crashed into her. The room started to spin.

She dropped the phone on the bed. She fell back onto the pillows. A violent shiver ran through her body. Her teeth began to chatter. Her vision went completely black.

At six o'clock, Ingram walked out of the Santiago Corp boardroom. He got into his private elevator and headed straight to the penthouse.

He walked through the front door and pulled at his tie, loosening the knot. He handed his jacket to Mrs. Wallace and immediately asked about Tina.

Mrs. Wallace looked worried. She wrung her hands together. She said Tina made a phone call and then fell asleep. She said she went in to check on her and the girl was burning up with a fever.

Ingram's face turned hard. He walked past the housekeeper with long, fast strides. He pushed the guest room door open.

The main lights were off. Only a small lamp on the nightstand cast a dim yellow glow over the bed.

Tina was curled into a tight ball under the heavy blanket. Her body was shaking violently. Her face was flushed bright red, and sweat coated her forehead.

Ingram walked to the edge of the bed. He reached out and pressed the back of his hand against her forehead. Her skin was dangerously hot. His jaw clenched tight.

He hit the intercom button on the wall. He barked an order, telling the medical team to get upstairs right now.

While he waited, Ingram walked into the bathroom. He grabbed a clean white towel and ran it under warm water. He wrung it out and walked back to the bed.

He sat down on the edge of the mattress. His movements were stiff, but he gently pressed the damp towel against her hot skin, wiping the sweat from her face.

The high fever pulled Tina into a nightmare. Her eyebrows pulled together tightly. She started tossing her head from side to side.

She started to mumble. Her voice was broken and full of pain. She kept begging someone not to take her mother away.

Ingram felt a sharp pain in his chest. It was a physical ache. His eyes darkened with a violent need to protect her.

Suddenly, Tina's arm shot out from under the blanket. Her small, hot hand grabbed Ingram's wrist.

Her grip was weak, but she held on like she was drowning. She pulled his hand down and pressed her burning cheek directly into his palm.

Ingram's entire body froze. He had a severe aversion to physical touch. He hated people being in his space. But right now, he did not want to pull away.

Julian rushed into the room carrying his medical bag. He stopped dead in his tracks. He stared at Ingram sitting on the bed, letting a woman hold his hand against her face. Julian almost dropped his bag.

Ingram shot Julian a deadly glare. He did not say a word, but his eyes clearly told the doctor to shut up and do his job. He nodded toward the medical bag.

Julian quickly prepared a syringe. He injected the fever reducer into Tina's IV line.

After a few minutes, the medicine started to work. Tina's breathing slowed down. Her shivering stopped. But her hands stayed tightly wrapped around Ingram's fingers.

Julian packed his bag quietly. He walked out of the room and shut the door behind him without making a sound.

The room was completely silent. The only sound was the ticking of the clock on the wall and the soft sound of Tina breathing.

Ingram did not pull his hand away. He adjusted his position on the bed. He wrapped his large fingers around her small hand. He sat there in the dim light and did not move.

The sun started to rise. The morning light hit Ingram's face. He looked tired, but his eyes were wide awake. He stared down at the sleeping girl, his gaze deep and possessive.