Chapter 14

Raising a brow, Gabriela stared at her phone screen, puzzled. She leaned closer, squinting as if to confirm what she was seeing. Vien's calling me? she thought, surprised. Sliding her finger across the screen, she answered the call.

"Hello?" Gabriela said, her voice laced with confusion.

"Gabi!" Blair's small, excited voice greeted her.

"Blair?" Gabriela asked, her brow furrowing. "Wait, did you call me? Or was it your mommy?"

"I asked Nana to call you using Mommy's phone," Blair explained. Her tone suddenly shifted, trembling slightly. "Can you come, Gabi?"

Gabriela's confusion deepened. "Come where, Blair?"

"To our house," Blair sniffled, her voice cracking. "Mommy's not waking up... and she's shivering."

Gabriela's stomach sank. "Wait, Blair—hold on," she said, quickly pulling her car over in front of her gate. Turning off the engine in a rush, she grabbed her phone and jogged toward the house.

"I'm outside, Blair," Gabriela said as she rang the doorbell.

The bodyguard at the gate peeked out, his gaze assessing. Gabriela raised her phone, switching to speaker mode. "Hi, I'm Blair's friend. I'm on the phone with her right now."

"Mr. Ellis, can you let Gabi in, please? Thank you," Blair's voice piped through the speaker.

The bodyguard gave Gabriela a quick nod and unlocked the gate.

"Thank you," Gabriela murmured, jogging toward the main door. Her breath caught when she saw Blair standing there, her small frame looking more fragile than usual.

"Gabi!" Blair cried, grabbing her hand. "Come quick!"

Gabriela followed her up the stairs, her heart racing. "What happened, Blair?" she asked, glancing down at the little girl tugging her along.

"Mommy said she'd just take a nap, but she hasn't woken up yet," Blair explained, opening a bedroom door. She pointed to the bed, where someone lay bundled under a blanket. "Nana tried to wake her too, but she won't wake up," Blair added, fidgeting with her fingers.

Gabriela ended the call, slipping the phone into her pocket as she approached the bed. Gently, she pulled the blanket down, revealing Vien's pale, trembling form.

"Vien?" Gabriela called softly, touching her forehead. Her skin was clammy and burning hot. "She's running a fever," she muttered.

Turning to the older woman standing beside Blair, Gabriela asked, "Do you have a thermometer I can borrow?"

The woman nodded and quickly left to retrieve it.

"Is Mommy okay, Gabi?" Blair asked, her wide eyes filled with worry.

Gabriela crouched to Blair's level and offered a reassuring smile. "She'll be fine, Blair. She just has a fever," she said, glancing at the bottles of medicine on the bedside table. Her smile faltered slightly as her eyes lingered on them. Why does she have five different bottles of painkillers?

"Here's the thermometer," Nana said, returning with it.

"Thank you," Gabriela replied, offering her a small smile. She turned back to Vien, slipping the thermometer under her arm. "And sorry, could I ask for more help? Could we get a towel and a basin of cold water?"

The woman nodded again.

"Thank you, Nana," Blair said softly, climbing onto the bed to sit beside her mother.

"Is Nana your nanny, Blair?" Gabriela asked, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind Vien's ear.

Blair nodded. "Yes, Gabi." Leaning closer to her mother, she asked, "Is Mommy really going to be okay?"

Gabriela pulled the thermometer out and checked the reading. 39 degrees Celsius. She sighed and nodded. "She'll be okay, but we need to bring her fever down. If it doesn't drop, we'll take her to the hospital, okay?"

Blair nodded, worry etched on her small face. "Mommy, wake up," she whispered, shaking Vien's shoulder gently.

Vien let out a soft moan but didn't open her eyes. Her body shivered again, and a faint frown creased her forehead.

"Here's the basin and towel," Nana said, placing them on the bedside table.

"Thank you," Gabriela murmured, soaking the towel in cold water and wringing it out. She carefully wiped Vien's face, neck, and arms. "Her fever's really high," she said, turning to Nana. "If it doesn't drop soon, we'll have to take her to the hospital. For now, I'll stay with her."

Blair's small hand tugged at Gabriela's sleeve. "Gabi, can you stay here for a while?"

Gabriela tilted her head. "Why do you want me to stay?"

Blair pouted, her lip quivering. "Mommy's still not awake," she whispered. "Please?"

Gabriela's expression softened, and she nodded. "Alright, I'll stay."

Blair's face lit up. "Thank you, Gabi! You're the best!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around Gabriela's waist.

Gabriela chuckled, gently stroking Blair's hair. "No worries, Blair," she said, though her eyes drifted back to Vien with concern. What's going on with you, Vien? she wondered silently.

Vien stirred on the bed, a soft groan escaping her lips as she rubbed her eyes. Sitting up slowly, the blanket slipped down to her waist, and the strap of her top slid off her shoulder. Blinking to adjust her vision, she froze at the sight before her. Gabriela was slumped in the ball chair beside the bed, fast asleep, with Blair curled up on her lap.

Her breath hitched. What the hell? she thought, staring at the scene. Blair was tucked under a blanket, her small form nestled securely in Gabriela's arms. Gabriela's head rested against the edge of the chair, her face peaceful despite the uncomfortable position.

Vien swallowed hard, her heart thudding. "What the heck is this?" she muttered under her breath.

Gabriela stirred slightly, and Vien quickly ducked back under the covers, pulling the blanket over her head. "You're awake, Vien," Gabriela's soft voice broke the silence. "No need to pretend you're still asleep."

Vien cursed under her breath, lowering the blanket enough to reveal half her face. "H-how did you get in here?" she stammered, her gaze darting to Gabriela, who sat up straight and carefully adjusted Blair on her lap.

"Blair used your phone to call me," Gabriela replied, shutting her eyes briefly before opening them again. "She said she couldn't wake you—or the nanny." Gabriela shrugged lightly, her tone casual but her eyes betraying concern.

Vien's cheeks flushed. "I... I'm fine now. Thank you... for coming over," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Gabriela sighed, leaning back slightly. "Not that I mean to pry, but why do you have so many painkillers?" she asked, her tone steady but probing.

Vien glanced at the bedside table and groaned inwardly. "Ah, shit," she muttered, running a hand through her hair. "It's nothing. Just for cramps," she mumbled, avoiding Gabriela's gaze as she pulled the blanket up to hide her face again.

Gabriela's voice softened, but her words carried weight. "I'm worried about you, Vien. Blair's been worried sick too. She cried and kept asking if you were ever going to wake up."

Vien's stomach twisted. She shut her eyes tightly and bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry," she whispered, slowly sitting up. Wrapping the blanket around herself, she hugged her knees and buried her face against them.

Gabriela leaned forward slightly, her voice gentle but firm. "What really happened?"

"Stop looking at me like that," Vien snapped, her voice breaking as she glanced at Gabriela. "Like you pity me."

Gabriela scoffed, shaking her head. "I'm not pitying you, Vien. I'm worried about you. I've told you before—I want to help carry the weight you're holding on to. You don't have to do this alone. I'm here."

Vien's eyes shut tightly as her shoulders trembled. "I know," she admitted, her voice barely audible. "I know you're willing to help. But I don't want you to." She lifted her head, her gaze locking with Gabriela's. "You don't deserve it, Gabi. The last thing I want is to take advantage of your feelings for me. I don't want you to get hurt in the process because..." Her words trailed off.

"Because?" Gabriela prompted gently.

"Can we just drop it, please?" Vien whispered, her voice cracking.

Gabriela held her gaze for a moment before offering a faint smile. She adjusted Blair in her arms and stood up. "Where should I put Blair?" she asked softly.

Vien tapped the empty space beside her on the bed. "Here," she said.

Gabriela nodded and moved around the bed, carefully laying Blair down. She glanced at Vien and reached out to touch her forehead, but Vien turned away abruptly. Gabriela chuckled softly, pulling her hand back. "Right," she said lightly. "I'll get going now. If you're still feeling sick, get yourself checked, okay? Good night, Vien."

Without waiting for a response, Gabriela turned and walked out of the room, not looking back.

Vien clutched the blanket tightly, her breaths hitching as tears spilled down her cheeks. She wiped at them harshly, but they kept coming. "Why am I even crying again?" she muttered to herself, her voice filled with frustration.

Vien stared at the door for a long moment, her chest tightening as the sound of Gabriela's retreating footsteps faded. She swallowed hard, her fingers clenching the blanket. The room felt unbearably quiet now, save for the soft breaths of Blair sleeping beside her.

Why does she always have to care so much? Vien thought bitterly, wiping at the tears that continued to fall despite her efforts. Her heart ached with a mixture of guilt and longing, a storm she could neither control nor escape.

She glanced at Blair, her small hand clutching the corner of the blanket in her sleep. Gabriela had been so gentle with her, so patient. Blair trusted her, depended on her, and Gabriela had shown up without hesitation, even after everything between them.

Vien sighed, running a hand through her tangled hair. "I don't deserve her," she whispered to herself, the words cracking under the weight of her emotions. She wanted to push Gabriela away, to keep her at arm's length, but every time Gabriela came closer, she found it harder to resist the warmth and safety she brought.

Her gaze drifted back to the bedside table, where the bottles of painkillers stood like silent reminders of her struggle. She knew she needed help, but the thought of burdening Gabriela—or anyone—felt unbearable. Yet, Gabriela's words echoed in her mind, soft but unyielding: "I'm here."

Vien shook her head, pulling the blanket tighter around her. "I can't do this," she muttered, her voice trembling. But even as she said it, she couldn't shake the memory of Gabriela's worried eyes, the way she had stayed by her side without question.

Blair stirred beside her, murmuring softly in her sleep. Vien reached out to brush a strand of hair from her daughter's face, her hand lingering as a fresh wave of emotion washed over her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice breaking. Whether the apology was for Blair, for Gabriela, or for herself, she wasn't sure. All she knew was that she couldn't keep going like this. Something had to change—she just wasn't sure if she was strong enough to make it happen.