From this day onwards, it looked like I would be going back to my old habits. Today, I found myself lighting up a candle for myself.
I stayed there for hours, in the middle of the scorching sun until my body felt numb.
Happiest birthday to me.

(Diana)
“LET’S go home.”
I slowly lifted my head when I heard Alexis’ familiar voice. He immediately assisted me when I tried to stand up. Despite the throbbing in my head, my heart still fluttered upon seeing his face.
“Why did you come back?” I asked in a croaky voice. “You still have a meeting, right?”
“You’ve always been more important than any meetings in the world, Diana,” he said in a serious tone before placing his hand on my forehead. “I would be useless even if I attend the meeting anyway since my mind would be in this place, worrying about you. I shouldn’t have left you earlier. Why the hell are you so stubborn? You should be resting by now. You have a fever.”
I smiled upon seeing the worry in Alexis’ eyes. He sounded furious but his eyes were saying another thing. I was already not feeling well when I woke up this morning but I still insisted on going to the shop. I didn’t want to stay at home at times like this. I feel like I’d only feel worse once I lay on my bed.
When Alexis picked me up and saw my expression, he didn’t want to drop me off at the shop anymore. But in the end, I still won. He always lets me win anyway. He stayed a few minutes to check on me before leaving to attend his meeting.
But I was sure that if he didn’t have an important thing going on, he would not leave my side. Just like today. Before he left the shop, he talked to my assistant and told her a bunch of things about making sure to make me drink my meds on time. He was even the one who brought them for me on our way here.
“Can you walk?” Alexis asked after picking up my bag. I didn’t know how he managed to pull it off. But he still looked manly even with my pink-colored bag on his shoulder. His powerful and strong arms remained on my back, helping me in case I would fall.
“Of course, I can walk,” I replied as we stepped out of my office. My stupid heart was overreacting once again. “You spoil me way too much. You are treating me like a baby.”
“Because you are my baby.”
My staff gasped. Those girls had always been vocal about telling me that they had a crush on him. And I couldn’t really blame them. I was aware that there were so many girls chasing after Alexis, girls who would do anything to grab his attention. From his clients down to models and socialites, name it. And he had it. He was that famous.
But he didn’t care.
Because whenever Alexis and I were together, he was only looking at me. His eyes had never strayed from my face as if I was the only thing he could see and hear.
At times like this, my heart could not help but hope.
“Please take care of the shop,” Alexis told my staff. They nodded right away and even gave him a hand salute.
When we reached my apartment, I was already trembling from the cold even if he didn’t turn on the air conditioner in his car. He drew a sharp breath. After parking the car, he carried me all the way to my room and carefully placed me on the bed.
“Stay here. I’ll make you soup,” he said in an anxious tone before leaving my side. But then he returned a few seconds later. His brows knitted. “Did you already take your meds? Do you need anything? I will buy it for you. Or should I help you change your clothes into something more comfortable? Wait. Should I make you a drink first? What would you like to drink? Shit.” He raked his hand over his hair. “What should I do first? Tell me-“
“Calm down, Axis.”
Whenever I was sick, he was always like this. He worried too much.
“How can I relax? You’re sick!” he replied as if I didn’t know. He turned off the air conditioner in my room when he noticed my discomfort.
He rushed to my side and embraced me but I pushed him away.
“Stay away from me. You’ll get sick-“
“To hell with that,” he said before taking me in his arms again. He kissed my forehead and combed my hair using his fingers. “Diana, don’t get sick again. If you are feeling unwell, give me a call. Or better yet, just send me a text message. And I would come running to you so we could prevent situations like this. I hate this feeling. I feel helpless when you’re sick. I can’t even do anything for you.”
“Your presence is more than enough, Axis.” I closed my eyes and embraced him back.
Alexis was more than a medicine for me. After a while, I heard him sing softly until I fell asleep.
When I woke up, I already felt better. Alexis was no longer on the bed with me. It was already dark. He must have gone home while I was sleeping. I tried to shake my head off when sadness threatened to consume me all over again.
Alexis had already taken care of me. That should be enough.
I got up and stepped out of my room. I instantly smelled the heavenly aroma coming from the kitchen. It was from a soup which dad used to cook for me before until he passed down the recipe to Alexis.
In the past, he was not that interested in cooking just like me and my mom. But after we became friends and I got sick for the first time while my parents were abroad for a business trip, I remembered craving for dad’s soup.
After that, Alexis suddenly wanted to learn how to cook.