Chapter 6 Don't Be Scared, I'm Here

Florrie offered Adalyn a soft smile and said gently, "Don't worry about me. Go on and get back to your work."

Adalyn had intended to argue further, but the resolve in Florrie's eyes silenced her. Instead, she hurried out, returned with a small tube of ointment, and pressed it into Florrie's hand. "If you ever need anything, please don't hesitate to ask me," she said with genuine concern.

The words caught Florrie off guard, and her chest tightened as her eyes burned with unshed tears.

They had only worked together for a short while, yet Adalyn could show her a warmth she had never known at home.

She had spent years tending to Alexander with careful devotion, and not once had he offered even the simplest acknowledgment of her effort.

With quiet gratitude, Florrie thanked Adalyn, and then gathered the documents, arranged them neatly for handover, and walked them to the HR department.

Her resignation stunned the department manager. But after remembering the scene that had unfolded earlier, the manager swallowed any questions and processed the paperwork. "Company policy requires you to complete the handover with Miss Hewitt first. Once it's finished, you're free to go."

Florrie gave a simple nod.

It wouldn't take long, and nothing could delay her decision to leave.

When the last task was completed, Florrie drove back to the villa.

Alexander was still gone, and whether he came home or not no longer mattered.

The house stood quiet. She went upstairs and began placing her belongings into a suitcase.

There wasn't much to bring-her passport, the important papers, and the keepsakes Alexis had left behind. Nothing else seemed worth taking.

At the back of the safe lay an old album, which she carefully pulled out.

The pages told the story of days shared with Alexis, the places they had wandered together, and the future she had once believed was theirs. Fate had cut that dream short.

She had worn the gown meant for a bride, but the man waiting for her at the altar had not been Alexis.

The final pages held a handful of pictures of her and Alexander together.

Although the brothers carried the similar features and Alexander lived with Alexis' heart beating in his chest, everything else about Alexander-his eyes, his manner, his indifference-reminded her that he would never love her.

Florrie took the photos with Alexander out of the album before tucking it into her suitcase.

The jewelry glimmered inside the safe, but she left every piece behind, though once they had meant everything to her.

Back then, she had convinced herself that Alexander could take Alexis' place, that they might actually build a life together, so she had surrendered her heart without hesitation.

Now, that illusion had lost all meaning.

She ripped their pictures straight down the middle and dropped the torn halves into the trash. Afterward, she shut the safe and placed the key on the desk in Alexander's study.

Some things had never been hers, and she shouldn't have clung to them.

With everything settled, she picked up her suitcase and walked out of the villa without once turning her head.

Outside, the day was gray and wet, the drizzle soft but persistent. Luckily, the evening rush had passed, and the roads were nearly clear.

Not long into the drive, a sudden wave of dizziness struck her, and her chest thudded in uneven beats.

When the light turned red, she pressed a palm to her forehead, realizing it was scorching hot.

The weather had cooled sharply over the past days, and sleepless nights had left her vulnerable. A fever must have taken hold.

Still, Florrie gripped the wheel and pushed forward, recalling that a pharmacy should be close by.

She didn't consider a fever dangerous, yet every mile made her body heavier.

Heat and chills wrestled inside her, her throat ached with a burning dryness, and her vision wavered at the edges. She managed to pull over in front of the pharmacy and forced herself to open the door.

The rain and wind blasted into the car, cutting through her and making her shudder violently.

Umbrella in hand, she dragged her steps forward, but each one seemed harder than the last.

By the time she reached the storefront, her balance gave way, and she crumpled to the ground.

Rain soaked through her clothes instantly, and in the blur of her failing strength, she felt a suffocating rush of water slip into her nose and mouth, stealing her breath.

Her sight wavered in and out of focus, yet she caught the glint of a black Maybach pulling to the curb, its hazard lights blinking in the rain.

From the driver's side, a tall figure stepped out, umbrella already in hand, moving quickly toward her.

The air carried a scent she knew too well, and through the haze, she lifted her gaze to see him kneel, his fingers curled firmly around the umbrella handle-a scar running across his thumb.

The sight made her freeze.

That scar was almost identical to Alexis', in both shape and placement.

The memory surged back instantly. Alexis had gotten it defending her from a group of thugs who refused to back off.

She had cried in terror, convinced the injury might damage his nerves and strip him of his future as a surgeon.

But Alexis had only laughed, brushing her worries away as he mussed her hair. "This is my badge of courage for protecting you. If getting hurt is the price of winning my girl, I'll take it."

Could such a thing really be coincidence?

Her thoughts tangled, yet the warmth of his breath was suddenly close against her face.

Without warning, strong arms pulled her against a steady chest.

His forehead rested gently against hers, and his voice slipped out in the faintest whisper. "Don't be scared. I'm here."

The words floated past her, muffled by the haze in her mind.

All she could register was the tenderness in his tone.

His features blurred, but she could still make out the mark at the corner of his eye-a crimson mole, bright against his skin.

Her heart stumbled in her chest. Could it really be Alexis?

Was it possible that the man holding her was him?