The big house was very quiet. The only sounds were the loud noise of rain hitting the windows and the gentle sounds of wind. Sophia was sitting in the living room with a book in her hands. She tried hard to read and focus on the words, but her body felt very heavy, like it was made of stone. A sharp pain kept shooting through her head, making it hard for her to concentrate. Her hands were shaking slightly as she turned the pages of the book.
All day, Sophia had felt tired, weak, and dizzy. But she didn't want to bother anyone in the house. She kept telling herself over and over again that it was nothing serious. She thought if she rested for a while, she would feel better soon. She didn't want to make anyone worry or trouble them.
After sitting for a long time, Sophia decided to stand up. Slowly, she grabbed the arm of the chair to help herself. She used it to push her body upward. As soon as she stood up, everything around her started spinning. The walls and furniture in the room seemed to turn together. Her vision became blurry, and she couldn't see clearly. Her heart started beating very fast. She tried to say something, to call for help, but her voice was too low, like a low whisper that no one could hear.
Her legs felt very weak, like they couldn't hold her up anymore. They started shaking, and then they gave way. She fell down to the floor with a gentle sound. Her cheek touched the cold floor, and it felt icy against her skin. As she lay there, the world around her started fading away. Her breathing became shallow, and her body felt like it was sinking into a deep darkness. She couldn't fight it. Everything went black.
After some time, Sophia slowly opened her eyes. At first, everything looked blurry. The bright light above her made her blink, and she had to blink a few times to adjust her eyes. She could hear voices around her. They sounded calm and worried, but the words didn't make sense to her at first. Her head was heavy, and it was hard to think.
Slowly, the blurry shapes around her became clearer. She realized the people standing over her were the housekeepers. They looked frightened, their faces pale with worry. One of them knelt down beside her and gently placed a cold, wet cloth on her forehead. The coldness of the cloth made Sophia shiver a little.
"She's burning up," the woman said, her voice shaking. "Her fever is so high."
Sophia tried to speak, to say something, but her throat felt very dry, and no sound came out. She opened her mouth, but the words were stuck inside her. Her chest felt tight, like something heavy was pressing down on it, making it hard to breathe. She felt trapped in her own body.
"Should we call Mr. Ethan?" one of the housekeepers asked nervously.
The woman with the cloth hesitated for a moment. She glanced at the door and then shook her head. "No," she said calmly. "You know how much he hates being interrupted. He'll get angry if we disturb him."
"But she looks very sick," the other housekeeper said, her voice filled with worry. "What if something bad happens to her?"
"She'll be fine," the first woman said quickly, though she didn't sound very sure. She bit her lip nervously. "Maybe she just needs some sleep. We'll take care of her. Don't call him."
Sophia could hear their words, but she couldn't respond. She wanted to scream, to beg them to call Ethan, to tell them to take her to the hospital. But her body wouldn't listen to her. She felt so helpless and weak, unable to do anything.
Her head started hurting again. The pain was sharp and strong, spreading through her skull. Her breathing became slower and weaker. She couldn't hold on any longer. Everything around her faded again, and she slipped back into darkness.
Late that night, the quiet of the house was broken by the loud sound of a car pulling up outside. The rain was still falling heavily, making a loud noise on the roof. The engine roared, and soon after, the slam of a car door echoed through the house.
Ethan had come home.
His footsteps were quick and heavy as he walked through the hallway. His voice echoed as he called out, "Sophia? Are you awake?" His voice was sharp.
The house was silent. No one answered him. The quiet felt strange, and it made Ethan feel restless. Something didn't feel right.
When he stepped into the living room, his eyes immediately landed on Sophia. She was lying on the couch, looking very pale. Her body was very still, and she looked like she wasn't breathing properly. Her lips were dry, her cheeks sunken, and her skin had no color.
For a moment, Ethan froze in place. His heart started beating fast in his chest. His face, which was usually calm and serious, showed panic for the first time. He rushed over to her side and knelt down beside the couch.
"Sophia," he called out, shaking her gently by the shoulder. She didn't respond. She didn't even move. Ethan's panic grew stronger. He turned to the housekeepers, who were standing nearby, looking scared and unsure of what to do.
"What happened to her?" Ethan asked sharply. His voice was loud and filled with anger.
One of the housekeepers spoke up nervously. "She wasn't feeling well earlier," she said. "But we thought she just needed rest."
"You thought?" Ethan repeated, his voice growing colder. His dark eyes stared at her.
Another housekeeper stepped forward, her hands trembling. "We didn't want to disturb you, sir. We thought"
"You thought wrong!" Ethan shouted, cutting her off. His voice echoed in the room, and the housekeepers shifted a bit backwards. He tried so hard to control his emotions. He looked at Sophia, Seeing her like this made his chest tighten with guilt and fear.
Without saying anything more, Ethan bent down and picked Sophia up in his arms. Her body felt very light, too light. Her skin was cold, and she barely moved as he held her.
"Bring the car around," he barked at his driver. The man didn't waste any time and ran to get the car ready.
The rain outside was heavy, pouring down like a waterfall. Ethan carried Sophia out of the house, holding her close to his chest. He tried to shield her from the cold rain with his body. His shirt and jacket got wet but he didn't care. All he wanted was to get her help.
The ride to the hospital was very quiet. Ethan sat in the backseat, holding Sophia in his arms. He kept looking down at her face. She was so pale, and her breathing was slow and weak. Every time she took a shallow breath, Ethan's chest tightened with fear.
"Stay with me, Sophia," he said quietly. His voice sounded desperate, almost like he was begging. He moved his thumb and touched her cold cheek gently, trying to wake her up. "Don't leave me now," he whispered.
The driver sped through the streets as fast as he could. The sound of the rain hitting the car's windshield. It was the only sound in the car, apart from Ethan's heavy breathing.
Ethan's mind was racing. He couldn't stop thinking about what would happen if he lost her. He couldn't lose Sophia. Not now. Not ever. Guilt started to build up inside him, making it hard to breathe. He thought about all the times he had been distant and cold toward her, all the times he had pushed her away. Now, holding her fragile body in his arms, he realized how much she truly meant to him.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I'm so sorry, Sophia."
He didn't know if she could hear him, but he hoped she could feel his words. For so long, he had kept his feelings hidden, pretending not to care. But now, he couldn't hide it anymore. He cared for her deeply, more than he had ever admitted to himself.
The car halted to a stop in front of the hospital. Ethan didn't wait for anyone to open the door. He stepped out very fast, carrying Sophia tightly in his arms. Without wasting any more time, he ran inside the hospital, shouting for help.
The hospital was bright. The lights hurt Ethan's eyes as he ran into the emergency room. He was carrying Sophia in his arms. His heart was beating fast, and he was breathing hard. He didn't care that his clothes were wet from the rain. He didn't care that water was dripping on the shiny hospital floor. The only thing he cared about was getting help for Sophia.
When he got inside, the nurses and doctors came to him immediately. They looked serious but calm. One nurse took Sophia gently from his arms. She put her on a moving bed. Ethan stood still, his arms still in the air. He felt empty where Sophia's weight had been.
"Sir, you need to wait here," one nurse said. Her voice was firm but kind. "We'll take care of her."
Ethan wanted to go with them. He wanted to ask questions. But his legs wouldn't move. His eyes stayed on Sophia as they pushed her through some big doors. The doors shut loudly.
Ethan walked back and forth in the waiting room for hours. His head was full of thoughts and feelings. He kept remembering things about Sophia. He remembered her smiling when they were younger. He remembered her laughing and turning around in a pretty summer dress. He remembered the way she used to look at him with love and trust. But then, other memories came to him. He remembered how tired she had looked. He remembered her small, sad smiles and how her voice became quieter and quieter over time.
Ethan clenched his fists. He asked himself how things had gotten so bad. He had always been busy with work and his own problems. He didn't notice hers. Now, he thought about her lying in that hospital bed, so weak and pale. Guilt made his chest feel heavy and tight.
A voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Sir?" Ethan turned around immediately. A doctor was standing in front of him. The doctor's face was calm, but his eyes looked serious. It made Ethan nervous.
"How is she?" Ethan asked. His voice sounded rough and full of worry.
"She's stable," the doctor said. His voice was careful. "But her condition was very bad when she got here. You brought her just in time."
Ethan took a deep breath. For a few seconds, he felt relief. But then the doctor kept talking.
"Her body is very weak," the doctor said. "Stress, not eating well, and being too tired have hurt her health. Does she eat enough? Does she sleep well? Has she been taking care of herself?"
Ethan didn't like what the doctor was asking. It felt like the doctor was blaming him. "She's not neglected," Ethan said, his voice hard. "She has everything she needs."
The doctor looked at him just for a while. He didn't say anything more about it. "She's resting now," he said after a pause. "You can see her, but don't stay too long. She needs to rest."
Ethan nodded and walked to the room the doctor pointed to. Each step felt harder than the last. When he got to the door, he stopped. His moved his hands over the door and opened it . He felt doubt coming into his mind. What would he say to her? How could he face her, knowing he hadn't noticed how much she was hurting?
After a few seconds, he opened the door. The room was quiet. Sophia was lying on the bed. Her face was very pale. She looked smaller and weaker than Ethan had ever seen her. There was a tube in her arm, and her chest moved up and down slowly as she breathed.
Ethan's heart hurt at the sight of her. He stepped closer, trying to be quiet. He pulled a chair next to her bed and sat down. He kept looking at her face.
"Sophia?" he said calmly. His voice was shaky.
Her eyes opened a little. At first, they didn't seem to focus. Slowly, they looked at him. She seemed confused. "Ethan?" she said quietly. Her voice was so low, almost like a whisper.
"I'm here," Ethan said. He shifted a bit forward. "You're going to be okay."
She frowned a little. She looked tired and weak, but there was a small spark of curiosity in her eyes. "You stayed?" she asked.
Ethan swallowed hard. "Of course I stayed," he said. His voice was soft, softer than she had heard it in a long time.
Sophia blinked, her tired eyes looking at him. She was trying to understand. This wasn't the Ethan she was used to. He was usually mean and distant. This Ethan seemed different. He seemed like he cared. But why now? After so many months of feeling alone, why did he suddenly care?
As the night stretched on, Ethan remained by her side, his eyes never leaving her. For the first time in years, Sophia felt a bit of hope. Maybe the Ethan she loved was still in there.
But deep inside her, a nagging doubt whispered, How long will this last?
Sophia wanted to ask him what had changed. She wanted to know why he was acting differently. But she was too tired. Her body felt heavy, and her eyes closed again. Her breathing became fast as she went back to sleep.