Episode 16

The next day, Evelyn woke up early, but her head was pounding, and her body felt weak.

“How am I going to work today? My head hurts so much.”

She slowly got out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Even though she felt weak, Evelyn went through her usual hygiene routine.

She got dressed and left without having breakfast because she was running late.

On the way, she felt dizzy and disoriented, struggling to stay on her feet. Upon arriving at the company’s reception area, Evelyn tried to hide her condition, but her coworkers quickly noticed her paleness and tired expression.

Concerned about Evelyn’s health, her coworker, Aline, the company receptionist, approached her and asked with a worried tone, "Evelyn, are you alright? You don't look so good today."

Evelyn sighed and responded truthfully, “Actually, I don’t feel well. My head is throbbing, and my body feels weak. I think I might be coming down with the flu.”

Aline placed her hand on Evelyn's shoulder and said kindly, "You should go home and rest. It doesn't make sense for you to stay here feeling this unwell."

Evelyn refused to go back home. She knew her boss was tough and would think she was faking illness to avoid work. She knew she needed to take care of herself to fully recover, but she would do so after leaving work.

"Thank you, Aline. But I can’t go back home.” Thanking Aline for her concern, she grabbed her purse and headed towards the elevator.

As she walked down the hallway towards the office, Evelyn thought about the possible causes of her illness. Could it be just a common flu or something more serious? She wondered if she should schedule a doctor’s appointment to find out.

Reaching her desk, Evelyn sank into her chair, feeling the weight of her body. Her eyes were red; she closed them, resting her head in her hands, elbows on the desk, trying to alleviate the pain in her head. As she rested, she began to imagine what might happen if her condition worsened. Would she need to take medical leave from work? What if it was something more serious than a simple flu?

These worries haunted her as she battled fever and discomfort. Evelyn knew she needed to take care of herself and seek medical attention if necessary. Meanwhile, she hoped her condition would improve quickly so she could return to her normal routine.

“What are you doing?” Dereck asked, his voice sharp and authoritative, his dark brown eyes fixed on her.

Evelyn jumped, startled by his voice.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Norton. I’ll start working right away.”

Evelyn stood up, flustered, slightly dazed, and walked toward Dereck.

He immediately noticed she was unwell.

“Mr. Norton, I’ll tidy up your office now. I apologize, but I’m really not feeling well today.”

She took another step forward and couldn't go any further; her legs gave way. As she began to collapse onto the cold floor, Dereck swiftly caught her, holding her firmly in his strong arms, and carried her to his office.

“Evelyn, wake up! Please, wake up!” exclaimed the billionaire CEO, desperately touching the redhead’s beautiful face.

Evelyn finally opened her eyes, confused and disoriented. She looked up at Dereck's concerned face and asked, "What happened? Why am I here?" Dereck sighed with relief and explained, "You fainted, Evelyn. I was so worried. Are you feeling any better now?” Evelyn slowly nodded, still feeling a little lightheaded. Dereck held her hand gently and said,"I'm taking you to the hospital. You’re burning up with fever.”

He lifted her back into his arms, but Evelyn pushed him away, irritated.

"I don't want to go to the hospital. You don't need to worry about me. It's just a bug, and I'll be fine soon."

She tried to stand up but had no strength in her legs, and her joints ached terribly.

“Stop being childish!” Dereck exclaimed, annoyed. “I'm taking you to the hospital, and I don't want any objections, Ms. Aguiar.”

Once again, Dereck scooped her up in his arms.

"Mr. Norton, what happened to Ms. Aguiar?" Adriano asked as he walked down the hall.

"She fainted," he replied coldly, stepping into the elevator.

"Let me help you," Adriano offered, attempting to take Evelyn from his boss's arms.

"That’s not necessary.” Dereck shot an intimidating look at his assistant.

They went straight to the company parking lot. Adriano opened the door to Dereck’s car.

It was the first time the CEO had ever taken a woman in his car's passenger seat. Evelyn was important to Dereck.

Adriano took a deep breath, scratched his head, and thought, "I think he likes her; I've never seen him concerned about anyone before."

Evelyn sat with her eyes closed beside Dereck in the luxurious car, his attention divided between the steering wheel and Evelyn’s pale face. He was deeply concerned about her.

During the drive, Dereck came to an inevitable conclusion.

“What’s going on with me? Why am I so worried about her? I think... I think I’m really starting to fall for her...” He pounded the steering wheel in frustration, sweating coldly as these intense thoughts consumed him.

He realized he couldn’t pretend he didn’t have feelings for her anymore.

Upon arriving at the hospital, she was quickly seen.

"Mr. Norton, the patient's condition is stable. We suspect it might be dengue fever, but we’ve already drawn blood and will have the results shortly. Would you like us to transfer her to a private room or keep her in the ward?"

The doctor asked, looking intently at Dereck.

"Take her to a private room. Please do everything you can for her, Dr. Leonardo."

Leonardo suspected that Dereck was involved with Evelyn. The doctor had never seen him with a woman and had never perceived a look of concern for anyone on his face.

"Yes, Mr. Norton. I'll ask the team to take care of that right away. But regarding the patient's payment, will she be able to cover the consultation and the room?" Leonardo asked, trying to find out more.

"Dr. Leonardo, you don't need to worry about that. She’s my secretary, and I own this private hospital. She’ll stay here as long as necessary, and I expect you to provide the best possible care so she can recover quickly.” Dereck placed a firm hand on the doctor's shoulder.

“I see this young lady is very important to you,” he remarked as he turned to leave for the nurse.

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