Inside the room, a soft glow illuminated the hushed space. Theodore’s expression had softened as he watched his grandfather.
"Grandpa!" he murmured, his voice filled with concern. He lowered himself to sit beside the old man, taking his wrinkled hand in his own. "Please don’t scare me like this, okay? You have to get well soon."
The prospect of losing his grandfather was a terrifying thought. Resting his forehead against the back of his hand, he sighed deeply.
"He was anxious about the argument earlier this morning." Claudia’s voice from behind cut through the quiet. "He was upset all day. The doctor said the anxiety caused his blood pressure to rise."
Theodore glanced at her, absorbing his words, his eyes filled with a mixture of worry and annoyance.
Claudia ran her finger around the rim of the glass in her hand. "You know he is getting old. Is it worthy to distress him over a woman? Why can’t you just fulfill his wish?"
Theodore remained silent. Arguing with Claudia was pointless. Whatever he needed to say, he would say to his grandfather.
Claudia watched him, expecting a retort. But he offered none. Perhaps he was considering her words. It was a good sign. A flicker of hope ignited in her eyes.
"It’s relieving that he is fine," she continued. "Don’t stress out. Everything will be fine soon. Here, take some water." She placed the glass on the table. "It’s late now. Driving back to your villa at this hour is not suitable. You better spend the night here."
Dropping those words, she slipped out of the room.
Theodore looked back at his grandfather, a sense of duty settling over him. He decided to stay and talk to the old man in the morning. Absentmindedly, he picked up the glass of water and drank.
"Good night, Grandpa," he mumbled, patting the back of his hand gently. "Let’s talk tomorrow."
He stood up and left the room. The front door burst open with a bang, startling him. Gina stormed in, her face flushed. Theodore scowled, surprised to see her at this late hour.
"Gina! What are you doing here?" he asked, his brows furrowed in confusion.
"Theodore! How is Grandpa?" she exclaimed, rushing towards him and grabbing his hands.
Theodore recoiled, pulling his hands away. His scowl deepened. "You didn’t answer my question," he repeated firmly.
Gina pouted, her lower lip jutting out. "Don’t be rude to me. I heard Grandpa was not well, so I rushed here to check on him. What happened to him?" She reached out for his hand again.
"Stop touching me," Theodore grumbled, pulling his hand back.
"Okay, okay, don’t be mad." She held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. "I won’t trouble you. I just want to look at him and then I’ll leave." She walked past him, heading toward Malcolm’s room.
"He is sleeping now," Theodore snapped, stopping her in her tracks. "Don’t disturb him."
Gina whirled around to face him. "Oh, that’s fine. I won’t disturb him in his sleep," she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She moved closer to him, her voice lowering. "It’s been so long since we’ve talked. Let’s go get a drink." She linked her arm with his, pulling him closer to her.
"It’s late, and I’m not in the mood for socializing. Go home."
She feigned hurt, but her eyes gleamed with a mixture of determination and something more unsettling. "Just one drink, Theo. For old times’ sake." Her grip tightened slightly on his arm, her gaze pleading but insistent.
"Gina!" he hissed, his face contorted in disgust. "Don’t you understand I don’t like you touching me?"
"Theodore! We were about to marry," Gina whined. "How could you treat me like that? Don’t you know I love you?"
Theodore gritted his teeth, his anger mounting. He raised a finger to point at her, but the words died in his throat. What was the point of wasting breath on her? He changed his mind abruptly, deciding to return home and deal with his grandfather later.
As he turned to leave, a wave of dizziness washed over him, blurring his vision. He clutched his head, blinking rapidly. His vision was switching from blurriness to clear.
Confusion swept over him. What was happening to him? A strange heat began to spread through his body, making him restless and uncomfortable.
His throat felt dry, and his chest tightened painfully. It was as if the room’s temperature had suddenly spiked. He instinctively raised a hand to rub his chest, seeking relief from the discomfort.
"Are you okay?" Gina asked, holding his arm.
For the first time, he didn’t push her away. Instead, he glared at her, his mind racing to understand what was happening to him.
"Why do you look so flustered?" she asked, her hands gently cupping his cheek. Genuine concern flickered in her eyes. "What happened to you?"
Theodore’s breathing grew shallow as he struggled to focus. His thoughts swirled in a haze of confusion and mounting anxiety. The sudden, inexplicable symptoms gnawed at him, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.
Theodore swallowed hard. Uncharacteristically, a strange longing to lean on her, to pull her into his embrace washed over him. Her touch, which normally repelled him, now seemed to offer a strange solace. Panic surged through him.
He remembered the glass of water Claudia had left. Could she have spiked it? The thought of her treachery sent a cold shiver down his spine. "That scheming woman!" he muttered under his breath.
Frustration boiled within him. With a forceful shove, he pushed Gina away. "Get away from me!" he barked.
"Uh..." Gina stumbled backward, landing on the floor with a thud.
Theodore pressed his hands to his throbbing temples, the heat in his body intensifying. He knew he had to leave before he did something he would regret. Without another glance at Gina, he stormed out of the house.
"Theodore, you heartless man!" Gina shouted, slamming her hand on the floor.
"Gina!" Claudia rushed to Gina’s side, helping her to her feet. "Are you hurt?" she asked, scanning Gina for injuries.
"Yes, I am hurt... here..." Gina pointed dramatically at her chest. "Right here in my heart." Tears welled up in her eyes as she portrayed a heartbroken woman. "He doesn’t care about me."
Claudia wrapped Gina in a comforting embrace. "Gina, my darling," she soothed. "Calm down. He will be yours soon. Just have faith in me."
A sly smile crept across Claudia’s lips. The plan hadn’t gone exactly as she had hoped, but she had managed to capture damning photographs of Theodore and Gina. That would be enough to sow discord between Theodore and Bella.
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