"What should we do, madam? The lady is still not conscious. My lord would be here any moment." The maid fidgeted with the apron tied in front of her dress as she looked at the sleeping figure.
If not for the sweat covering Camelia's face, one would think she was sleeping soundly.
"What exactly happened here? I thought her fever had already died down. Have you called for the physician?" Agatha wiped the sweat off her daughter's face, her eyes welling up with helplessness.
"Should we postpone the marriage ceremony?" Came the voice from the sofa, William staring at his worried wife who was on the verge of crying.
"I will inform the priest. We can exchange vows later." Michael, the groom who was already dressed in his white suit nodded at once.
There was no hesitation on his worried face. He only stared at the girl as if someone was clenching his heart tightly and he could not breathe.
The maids exchanged glances in worry. If only they could do something. Their lady was fine just yesterday. But she has been unconscious since morning.
The physician was called thrice but to no avail. She was not opening her eyes.
"That damn Carl. What is he even giving my daughter? Darling, the guests will arrive for dinner. Even if you send the priest back, what are you going to tell them? There will be rumors about her." Agatha reasoned but William's brow grew deeper.
He looked at his precious daughter with a deep sigh.
"And that is important because…" Agatha shook her head. Her husband never know the reasoning when their daughter was involved.
Michael nodded too. And she wonders how much Lia will be rotten now that the two of them are here.
Lia opened her eyes slowly. Her vision was still blurry. She tried to concentrate but it hurt.
Her whole body was on fire. The pain of wounds had not let her body go.
"I do not care what they say. I am worried about her. Why is she not opening her eyes? As if someone was holding my throat and slit it. I just could not breathe freely until she woke up." that bastard! Her brows creased and three deep lines formed on her forehead.
How dare he spout such nonsense after slitting her throat with his own hands.
If only she would not be poisoned, she would have punched him hard.
She punched the bed with force only to startle everyone in the room.
"Oh, lady!"
"Lia.. camelia!"
Lia frowned when she heard that deep caring vice of her father and the sweet caressing touch of her mother. Was she hallucinating at the last moment of her life or was she already in heaven?
She forced her eyes open again only to see the face of her mother. She was looking at her with a painful gaze.
Her eyes widened with shock and she gasped.
"Oh, dear. Thank goodness. Lucy brought water for her at once." Lucy! Did she not die at the hands of a thief when she went to buy groceries?
Lia snapped her head with a force that hurt but she did not care. She stared at the young girl with tears welling in her eyes as she picked up the glass of water.
She was shocked to see Lia crying.
"Does it hurt so much, my lady?" her voice choking instantly as it was too rare to see Lia cry.
"Oh honey, I am telling you. It will be best if we cancel the marriage ceremony." William came forward and touched her face with a deep frown.
"Yes, I will go immediately and send the guests back. Her health is most important." Lia, who was still staring at her father, paused.
She tilted her head to see Michael. His eyes were welled with tears. He was wearing a white suit, she remembered well. He did not have enough savings to buy the suit he liked.
The suit was booked by Duke Wirchmild. She had to convince that man to give up on the suit. And then she had used her earnings to buy it and send it as a gift to him with an anonymous name so that he would not feel burdened.
She had gone to such lengths to see happiness on his face. And he went to such lengths to make sure that her family dies! Ha! The contradiction.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Her hoarse voice filled the room as she struggled to sit up when her mother held her back and helped her.
Her father took water from Lucy and served her personally.
Her brother Camelius blinked with worry. He was still a child so he did not understand them. But his eyes kept staring at his sister as if she would disappear if he blinked.
Michael stopped, he looked at her with a warm and soft gaze and smiled.
"I know you are worried about our marriage darling. But I know that you are not feeling well. For me, nothing is more important than your health and happiness. We will marry some other day." His soft voice was like a spring breeze.
His eyes looked at her with warmth and care. His words used to make her heart flutter felt disgusting now.
Her marriage, that was right. It was his marriage today. God had sent her back to this very day or it was the last nightmare she had to go through before falling into hell.
The blanket felt warm and so did their touch on her skin. But she needed one last proof.
She stood up slowly and walked towards the table. She picked up the knife from the food basket and made a small cut on her thumb.
"Camelia... What in the world are you doing?" Michael rushed to her and held her thumb. Then he placed it in his mouth and sucked the blood.
"Yes, it took me so long to realize you suck my blood."