Crises in Love (Zora and Jaylan)

I saw Zora's expression flash momentarily with surprise. She quickly set the medicine bowl on the bedside table and smiled at me, saying, "Let's take a look, shall we?" Her smile, so seemingly warm, sent a chill down my spine.

I pointed at the painful spot. "Right here!"

She touched the spot lightly, even pretending to press on it. "Here? There's nothing. What are you talking about?"

I hissed in pain. "It's here, it hurts!"

"There's nothing out of the ordinary!" Her hand roamed elsewhere on my body as she distracted me. "Any other discomforts?"

She was trying to divert my attention.

Sitting up straight, I kept touching on the painful spot and said, "That's strange, I feel like my head's been pricked with a needle. It's been happening a lot lately."

"Looks fine... Probably just neuralgia. I sometimes get that too," she said, trying to reassure me.

I cursed under my breath. My fingertips distinctly felt a grainy bump, and there was a trace of fresh blood. Yet she insisted there was nothing wrong. It was as if she was taking advantage of me not being able to see the area and lying straight to my face.

After a while, I feigned deep thought and uttered, "Ah, I see."

Perhaps she was feeling guilty. She told me, "Madam, have your medicine first. I need to check on Carl. He's playing downstairs alone and I don't feel comfortable leaving him unattended."

With that, she turned and left the room. Inwardly, I breathed a sigh of relief. This was the reaction I wanted. If not, she would have hovered until I finished the medicine.

From last night to now, I had skipped two doses of the medicine and noticed a significant improvement in my mental clarity. The drowsiness was less foggy and the fatigue had lessened. Even my heartbeat was back to normal.

It seemed like I needed to stop taking the medicine. I suspected all my adverse symptoms were related to it.

I had to find a way to get the medicine tested. What was she making me drink?

And I needed to figure out whether Jaylan knew about everything happening to me.

But for now, how should I deal with this bowl of medicine?

I looked up at the spot where the surveillance camera used to be. I couldn't let my guard down. I still didn't know why Zora was doing this to me. What was her motive?

I needed to find a safer way to dispose of the medicine. I couldn't just keep pouring it on the blanket. That wasn't a long-term solution.

Milo, my pet cat, came crawling out from under the covers and nestled into my lap. An idea sparked in my mind. I picked up the bowl of medicine and, as expected, Milo recoiled and ran away, clearly repelled by the medicine.

Casually, I set the bowl back on the bedside table, pretending to dust off my clothes as if I had spilled some medicine on myself.

Then, I went to the bathroom to wash my face. As I was drying off with a towel, I quickly poured the medicine on the towel while my back was turned to the potential surveillance spot. I even mimicked the action of taking the medicine.

I casually walked back to the bathroom with the bowl and towel, quickly rinsed the towel, and then strolled out of the room with the bowl, heading downstairs.

My heart was pounding like a drum. I never thought I'd be acting like this in my own home.

Jaylan's voice echoed from the staircase. I froze, my heart wrenched, and I found myself quickening my pace.

This was an instinctive response, a dependence on him. After all, in this house, Jaylan was the closest person to me. For ten years, he had showered me with love and affection, cherished me like a gem. Everyone who knew us knew how much he treasured me.

I desperately wanted to know if he was aware of the cause of my sickness, of me being helplessly tortured while unconscious in bed.

Jaylan's low murmur downstairs, along with Carl's laughter, almost brought me to tears.

As I quickly descended the staircase, I looked up and was taken aback by the sight that greeted me. I was rooted to the spot, shocked by the scene unfolding before me.