Chapter 766: The Only Person I Can Think Of

Late that night, Lucian emerged from his study. All the lights on the first floor were off; only those along the second-floor corridor remained lit. Passing Estella's room, he heard faint movements within, and a wave of worry washed over him.

Remembering Estella's aversion to Aubree, he feared she was crying, upset he hadn't dismissed her. Quietly opening the door, he approached her bed and peered down. In the corridor's dim light, she appeared asleep, yet restless, tossing and turning, scratching incessantly until her pajamas rode up.

His brows furrowed. He initially thought it a bad dream, but her erratic behavior and persistent scratching troubled him. Frowning, he gently grasped her wrists to stop her.

To his surprise, she struggled, crying out in frustration and thrashing on the bed. He realized she was intensely itchy. Slowly releasing her wrists, he watched as she resumed scratching, even more forcefully.

"Essie? Essie?" he whispered, but she remained asleep. He waited, his expression growing grave, then strode to the door, switching on the room's lights.

Immediately, the red welts on her exposed skin caught his eye. Small, red patches spread across her arms and neck, inflamed from her scratching.

"Essie!" Recognizing an allergic reaction, fearing she would break her skin, he quickly restrained her small hands, despite her attempts to wriggle free.

The itching continued even in her sleep; she could not alleviate the discomfort. Finally, the agony became unbearable, and she opened her eyes.

Seeing Lucian, she was momentarily stunned, then felt the intense itching again. She reached to scratch, but he held her firmly.

"No more scratching," he said sternly.

Miserably, Estella replied, "But it's so itchy. It feels like mosquitoes are biting me." She lowered her head, seemingly searching for insects.

Lucian quickly covered her eyes. "It's probably allergies. Don't look. I'll take you to Ms. Jarvis."

It was her first such experience; the red spots were alarming, and he didn't want to frighten her. Even a hospital visit might be unproductive at this hour. The only person he could think of was Roxanne; she would likely be more comforting to Estella.

Estella's eyes reddened. The inability to see, coupled with the intense discomfort, brought tears. "Daddy, I'm so uncomfortable!" she cried.

Lucian gathered her in his arms, holding her wrists with one hand while using the other to call Roxanne.