"You tell me," Felicia rolled her eyes at Stephan, only to realize her voice was hoarse.

Stephan rose and poured a glass of water. Supporting her back with one hand, he brought the glass to her lips. Felicia drank it in one gulp, regaining her composure.

"That felt good," she murmured.

"Do you want more?" Stephan lowered his head, gazing at her with a faint, suggestive smile. His eyes sparkled mischievously.

She suspected a double entendre. Damn him!

Felicia turned away, huffing. "That's enough. More than enough!"

Stephan chuckled, his husky voice sending a shiver through her. She felt his chest vibrate slightly. Leaning close, he whispered in her ear, "You brought this on yourself."

Felicia ground her teeth, wanting to strike him. He slid under the covers, his scent fresh and pleasant, inching closer. "Then... I'll let you bite me to vent your anger?"

Felicia glared. After their earlier struggle, his shoulder bore the evidence—teeth marks and scratches. She ground her teeth again, but couldn't bring herself to hurt him further. "You can see now? That shouldn't be possible. When I checked your pulse, you were clearly blind from poisoning."

Her expression turned serious. "Was that all an act?"

Her diagnosis couldn't have been wrong; Stephan's pulse had indicated poisoning and blindness. But his healed eyes meant… he had an antidote. The blindness, the coma, the guards' claims—all lies!

Without a word, Felicia checked his pulse. Strong and steady, perfectly healthy.

"You deserve an Oscar, don't you?" she chuckled bitterly. She thought of her worry, her time spent searching for an antidote. She had been overthinking everything!

Her fury had dissipated after their struggle. Looking at him, his perfect stature, the tension eased. However, she maintained a cold expression, avoiding his gaze.

As expected, Stephan panicked. He leaned over, kissing her forehead, eyelids, nose, and lips, attempting to appease her.

"Don't be mad, my darling. I'm sorry. The coma was real initially. The toxins were my people's work, but I didn't expect to remain hospitalized so long; they flared up. After returning to Seldvale, I took the antidote, and my sight returned. But I had to maintain the charade to expose those plotting against me. I didn't reply to your messages because communications were monitored."

As he continued kissing her, his hands began to wander. Felicia had listened intently at first, appreciating his explanation. But gradually, she sensed something was amiss. How did his explanation necessitate wandering hands?