Chapter 18 Running A Fever

• It was still pouring outside the window, the rain hitting the glass incessantly. From the window on the second floor, Raphael could see Elena getting into the car. The car sped off in the rain, splashing water in its wake.
• Behind him, his butler's voice rang out. “Levon has already sent Ms. Truman away, Mr. Gardner.”
• Raphael dropped the corner of the curtain in his hand, his expression as calm as ever.
• However, the voice from the phone call echoed in his ears and lingered in his mind.
• “It's time to take your meds, Mr. Gardner.” His butler carried a glass of water in hand.
• Gathering his wits around him, Raphael sensed something strange about things after he had calmed down. He frowned. “Have Levon come and see me when he's back.”
• After we broke up seven years ago, she eloped with some other man, went abroad, and had children. How much more secrets does she have, unbeknownst to me?
• He was determined to get to the bottom of everything about her.
• Upon returning home, Elena went to bed without even washing up. After sneezing several times in a row, she sensed her body slowly heating up. Her profession as a doctor told her that she was likely running a fever, but she really didn't have the strength to get out of bed.
• In a trance-like state, she couldn't even tell who was speaking in her ear.
• All she heard was a juvenile voice. “Mommy—”
• “Shh! Mommy is running a fever, Sevyn.”
• “Oh, no! What should we do, then?”
• “I'll give Isaac a call and ask him what meds to buy.”
• “It's raining outside. I'll go with you, Hex. Let me go and change my shoes.”
• Hendrix said nothing to that.
• Night had fallen, and it remained drizzling everywhere.
• In a pharmacy by the street, the two children went to the counter to pay after selecting the fever medicine they wanted to buy.
• Sevyn wore red rain boots and had her hair tied up in two buns on her head, looking incredibly adorable. Tilting her head, she said to the cashier, “Miss, we'd like these two medicines, please.”
• The instant the cashier heard the word “miss,” she was over the moon. At the sight of the two children, she almost melted into a puddle. Oh my God, how cute! “It's fifty-six bucks and sixty cents. Where are your parents?”
• She cast her eyes behind the two children, but she didn't see any accompanying adult.
• Hendrix had his head lowered, rummaging in his schoolbag for his wallet. Meanwhile, Sevyn was sprawled on the counter, chattering away. “Mommy is running a fever, so Hex and I came out to buy her meds.”
• Hendrix wanted to stop her, but it was already too late.
• Sure enough, the cashier promptly took the two boxes of medicine away. “Kiddos, the pharmacy has regulations that forbid us from simply selling medicine to children. You should have an adult come and buy it instead.”
• “Huh? But Mommy is running a fever!” Sevyn was stunned, her eyes glistening with tears.
• “In that case, have your daddy come and buy it instead.”
• “We don't have—”
• “Sevyn.” Cutting her off, Hendrix pulled her away from the counter and courteously dipped his head at the cashier. “Thank you.”
• Then, he dragged her out of the pharmacy under her aggrieved gaze.
• The two of them held a small umbrella. As Hendrix walked, he cautioned his sister.
• “We'll go back to the pharmacy in a while, Sevyn. But you can't say that Mommy is running a fever. Instead, say that she's waiting for you at the side.”
• “Oh, okay then.”
• While they were conversing, a rich male voice rang out behind them. “Wait.”
• Two pairs of rain boots, one blue and the other red, stopped short on the ground. The two children turned around with the umbrella in hand.
• They were greeted by the sight of a pair of shiny leather shoes, followed by long and slender legs.
• A man slowly crouched in front of them, revealing a handsome and austere face under the black umbrella. As he scrutinized them, he held out a bag printed with the pharmacy's logo. It carried the medicine they failed to buy at the pharmacy earlier. “Your meds.”
• Sevyn's eyes lit up. Jumping for joy, she stretched out her hand. “Thank you, Mr. Handsome!”
• “Sevyn!” Hendrix tugged at his sister's arm and eyed the man in front of them with wariness written all over his face. “We don't need it.”