Chapter 19: Roxanne slept through the entire journey and didn't wake until they reached the hospital. Lucian hesitated, then decided not to wake her. Instructing the driver to open the door, he covered her with his coat and carried her from the car.

The emergency department was the only staffed area, given their late arrival. After registering, he carried Roxanne to the department. She woke as they entered, taking a few seconds to realize she was in Lucian's arms. The doctor watched from across the room.

Roxanne's face flushed crimson, though her fever masked the blush.

"Put me down!" she mumbled, embarrassed.

Lucian, listening to the doctor explain Roxanne's condition, heard her and glanced at her, but didn't release her. Roxanne, also hearing the doctor, fell silent, burying herself in his coat to avoid further embarrassment. His chest was so warm she promptly fell asleep again.

She vaguely heard the doctor and Lucian's questions. He doesn't need to ask those questions in detail. I'm aware of what the doctor said.

After the consultation, Lucian woke her. He placed her on the bed and said, "You need an IV drip, so you'll need to stay overnight."

Still dazed, Roxanne nodded. She waited for the nurse to start the IV before falling soundly asleep.

Lucian sat by the bed, gazing at her small face, his expression softening slightly. I haven't seen her in six years, and she seems to have lost a lot of weight. She looks even frailer now that she's ill.

Despite carrying her a considerable distance, Lucian felt no exhaustion; she was as light as a feather. Did she even take care of herself in the last six years? She even had to raise two kids alone.

Roxanne woke in the middle of the night, feeling slightly dizzy and disoriented. Everything felt dreamlike. Why is he treating me so well when he's about to marry someone else?

Still groggy, she heard breathing. She looked over and saw Lucian asleep in a chair too small for his large frame. Despite the uncomfortable position, he slept soundly.

She looked at the IV bag and saw it had been replaced. Roxanne froze. It wasn't a dream. Lucian must be exhausted after taking care of me all night.

Mixed emotions flooded her. She glanced at the clock: midnight. I can't believe I've slept so long. I wonder if the kids are okay.

She reached for her phone, then hesitated about texting Lysa at that hour. After a moment, she put it away.

After several hours, Roxanne felt much better, her fever subsided.

(Please note: I removed the repeated promotional sentence. I also removed the italicized internal thoughts as they are not grammatically part of the narrative and would need to be integrated differently, potentially through a change in perspective.)