Charles didn't even think-his body had already turned and bolted upstairs before his mind caught up.
When he burst into Ashley's room, Kevin was already examining her. Ashley's eyes were shut tight, her forehead soaked with beads of sweat, and her face twisted like she was fighting something in a nightmare.
"Why didn't you report this to me?" Charles spun around, his voice sharp as a blade, aimed straight at George.
"I'm sorry, sir," George explained quickly, "I knew you had a really important meeting today. I didn't want you to be distracted."
"You think a damn meeting matters more to me than her?" Charles snapped, his eyes narrowing.
"That was my mistake. I wasn't thinking straight," George said, lowering his head.
But Charles didn't have time to argue. He turned back toward Kevin. "What's the situation?"
"She's running a high fever and she's unresponsive," Kevin said, looking puzzled. "It's strange, though. I managed to bring her fever down yesterday. No clue why it suddenly spiked again."
Wait-she was already sick last night? It hit Charles then-he remembered George trying to tell him something, but he'd cut him off.
"Charles," Kevin said seriously, "Her condition's critical. I suspect acute pneumonia with respiratory failure. If we don't act fast-"
Before he could finish, Charles was already moving, scooping Ashley into his arms and heading straight for the door.
The car tore through traffic and screeched to a halt at the hospital.
A whole team of doctors and nurses were already waiting by the entrance.
Ashley was quickly transferred to a stretcher and rushed into the ER.
They worked nonstop the whole morning-antipyretics, physical cooling, all of it. But nothing helped. Her temperature wouldn't budge.
"Do none of you know what you're doing? You can't even bring down a damn fever!" Charles exploded, glaring at the room full of stunned medical staff.
No one dared make a sound. Each person stood frozen, staring at the floor.
Ashley lay motionless on the bed, her body jerking spasmodically, still deep in a coma.Seeing how miserable she looked, Charles felt like he'd take the pain for her if he could.
"Get me a tub of crushed ice water, now!" When nothing else seemed to work, he decided to try his own method.
Soon enough, the tub was ready just as he'd ordered.
Everyone else backed out of the room, leaving only two female nurses behind.
Charles gently lifted Ashley from the bed and slowly placed her into the ice-filled tub.
After making sure she was settled, he straightened up.
Ashley's lips were trembling nonstop, sweat beading on her pale forehead, yet her whole body was freezing cold from the ice water.
Charles stared at her, his lips pressed into a tight line.
"Cancel everything on today's schedule," he said as he pulled out his phone and called his assistant, Aaron Moore.
"Everything? But sir, you have a meeting at eleven with the chairman of Sterling Valor Group. It's the biggest financing project this quarter," Aaron reminded him.
"Did I stutter? I said cancel it. All of it." His tone was sharp and final before he ended the call.
His eyes went back to Ashley. Her face was paper-white, completely drained of color.
Honestly, even Charles didn't know what else he could do. He'd tried everything he could. Now, it was all up to her-she had to pull through.
Around four in the afternoon, a nurse checked her temperature-finally down to 39°C.
Afraid her body might not hold up if she stayed in the cold water too long, Charles picked her back up and carefully laid her on the soft hospital bed.
"Lucas... Lucas... don't go..." Ashley murmured in her sleep. Tears streaked down from the corners of her closed eyes, soaking into her hair.
Was that guy really that great? Even now, in this state, she kept calling his name. Hearing it drove a sharp chill into Charles's chest.
"I miss you... Lucas..." she breathed out again.
"Ashley, say his name one more time. I dare you," Charles muttered, on the verge of losing it.
