Cold War between Mr. and Mrs Vaughn: He Regretted when Divorce-Chapter 134: Victoria Takes Care of the Sick Eugene Vaughn
Victoria Sinclair rushed into the room and saw Eugene Vaughn lying motionless on the bed under the covers.
She approached him, panting, and saw his pale and haggard face covered in a fine sheen of cold sweat on his forehead.
"Eugene?" Victoria was worried sick, her hands trembling as she slowly touched his forehead.
The scorching heat spread through her palm, reaching her very heart, gripping it painfully, her breath coming in light gasps, "Eugene, you have a serious fever, wake up..."
Eugene furrowed his brows, his weary eyelids raised slightly before closing again, a faint smile appearing on his lips as he murmured weakly, "Why do you never leave my dreams?"
Victoria’s heart skipped a beat, she immediately withdrew her hand and frantically searched for fever medicine.
She pulled open the nightstand drawer.
A bottle of sleeping pills came into view.
She froze abruptly, her heart gripped tightly by an unseen hand, her fingertips trembling slightly as she picked up the bottle and unscrewed the lid.
There was only half a bottle left.
At that moment, her heart was pricked like needles, waves of piercing pain, tears quietly appeared, slowly rolling down her cheeks.
She put down the pills, closed the drawer, left the room, and found the medicine box in the living room drawer.
She took out fever-reducing medicine and cold medicine, poured a glass of warm water, and went back into the room.
"Eugene, take the fever medicine first." Victoria put down the glass of water, sat on the edge of the bed, reached an arm behind his neck, and tried her best to help him sit up.
Eugene was in a feverish daze, half-conscious, unable to lift his eyelids, leaning weakly on Victoria’s shoulder.
Victoria placed the fever medicine into his mouth, picked up the glass of water, and brought it to his dry, pale lips, "Eugene, drink water, swallow the medicine."
Eugene vaguely heard the haunting voice, his lips moved slightly, slowly taking a sip of water, swallowing the medicine.
Victoria set down the glass with a backwards motion, carefully laying Eugene back down.
In the instant he lay down, Victoria’s hand was pulled down with him, her whole body pressed against Eugene.
Eugene wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her in his arms, his face buried directly in her soft, ample chest, mumbling in a daze, "Victoria, Victoria..."
Victoria was held immobile, her heart pounding erratically, and her body gradually heating up from his feverish warmth.
At this moment, the phone on the table lit up without vibrating or making a sound.
Victoria glanced back, realizing it was set to silent.
She picked up the phone, connected the call, and put it to her ear.
"President Vaughn, are you okay?" Assistant Palmer’s voice was urgent.
Victoria forcefully pulled away Eugene’s hand, "Your boss is feverish and unclear-headed, and his phone was set to silent."
"Do you need to call an ambulance?"
Victoria tilted her head and looked at him. Considering his status, having an ambulance take him to the hospital for a common cold, if the media were to capture it, you wouldn’t know what they would report.
After much consideration, Victoria declined, "Not for now, he’s still conscious, I just gave him fever medicine."
"Thank you for taking care of President Vaughn, Miss Sinclair."
"Okay." Victoria responded.
After hanging up, she immediately ran to the bathroom, wrung out a warm, wet towel, and wiped the cold sweat off his forehead.
She pulled back Eugene’s quilt and found his clothes underneath soaked, his body slightly trembling, gasping, and tugging at the quilt, "So cold."
The weak and helpless voice hit Victoria’s heart directly, leaving her sour and saddened.
She put down the towel, lay in his arms, holding him tightly, her face buried in his fiery chest, tears welling up in her eyes.
Eugene turned slightly, pulling her into a hug.
Victoria was pulled onto the large bed with him, the quilt covering both of them.
He was like a furnace at this moment, even his breath was scorching.
Victoria struggled to push his hand away, "Eugene, let me get up, I need to wipe you down and make porridge for you to eat after the fever subsides, then take some cold medicine."
Eugene, in a dazed sleep, tightened his arms inch by inch, as if afraid she would escape.
"Eugene," Victoria called out to him several times.
He still didn’t respond.
Unable to escape his embrace, Victoria temporarily acted as his warm stove.
About 15 minutes later, the fever-reducing medicine took effect.
As Eugene’s fever gradually subsided and his body temperature returned to normal, he found the quilt too hot, kicked it off with his long legs, released Victoria, and turned to lie flat.
Victoria rose from his embrace.
She replaced it with a thin quilt and then left the room to cook millet porridge in the kitchen.
Once the porridge was ready, she carefully carried a small bowl of millet porridge into the room.
She placed the bowl on the nightstand, reached out to touch Eugene’s forehead, seriously feeling his temperature.
His body temperature clearly had dropped.
The heavy stone of worry in Victoria’s heart finally eased.
Eugene’s eyelids gently lifted, his gaze fixated on Victoria.
At that moment, his Adam’s apple bobbed nervously as he pursed his lips, his pupils trembling slightly, as if confused between dream and reality.
The moment her hand left his forehead, her wrist was suddenly grabbed by him.
Victoria was taken aback, "Awake?"
Eugene’s gaze was fiery and intense, his voice hoarse, carrying a hint of uncertainty, "Victoria...is it really you? Or am I dreaming again?"
Victoria’s heart trembled, her eyes warmed slightly, her voice tender, "It’s me, Eugene. You had a fever. I just gave you fever medicine. Are you feeling any better now?"
Eugene did not respond immediately; he slowly lifted his hand, his fingertips gently touching her cheek as if confirming her warmth.
His gaze gradually shifted from confusion to clarity, a weary smile tugging at the corner of his mouth, "So...it’s not a dream."
Victoria held his hand, gently lowering it, "It’s not a dream. Assistant Palmer said you were sick, locked up at home all day without answering his calls. He knows I have the code to your house and asked me to check on you. I made porridge, you should eat a little, and then take some cold medicine."
Eugene’s deep gaze remained locked on her, as if afraid she would vanish if he blinked, using his arms to prop himself up into a sitting position against the bed’s headboard.
Victoria brought over the millet porridge, picked up a spoon, and stirred it lightly, offering it to him, "It’s not hot anymore, eat."
Eugene raised his hand weakly.
Seeing him like this, Victoria’s heart ached uncontrollably; even a heart of iron would struggle to remain indifferent.
"Let me feed you." Victoria’s tone was soft.
Eugene slowly lowered his hand, his pale lips pressed together, a faint smile forced on his face, though his eyes reddened.
Victoria sat at the edge of his bed, scooped up the porridge, habitually blowing on it gently, and offered it tenderly to his lips.
Eugene’s warm gaze stared straight at her, opening his mouth to accept the porridge she offered.
"Is it too hot?" Victoria’s voice was especially gentle.
Eugene swallowed the porridge, his Adam’s apple moving, "Just right."
Victoria scooped another spoonful, blew on it, and offered it to his mouth.
She fed him with great care, and he ate with the same seriousness.
Victoria dared not meet his intense gaze directly, quietly feeding him the whole bowl of millet porridge.
She put down the bowl, picked up the prepared cold medicine and warm water, and handed them to Eugene Vaughn, "Take the cold medicine."
Eugene didn’t take the medicine from her hand. He lowered his head, placed his lips on her palm, and took the medicine in his mouth.
The moment his lips touched her palm, it was like an electric current ran through her whole body. Her fingertips trembled slightly, her heart raced, and her breath was chaotic.
With the medicine in his mouth, Eugene looked up at the water cup in her other hand.
Victoria Sinclair quickly reacted and hastily brought the cup to his lips.
He took a sip and swallowed the medicine.
Victoria gently gathered her fingers, feeling the warmth in her palm where Eugene had touched, then put down the cup and stood up, "You lie down and rest, I..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Eugene suddenly reached out, grasped her wrist, and his faint voice was filled with tension, "Don’t go."
Victoria turned her head and met Eugene’s deep, affectionate gaze, making her heart heavy.
"I’ll wash the bowl," Victoria pointed to the bowl on the table.
He replied hoarsely, "No need to wash it, just leave it there."
Victoria felt a pang in her heart.
She knew Eugene was a neat freak and usually couldn’t stand having anything dirty in his room, let alone a dirty bowl from eating.
Was he afraid that if she left his sight, she would disappear?
"Okay." Victoria sat down on the edge of his bed and adjusted the quilt, "You lie down and rest."
Eugene shook his head, "I sweated a lot, I want to take a shower."
"You’re having a fever and a cold, you’re too weak to take a bath now."
Eugene closed his eyes and muttered softly, "Uncomfortable."
Victoria thought for a moment, feeling slightly embarrassed, "I’ll wipe your body for you."
Eugene nodded.
Victoria got up and went into the bathroom.
Eugene’s gaze followed her figure. He exhaled lightly, leaning his head against the headboard, his demeanor heavy and gloomy.
After a while, Victoria returned with a basin of hot water and placed it on the floor beside the bed.
Eugene sat up, starting to take off his loungewear.
Seeing him weak and feeble, Victoria knelt on the bed and reached out to help him undress.
Victoria placed the dirty clothes on the floor, wrung out a wet towel from the basin, and looked up at his exposed, muscular chest. Her cheeks inexplicably heated up, and she didn’t know where to place her gaze.
She lowered her eyes, swallowed, kneeled on the bed, and started wiping from his neck downwards.
Eugene closed his eyes, took a deep breath, his Adam’s apple moved up and down.
Her fingers inadvertently touched his skin, making his body tense all the more, frozen in place, with a dry mouth that constantly made him want to swallow.
She washed the towel several times, wiping his back and then his chest.
Eugene clenched his fists, slightly parted his lips to breathe, opened his eyes, and stared at Victoria’s flushed cheeks, feeling the heat rising within him.
Victoria knew he was watching her.
Her heart was in turmoil, yet she feigned calmness, her ears hot, and she was sure her cheeks were bright red.
Eugene murmured, "Victoria, you’re blushing."
Victoria’s hand stiffened, she abruptly pulled away, squatted at the basin, washing the towel, and sheepishly spoke, "The room is a bit hot, stuffy."
"I also want to change my pants," Eugene softly requested, "Can you help me wipe down there?"
Victoria’s breath hitched. She wrung out the towel and stood up, immediately feeling awkward as she looked at him.
His gaze was sincere and earnest, without a hint of teasing.
Was it really because he felt unclean, or was it to make her embarrassed on purpose?
"It’s okay if you’re unwilling," Eugene’s voice turned hoarse, reaching for Victoria, "I’ll do it myself, you go grab me a pair of pajamas."
Victoria took a deep breath, "I’ll help you."
"Okay, thank you." Eugene smiled gently, bracing himself, he slowly lay back down, pulling his waistband.
Feeling overwhelmingly shy, Victoria quickly picked up the basin and went into the bathroom to change the water.
When she came back, he was only left wearing a very short pair of underpants.
His muscular, well-defined physique was downright enticing.
Her face turned crimson, she took a deep breath, unsure where to focus her gaze.
She hurriedly set the basin down and pulled the quilt over him, "Cover up, don’t catch a cold."
Eugene turned his head, looking at her blushing face, his voice weak but incredibly gentle, "I once wiped your body and changed your clothes when you were drunk, never thought today you would be the one helping me."
Hearing this, Victoria’s cheeks flushed even more.
She wrung out the warm, wet towel, starting from Eugene’s calves and working upwards. The higher she went, the more cautious her movements became, her eyes darted elsewhere.
Eugene looked down at her expression, gently smiling, "We’ve slept together a few times already, still shy?"
Victoria’s heartbeat accelerated, her cheeks felt like they were being roasted, and even her breathing turned rapid.
She kept her head down, eyes evading, feigning calmness, "Not shy."
"Then help me wipe..."
"Eugene," Victoria bashfully protested, face red and ears burning, "Don’t go too far."
"I’m a patient." Eugene’s eyes curved with a hint of amusement, his tone soft, "Don’t be mean to me."
In Victoria’s ears, his tone sounded ordinary, yet it carried an undertone of coyness.
"I fed you medicine, cooked porridge, helped wipe your body, I’ve already done my utmost for you, don’t push your luck." She spoke calmly, trying to hide her inner turmoil.
"So, why did you come to take care of me?" Eugene’s tone turned heavy, his gaze full of expectation.
Victoria’s body stiffened, she dove into thought.
Indeed!
Why did she come?
She had clearly established boundaries, didn’t even want to remain friends, she even said such ruthless words.
Yet upon hearing he might get into trouble, her mind went blank and she hurried over to take care of him.
Victoria’s heart surged with complicated emotions. Those deliberately built defenses seemed to collapse instantly under his weak gaze.
She dared not look up at him, fearing her eyes would betray the secret in her heart.
She placed the towel on the bedside table, "Remember to take another dose in four hours, I’m heading back now..."
Just as she was about to leave the bed, Eugene suddenly got up, wrapping his arms around her waist, locking her tightly in his embrace, pressing his face to her chest, his voice quivering with panic, "Victoria, I won’t ask anymore, don’t go! Please don’t go!"
His sudden hug caught Victoria off guard, her body slightly tensed, her heart pounding.
She could feel Eugene’s hot body temperature through the thin fabric against her own body.
His breathing was rapid and heavy, as if suppressing something urgently.
She wanted to push him away, but her heart softened, allowing him to hold her tightly. She softly murmured, "I’m not leaving, I’ll stay here with you."
Eugene’s arms slowly tightened, holding her even closer. He closed his eyes, deeply inhaling the pleasant scent from her, reluctant to let go even for a moment.
