The beautiful man raised an eyebrow. "So? It's not my fault that I caught you in this situation. Moreover, I don't even know you, so you can't blame me for being suspicious."

Miles couldn't retaliate for that. He's right. But why does she feel so bad? Maybe because she wasn't used to being the target of doubt or maybe she was too tired to explain herself to others. She grew up well with the affection and teachings of her father, and she wanted to share it with the people around her, especially her family.

But things didn't always go the way you wanted them to. She was frequently put in difficult situations where she had to prove herself before those she cared about recognized her. That's her main problem with her family too. It's painful to accept, but her stepmother and Hannah could not appreciate her efforts. 

Her tears fall automatically when she thinks of her distant and antagonistic relationship with them. Miles shook her head to hide her tears. "Again, Sir, I'm sorry. You can complain to our shop about my improper behavior if that's what makes you at ease."

"Don't worry, it's not necessary. Just leave."

Miles turned her back on the man. She took her steps, biting her lips. All of a sudden, she lost her balance when her consciousness spun around. But instead of falling on the floor, a pair of arms caught her. Someone touched her forehead afterwards.

"Whoa. You're burning, lady."

"I-I'm fine." She pushed his hands away and forced herself to stand up. But Miles could not find the strength to get to her feet. Falling one more time, she's caught again by those arms.

"Stubborn, aren't you?" The man furrowed his brows. "Wait a minute. I smell blood. Are you wounded?" His tone changed all of a sudden. There was panic in it. He didn't wait for her response and just folded the leaves of her blouse without permission. The man swore harshly. "What the fuck?! You are bleeding! Are you crazy? You went to work with this condition? You're a fool! Like a wounded rabbit that entered the lion's den. If you're going to go downstairs with this kind of injury, you'll ruin the event."

Miles could not understand what the man meant by saying that. Her consciousness is slowly being eaten by darkness. 

"Raven! Raven!" the man shouted like he was calling for someone.

Miles tried to open her heavy eyelids. What she saw in her semi-conscious state was that beautiful and spotless face with a tinge of worry. She could be dreaming because she could not really tell if it was real or not. She's only half awake. She's too comfortable to move, and the temptation to sleep is pulling her consciousness down. But she really didn't want to close her eyes, afraid of losing such a beautiful sight.

Those azure eyes of the man are so beautiful and hypnotizing. It's like a hundred sapphire stones are sparkling inside. They are glowing like a burst of flames. And no matter how strange it is, she's like a moth that got attracted to the blue flame. She wanted to get close even though there was nothing but danger that could await her. 

"THANK god you're awake! You scared the hell out of us, Miles."

Disoriented, Miles looked at her friend, Joanne. "Where am I?"

"In a hospital here in Makati. You fainted all of a sudden on the mansion's second floor. Your vital signs are normal, even the blood test. The doctor said it's over fatigue. You have to take care of yourself, Miles." Joanne looked at her with worry. "Don't skip meals and get sleep as much as possible."

Miles got up from the hospital bed and leaned her back on the headboard. "Sorry, Joanne, for scaring you. And thank you for bringing me here."

Joanne shook her head. "You should be thanking Mr. Reed. He's the one who found you unconscious, Miles. He even carried you to the car. He's also the one who admitted you here. He just left a while ago after knowing that you're not seriously hurt."

Miles' forehead crumpled. "Mr. Reed?"

"Mr. Raven Reed. He's the handsome foreigner who owns that mansion. I think he's the groom's relative. You don't have any idea how lucky you are, Miles." Joanne pushed Miles' shoulder jokingly. "I was so envious of you! I wanted to kiss the path he was walking on because he's too handsome. He's too much of an eye-candy. She's more good-looking than those Hollywood celebrities."

Miles jerked her body when she remembered something. "Wait, what time is it?"

"2 AM. Don't worry. I already called your house. That stepmother of yours is really wicked. She didn't even bother to visit you here. She said there's no need to because you're not on the verge of death. I really want to smack some gentleness on her head." 

"I'm already okay, Joanne." Miles got off the bed in a hurry. "I don't want to stay here another day. This room is not private, is it?" She looked around inside the room. It's spacious, bright, and only has a single bed, which is her bed. The answer is super obvious. Miles gasped and tapped her cheeks. "Oh my God, I'm going to be a beggar with the hospital bill!"

Joanne chuckled. "Don't worry about the bill. Mr. Reed has already paid for it. I wish you could have seen how the medical staff treated you in the emergency room. They were totally panicking when Mr. Reed said that you have to be treated carefully. Every hour, the doctor will enter this room to check your condition. I heard those nurses gossiped about Mr. Reed. It looks like he's a major shareholder in this hospital."

Miles sighed and massaged her forehead. "I'm sorry, Joanne. I was supposed to help you get the job done, but I have been a burden instead."

"What are you saying? We completed our task, and the client is not blaming you. Even boss is concerned about your health condition. She wanted to come here with us, but she had a seminar. She's so worried about you, Miles. She said that you can take a rest for a few days. You're too much of a hard worker; that's why your body gave in." Joanne took the plastic bag on the bedside table and handed it to Miles. "Just eat first before anything else. Drew bought that for you before he left." 

- to be continued -