_______ ~ Chapter 3: Hushed Hearts ~ ______
Episode 11
(A Lingering Unease)
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When Cecilia returned that day, the hospital room was in utter chaos. Staff rushed around, frantically searching for her. Their shock was palpable when they found her soaked to the bone, raindrops still clinging to her hair.
"I just went for a walk and it started raining, that's all."
Cecilia muttered, her words cool, as if this simple explanation could calm the storm she had caused. No one dared press her further, though. She was, after all, a VVIP—the most cherished granddaughter of one of the wealthiest men in the country.
Luckily, Cecilia didn't fall ill, allowing the staff to finally breathe easy. As the commotion settled, Blake and Iris returned to the hospital. At Cecilia's insistence, no one mentioned her disappearance.
After that event, things settled down without further incident, and the following day, Cecilia was released from the hospital without further incident. Despite the doctor's assurance that she was fine, Iris refused to let her out of bed, hovering anxiously. It wasn't until the day after that Cecilia was finally allowed to move around freely.
"Seriously, this girl! What do you think you are doing?"
Iris exclaimed as she caught sight of Cecilia in the kitchen, busying herself with breakfast preparations.
"Ah, Grandmother, you are awake?" Cecilia replied with a soft smile, "Well, it's been a while since I last cooked."
Of course, Iris knew that well. Cooking had always been one of Cecilia's joys, much like her love for art. But after that incident three months ago, Cecilia had stopped visiting the kitchen entirely. She hadn't so much as glanced in its direction—until now.
"I guess you could say I've been wanting to make something for you and Grandfather."
Cecilia's smile was soft, almost nostalgic.
"Is that so?"
Iris replied, though her voice carried a weariness that she couldn't quite shake.
"Yes. So, please, just let me do this. It's really not much work."
"..."
Iris stayed silent, her thoughts tangled. She should be happy, seeing Cecilia return to something familiar, something normal. But she wasn't. A gnawing unease lingered, a bad feeling ringing in her mind. A restlessness settled in her chest, though she didn't understand why.
"So, don't worry, okay? Let's just enjoy breakfast together."
Cecilia added, her smile bright and reassuring.
"Sigh~ Alright. You win…"
Iris conceded, though the words felt hollow.
'As if I could ever win against you…'
Iris thought, pushing aside her unease, if only for now.
"Oh, my! What's this?"
Blake exclaimed as he suddenly appeared behind them, his eyes widening at the spread of breakfast Cecilia had prepared.
"You made all of this, didn't you?"
His eyes sparkled with delight as he looked at Cecilia.
"Haha, yes. I made all of our favorites."
Cecilia replied, her smile growing.
Blake grinned, his eyes sparkling. "Then what are we waiting for? Let's dig in!"
The three of them moved to the table, their plates filling quickly.
"Oh, how I missed your cooking!" Blake exclaimed, savoring a bite.
Cecilia chuckled. "Really? From now on, I'll cook all your favorites."
"You know I love you, right?"
Laughter bubbled up between them.
Throughout breakfast, their lighthearted chatter filled the air. Every now and then, Iris would playfully scold them for talking too much instead of eating, but the atmosphere remained peaceful—comforting in its simplicity.
After breakfast, Cecilia returned to her room, standing in front of the mirror. The large white bandage that once covered her forehead had been replaced by a smaller one, its presence a subtle reminder of the recent past. She stared at it for a moment, her reflection heavy with unspoken thoughts. With a quiet sigh, she brushed it off and casually tied her hair back in a casual knot, heading toward her desk.
Settling in, Cecilia opened her laptop and got to work, her focus narrowing as she worked, her concentration sharp and unwavering.
Ding!
An hour later, her phone buzzed, pulling her attention away from the screen. Glancing over, she saw a message—it was from Judith. Without hesitation, she picked up the phone and began reading the text.
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Today
[ New Messages ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
9:47 AM
[ Hey Cic! How are you doing now? Are you alright? Girl, I am worried. ]
[ (•᷄- •᷅ ;) ]
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Seeing the message, Cecilia's gaze softened, and a small smile tugged at her lips. She quickly began typing her response, her fingers gliding over the phone screen.
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Me
9:48AM
[ Hey Jud! I am absolutely fine now, thanks to the Lord. Sorry for worrying you! ]
[ ( >_< '') ]
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Almost instantly, her phone buzzed with a flurry of replies.
Ding! Ding! Ding!
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Jud ♡ ̆̈
9:48AM
[ ( ˶°ㅁ°) !! ]
[ Cecilia ~~ ]
[ You damn girl! You almost gave me a heart attack! ]
[ •ˋ◠ˊ• ]
[ What on earth happened in just one day? ]
[ I talked to you the day before yesterday, and you were perfectly fine! ]
[ How did you end up in the hospital the very next day? ]
[ I texted your grandmother like crazy asking for the hospital's name, but I guess she was too busy to notice. ]
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Cecilia couldn't help but smile as she read Judith's texts. Judith was her one and only friend, a constant presence since high school. Now, she also served as Cecilia's editor at work, making their connection even stronger.
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Me
9:50AM
[ Nothing really happened. I just accidentally drank almond milk, which I'm allergic to. So, I ended up in the hospital. ]
[ (っ- ‸ - ς) ]
[ But don't worry! I was released the next morning and I'm perfectly fine now. („• ֊ •„)੭ ]
[ Sorry for letting you know so late! ]
[ ( •̯́ ^ •̯̀) ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ Girl~ How did you ACCIDENTALLY drink almond milk? ]
[ (ʘ言ʘ╬) ]
[ Are you a kid? Sigh~ One of these days, you're going to give me a heart attack with all this stress! Do you have any idea, how worried I was? ]
Me
[ Sorry!!! ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ Sigh~ It's Alright. ]
(っ ͡ ͡º - ͡ ͡º ς) ]
[ Anyways, are you really feeling fine now? ]
Me
[ Yup! I'm as good as new! ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ Is that so? ]
[ ( ͠° ͟ʖ ͡°) ]
Me
[ Yes! I even made breakfast today. Do you think Grandmother would've let me do that otherwise? ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ I guess, you are telling the truth then. (づ ᴗ _ᴗ)づ♡ ]
Me
[ Haha. I am. ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ So, what are you up to now? ]
Me
[ Writing. ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ Huh? Right now? ]
Me
[ Yep! I plan to finish this plot in an hour. ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ Whoa~ Why so soon? Why don't you take a rest for another day? ]
Me
[ Well, I actually feel like working right now. ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ If you say so. I ain't gonna stop you, girl. After all, your writer's block is the worst. ]
[ (ー_ー゛) ]
Me
[ Haha, that's why I trust you to have my back. ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ (っ ͡ ͡º - ͡ ͡º ς) ]
[ Anyways… Will you be free tonight? Let's have dinner outside! It's been ages since we did that. ]
Me
[ Ah, I can't make it tonight. ]
Jud ♡ ̆̈
[ Huh? But why? (●´⌓`●) ]
Me
9:55AM
[ Well… I have a date tonight. ]
…
…
…
Jud ♡ ̆̈
9:57AM
[ Huh? Huuuuuhhhhh~~~~~~~?]
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