Chapter 16: Warmth

Hayden walked to the bed and gently wiped the tears off her face.

"Shh, I'm here," He said while caressing her face . His heart hurt every time he saw her going through pain. It was painful to watch. He coaxed her softly until she went back to sleep. He looked at the beads of sweat that had formed on her forehead, probably caused by the nightmare she was having, and reached out to fish a handkerchief out of his trousers pocket. He gently wiped her forehead and covered her with the quilt before walking out. His heart couldn't take it if he kept on staying in the same room as her and watching as she suffered. He felt like murdering her tormentors immediately. They had to thank the heavens that he didn't know them yet. He was going to get back at them with the most fatal blows. 

As he walked out, he took out his phone and made a call.

"Hello." Graham spoke first after he picked up .

"Mm. I need some scar removal ointments. " Hayden immediately said. He was direct to the point. 

"Oh, I know of one, and it costs a fortune." Graham thought for a while before he answered. It wasn't in their hospital. It was overseas where he had been working as a doctor before he moved to his home country. 

"Is it effective?" Hayden asked to make sure. He wanted something that would erase any signs of what she underwent as she was growing up.

"Absolutely." Graham assured him confidently. 

"How long will it take to get here?" Hayden questioned again. After all, he needed it urgently. 

After a slight pause, Graham spoke;

"Four days at most." 

"Got it." Hayden hung up after saying this.

After he hung up, he made his way downstairs where he met the housekeeper, whose name was Anne. After instructing her on what to make for Ayla, he went to his master bedroom. He went to freshen up. Since it was scorching hot in the country, he took a cold shower , and only then did he feel refreshed. He took his laptop and worked on a certain project that was pending in his company. Over the past few years since its establishment, the Miller corporation has been flourishing as years passed, and it was ranked among the top three best and most profitable companies. It was painstakingly established by Hayden alone through his own blood and sweat.

However, since he liked teaching the most, he became a professor at Imperial University. That didn't mean he wouldn't be looking after the company, too. He knew his responsibilities and balanced them well. 

He looked at his watch and was shocked to find that four hours had already passed. It was already evening and time for dinner.

As if he had thought of something, he picked up the medicine and ointment from the bedside table and headed to the guestroom. 

The moment he opened the door, he found her struggling to sit up. He rushed over and helped her sit. 

"I brought you medicine and the ointment. " He passed her the carrier bag as he explained.

"Oh, thank you." Ayla said hoarsely. Maybe it was because she had just woken up, but her angelic voice had turned hoarse. He noted. 

As he gave her a careful look over, he asked with concern;

"Do you need me to help you apply the medicine on your wounds?" 

"Uhm, no need, I can manage." Ayla thought for a moment before she shook her head . She didn't want anyone else to see her wounded and scarred body.

"Alright, let me tell the housekeeper to bring food upstairs. " Hayden said as he stood up. Ayla nodded at him before she began applying the medicine to her wounds. It stung every time the medicine landed on her wounds. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. She could only grit her teeth and endure it.

After she was done applying medicine on herself, Ayla rested her back on a fluffy pillow as she waited for Hayden to be back. 

After a few minutes, the doorknob turned, and Hayden walked in, followed by a middle-aged woman, who was pushing a trolley with food. As soon as she saw Ayla, she smiled warmly and introduced herself;

"Good evening, miss. My name is Anne, and I'm the housekeeper. If you need anything, don't hesitate to look for me ." 

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ayla." Ayla tried her best to smile even though her body was burning with pain. 

"Alright, you may leave now." Hayden watched as the two got to know each other before he interrupted. He wanted her to have her meals so she could take her painkillers on time. 

"Okay." The housekeeper bowed and left. 

Ayla watched as Hayden moved the table beside the bed, just enough to accommodate her. He neatly arranged the food on the table.

"Let's dig in." Hayden said after serving her . 

"Thank you." Ayla said and dug in. She was starving, after all. The food was very delicious, which made her eyes light up. Hayden watched as she ate with gusto and decided to try it too. He always had anorexia, and he hoped that that evening would be different. 

Ayla looked at the carrots on her plate and gently pushed them aside.

"You don't like carrots?" He raised his eyebrows and asked when he saw her subtle actions. 

"Mm." She nodded in response.

"But for your recovery, you have to eat them, okay?" Hayden coaxed softly. 

Ayla sighed before she nodded. True, for her recovery, she had to eat them, even though she disliked them.

Hayden watched as she gently wiped the corners of her lips with a serviette and asked;

"Done already?" 

"Yeah, I'm very full." Ayla answered as she burped. She felt embarrassed by that. However, it was enough to let Hayden know that she was really full.

"Okay, how do you feel now?" After wiping his mouth clean, he asked again. His concern was evident in his eyes. 

"It doesn't hurt like it did earlier." It hurts like hell. 

"Alright, I'm sorry, you'll get well soon." Hayden said and assured her. Seeing her in pain, he wished that he would be the one suffering such misery, not her. But it had already happened, and there was nothing he could do about it. At least until he found her tormentors. 

"Get some rest, goodnight." As he watched her take the painkillers, he stood up and wished her a goodnight. He didn't forget to clean the table and leave with the leftovers on the trolley. Ayla marvelled at how thoughtful he was.

"Goodnight." She muttered as she lay on bed. 

Before she could sleep, her phone suddenly rang.

"Hi." Ayla said groggily. The medicines were already beginning to have an effect on her. 

"Hi Ayla, where have you been? I've called you several times, but you never picked up." The moment Shay heard her voice, he began to complain. 

"I'm sorry, an emergency cropped up at home, and I had to rush over. " Ayla felt apologetic for not telling his friend where she was. She had no choice but to lie. After all, how could she explain it? Should she tell him that she was sick and that after rushing her to the hospital, a professor at their campus offered to host her? A male professor at that? Of course not! She didn't want to be misunderstood. Moreover, she knew that if such news broke out, the professor would lose his job. She would never wish for that to happen.

"Is everything okay at home?" Shay asked in worry after he heard her explanation.

"Yeah, all is well now." Ayla looked at her bandaged hands before she answered. 

As they were conversing on the phone, the door to the room she was staying in was pushed open from the outside.

"Oh, I almost forgot, have this before going to bed; " Hayden said as he entered the room.

"Jesus Christ, Ayla, who's that? Why does his voice sound familiar?" Shay exclaimed on the phone the moment he heard Hayden's voice.