"Don't you dare provoke me again," Arjan said to Taylah. After warning her, he left the room. Wiping away her tears, Taylah started rummaging through the cupboard, hoping to find some of her clothes.
Luckily, she found them, but none of them fit her properly. Squeezing herself into one of the dresses, she went to sleep.
An hour later, Arjan returned to his room and found her sleeping soundly.
He sat on the sofa and began reading a book. Time passed, and suddenly, he heard a whimper and mumbling. He looked up; it was already past one in the morning.
"Tsk, how irritating," he muttered, closing the book and setting it aside as he walked toward the bed. Her face was already flushed, and she was shifting restlessly, her furrowed eyebrows hinting that she was having a nightmare.
"Mom... Mo... Mom, don't leave me... I'm scared... It hurts, Mom... Dad doesn't love me... He's hitting me every day!" Tears began to flow freely from her eyes.
Hitting? He was puzzled. Dia had told him that Taylah's father only favored her and didn't care much about Dia. But here she was, mumbling that her father had hit her. He was a bit confused by her words.
He stood there silently, watching her. She continued mumbling, and her face grew even darker with distress.
"It hurts... When they hit me hard... And now... I even lost my baby." Her hand unconsciously moved to her belly, gently caressing it as she curled up into a ball.
"It hurts... When he humiliates me... It hurts, Mom... Please... Take me with you, Mom," a loud whimper escaped her, followed by a cough.
He felt uneasy. Without thinking, he sat beside her and touched her forehead. It was burning up, as hot as fire.
"She's burning up," he muttered.
Suddenly, she hugged him tightly and refused to let go. He tried to gently pull her hands away, but nothing worked.
"I'm... I'm scared...," she sobbed. He found himself unsure of what to do. He hated her, or so he thought, yet something about this moment stirred something inside him, preventing him from hating her any further.
"Hey... you're having a nightmare... Shh... go back to sleep," he said softly, unsure of how to comfort her. In truth, he didn't really know how to comfort anyone, least of all her. He gently patted her.
Her body was still burning with fever, but he paid little attention to it. Once she quieted down, he got up from the bed and tried to leave, but her hand was still gripping his shirt.
He carefully pried her hand away, yet the moment he did, he felt an emptiness in his heart. Hesitating, he lay down beside her and closed his eyes.
Soon after, he felt something heavy on his stomach. Opening his eyes, he saw it was Taylah's hand. She was sleeping soundly, so he chose not to disturb her. As he drifted off to sleep, he couldn't shake the feeling that something strange was happening within him—something he wasn't ready to face.
He fell asleep an hour later, unconsciously cuddling her. It was a new experience for him, yet he couldn't deny the odd comfort it brought.
NEXT DAY
Taylah woke up with a pounding headache. Her eyelids felt heavy, and her whole body ached as if it were on fire. She struggled to sit up, leaning against the bed and gripping the bedsheet tightly for support.
Arjan was nowhere to be found. She assumed he had already left the room and wondered if he had abandoned her in the mansion.
"My body is burning..." she murmured, resting her head back on the pillow. After a moment, she forced herself to get up. Her bare feet touched the cold floor, sending a shock through her. She tried to steady herself but stumbled and fell.
She hissed in pain as the cold breeze sent a shiver down her spine. Slowly, she pulled herself up from the floor and began to make her way toward the bathroom.
She stood under the shower, letting the water run over her burning body. Last night's events flashed before her eyes, and the words Arjan had used still pricked at her heart.
After the shower, she slipped into her casual clothes, which had already been laid out on the dressing table. She made her way downstairs, though the pain in her body caused her to stumble with every step.
When she reached the dining hall, she was surprised to see everyone already gathered—including Arjan. He was usually gone before she woke up. Maybe he was staying because his parents were present. Without saying a word, she sat down quietly at the table.
Dia's eyes landed on the purple marks on Taylah's neck, and she clenched her teeth in anger. Taylah's mother-in-law also noticed the marks, but instead of anger, she smiled subtly.
Suddenly, a wave of gloom washed over Taylah's mother-in-law. Did we make a wrong decision? Is this innocent girl suffering because of us? she thought, worry clouding her face. Despite her concerns, they began eating.
Taylah struggled with her food, feeling nauseous every time she took a bite. She didn't realize her fever was causing the discomfort, along with the chills running through her body.
"Taylah... How did you sleep? Did you rest well? After all, it's been so long since you were last here," Mr. Davier asked, chewing his food.
"Y-Yes, Dad... I slept well last night," she stammered, glancing at Arjan. But he ignored her completely, continuing to eat his breakfast without acknowledging her presence. Meanwhile, Dia stormed out of the dining hall, visibly angry.
"What's wrong with her, Ethan?" Mrs. Davier asked, displeased with Dia's behavior.
"I'm not sure, Mom. I think she's just not feeling well," Ethan replied, trying to cover for her.
"Well, make sure she learns to behave properly in front of elders. Got it?" his mother snapped. Ethan nodded in shame, not wanting the situation to continue this way.
Taylah, feeling increasingly uncomfortable, quickly washed her hands and stood up from the table.
"What's wrong, Taylah?" Mrs. Davier asked, concerned.
"It's nothing, Mom. I just feel unwell," Taylah said, stepping back as Arjan rolled his eyes, clearly thinking she was exaggerating. But before anyone could react, they heard a sudden thud. Taylah had collapsed, lying unconscious on the floor. Everyone was shocked.
Mrs. Davier rushed to her side, kneeling down and taking Taylah into her arms. "Taylah, wake up! Are you okay?" she pleaded, shaking her gently. But Taylah remained motionless. Arjan stood frozen, watching his wife lie there lifelessly.
"Why are you just standing there? Take her to the room! I'll call the doctor," Mr. Davier barked, pulling out his phone.
Reluctantly, Arjan scooped Taylah up in his arms and carried her to their room. Twenty minutes later, the doctor arrived. He examined her, but she remained unconscious. After giving her an injection, the doctor stepped out to speak with the family.
"How is she?" Mrs. Davier asked anxiously.
"She's fine, but she has a fever. It's not too severe, but her body is weak. Don't force her to do anything for a while," the doctor said in a professional tone. "I trust you understand what I mean."
The doctor prescribed some antipyretic tablets and left the mansion.
Suddenly, a hard slap landed on Arjan's cheek. He hadn't seen it coming. "Why are you acting like this, Arjan? You weren't like this before. How could you force her? She's a girl, just like any other. Treat her with respect!" Mrs. Davier stormed, her voice full of anger.
"Why are you slapping me over an outsider? I did nothing wrong!" he shouted back, frustration lacing his words.
"I'm so disappointed in you, Arjan. I wish I had never given birth to you," she said, her voice sinking with sorrow.
"You're favoring her. Why? You're treating her kindly but disapproved of Dia and me. Why?" He was struggling to express the confusion and resentment he felt inside.
Mrs. Davier's eyes filled with tears. "How filthy your thoughts are… If I were in her place, would you treat me the same way?" she asked, tears now streaming down her face.
"Mom…" he started, but his words stuck in his throat.
She turned her head and went inside, leaving Arjan seething. In frustration, he punched the wall and stormed away, leaving everyone stunned by the confrontation between mother and son.
Inside him, anger toward Taylah grew even stronger. Who is she? Why does she have his mother's favor? Why doesn't his mom like Dia? A flood of questions raced through his mind.
One hour later...
Taylah slowly woke up, feeling as though her body had gone completely numb. She let out a soft hiss of pain, which caught Arjan's attention. A disgusted expression crossed his face.
He got up from the sofa and approached her, but Taylah was oblivious to his presence. Suddenly, something hit her face hard. She looked down in shock, realizing what it was.
"You made my mom slap me. Nice move, Taylah. If you pull any stunts in front of my family again, I'll show you real hell," he warned her before leaving the room.
Taylah was left dazed by his words. She didn't understand what had happened, yet he was blaming her for it.
She scoffed to herself, feeling miserable about her situation. Just then, someone entered the room. It was Ethan.
"Hey... Taylah... How are you feeling?" he asked awkwardly.
"Thanks for your concern, Ethan. I'm not dead yet," she replied, turning her face away. His heart ached at her words.
"Hey, why are you talking like this, Taylah?" he stepped closer.
"Thanks to your wife too... If not for her, I would already be fine," she said bitterly, a tear dropping onto her knuckles. Ethan couldn't find the words to respond, feeling guilty. How pathetic she looked. His head hung low, overwhelmed by his thoughts.