My body went cold. Whether it was the fever or something far worse, I wasn’t sure. The strength drained from my limbs, leaving me weak and lightheaded. I didn’t even attempt to argue or call him back.
He hadn’t asked my permission. He didn’t even look twice.
So I stood there silently, leaning against the nearest wall to stop myself from swaying.
Isaac’s act had always been convincing—but only until Candice entered the scene. Then his true self bled through, unfiltered. He never noticed the difference, but I did. Every time.
With a bitter smile tightening my lips, I turned away and made my way, alone, to the section for fever patients.
The healer barely needed to examine me to confirm it—my temperature had skyrocketed to 41.3°C.
Apparently, the burn had become infected, worsened by stress and emotional turmoil, leading to a viral complication. I was given herbs to brew into tea and advised to start an infusion as soon as possible.
Without thinking, I reached for my phone and searched for Isaac’s number.
Then I froze.
What was I doing?
Habit, it seemed, was a cruel thing—more dangerous than any wound.
I gave a short, humorless laugh, lowered the phone, and slipped it back into my pocket.
No more calls. No more illusions.
I accepted the medications from the healer, thanked her quietly, and walked myself to the patient rest area, alone.
The morning felt unusually long as I finished the last of the bitter herbal concoction and received the infusion recommended by the healer. My head swam with dizziness, and even a few steps left me shaky, almost toppling over.
I picked up my phone to check for any messages from Isaac, a small part of me still hoping he had at least sent a word. But my heart sank when the screen remained empty—no updates, no questions about my condition, not even a single text showing he cared.
With a deep breath, I decided to call him despite the growing unease in my chest. I didn’t want any assumptions or miscommunications to pile up between us. When he answered and realized I was still in the healer’s care, there was a pause on his end before he spoke.
“Wendy, I’m really sorry. I meant to come back for you after I dropped Candice off, but… she started having stomach cramps, so I had to stay…”
Wait. Did he just say he brought her back home?