Chapter 4

Ryan's mind was slipping. Most of what he did now was just instinct.

And I knew better than anyone how to calm him down.

I bent down and kissed his cool lips gently. "I'll never leave you. I'm just gonna get the door."

For a second, I saw something flashing in his eyes. Then, after hesitating, he let go of my hand.

-

When I opened the door for Vanessa, I was on the phone with a doctor from the hospital downtown.

The lock was seconds from being busted open, but I stayed calm and swung the door wide.

Vanessa stood there holding a fire extinguisher, ready to smash it down. I raised a hand, signalling her to stop, and she froze.

"Yes, we're at the Grandview Hotel. He's got food poisoning. You'll have an ambulance here in ten minutes? Good. I'll bring the patient downstairs."

I hung up, then gave Vanessa a sincere look. "Are you Ryan's friend? He ate something bad and got poisoned. Could you help me carry him to the lobby? The ambulance is almost here."

Her expression shifted, as if she didn't understand what was happening. This wasn't how she thought it would go. But she couldn't figure out what had changed.

In the hotel lobby, Ryan leaned against me. His lips were pressed tightly, his long lashes trembling. The little knot between his brows made him look fragile.

The book always described him as an almost unreal kind of handsome—someone even the hottest celebrities couldn't beat.

Before, I'd gotten used to Ryan. I thought he'd always look like this. But now that I was awakened, my heart pounded like a drum as I looked at him lying quietly in my arms.

Damn. He was fine. Anyone who said otherwise was blind.

Ryan, barely conscious, started to lean onto Vanessa, his head dipping toward her. I quickly pulled him back, flashing her a smile that basically said, "Sorry about that. My man's not at his best today."

It was a little teasing and smug.

Vanessa's eyes turned colder.

The thrill I got from fighting the heroine for a man was like nothing else.

When the ambulance arrived, the EMTs loaded Ryan onto a stretcher, and I followed him inside. Vanessa tried to climb in as well, but I stopped her politely.

"Thanks for your help, but there's no room for you. I'll take it from here."

She opened her mouth, clearly confused.

She probably thought I was supposed to be Melvin's simp and couldn't understand why I suddenly cared so much about Ryan.

But I didn't care to explain. And I definitely didn't care if she was upset.

I shut the door right in her face.

At the hospital, I explained Ryan's condition to the doctors and told them he had drunk something unknown.

They diagnosed him with poisoning and rushed him to get his stomach pumped.

Half an hour later, Ryan was wheeled back to his room, still asleep.

I went down to the shop and bought clean towels and water, planning to wipe his face.

But when I came back, I froze.

Vanessa was standing at his bedside, slowly leaning down, looking as if she was about to kiss him.

"Ryan!" I yelled.

She shot up instantly, her face burning with embarrassment.

I stormed over to the bed, frowning hard at his lips. I wasn't sure whether she had kissed him already.

That was when Ryan finally woke up.

Before I could accuse Vanessa, she shoved me aside and leaned in close, worry dripping from her voice.

"Ryan, are you okay? When you called me, I tried my best to rush over." She gave me a sharp look. "But Ms. Cobbett got there before I could."

There was something weird about her gaze, as if she knew Ryan's poisoning was all my fault.