Chapter 70/Burning Jealousy

Chapter 70: 70/Burning Jealousy

Chapter 70

Stephanie’s point of view

I didn’t answer. The image of his bare chest and that kiss from moments ago was still burning my retinas; I couldn’t bear to hear his voice or respond to him.

Alexander brought the pillows, panting from extreme anxiety. "Here are the pillows. What do I do now?"

I gestured toward him. "Lift his feet gently."

Alexander lifted the Grandfather’s feet, and I placed the pillows under them to raise the level of the legs above the heart. I said to him in an instructional tone: "Place his feet down softly now... this will help the blood flow toward the brain."

Alexander placed them with extreme care. Then, I tilted the Grandfather’s head slightly backward to secure the airway properly. "This way, his breathing will stay stable and regular until Doctor Maurice arrives," I followed up.

"Stephanie... how do you know all these procedures?" Alexander asked in genuine amazement, watching my precise, studied movements. "I didn’t know you had a medical background."

"I took an intensive first aid course before," I answered, wiping the beads of sweat that had gathered on my forehead. "I didn’t think I would need it here. Now, please bring me a clean cloth and cold water."

Alexander asked the maid standing at the door for help, and she brought them in seconds. At that moment, Isabella entered the room with features she tried to make look worried, saying with weak acting: "Oh my God! What happened to Mr. Victor?"

"He lost consciousness suddenly," Cedric answered in a low, strained voice, without looking at her.

Meanwhile, I was wetting the cloth with cold water, passing it very gently over the Grandfather’s face, forehead, and hair. Then I leaned close to his ear and spoke in a voice full of plea and tears: "Grandfather... Mr. Victor... can you hear me? Please, wake up for us."

Grandfather Victor began to regain consciousness very slowly. I saw his eyelids flutter heavily, as if resisting a mountain of exhaustion, but his tongue was still unable to utter a single word. He settled for vacant stares, trying to process the faces surrounding him. Alexander leaned toward him with a longing and concern I had never seen in him before, saying in a wavering voice: "Grandfather... can you hear me? Do you know who I am?" In that moment, the front doorbell rang loudly, snapping the taut thread of tension. Cedric spoke as he headed toward the entrance with wide strides: "That must be Doctor Maurice. He arrived right on time."

Doctor Maurice entered and immediately began examining my grandfather with utmost precision, using his instruments as he asked without lifting his eyes from the patient: "Tell me, how long has he been in this state?"

"Approximately thirty minutes," I answered with calm steadiness. "His breathing remained stable and regular. He showed no signs of excessive sweating, and he didn’t suffer from any muscle spasms or involuntary movements."

The doctor nodded in satisfaction at the accuracy of my observation. "Fine," he said curtly, gesturing toward the exit. "Everyone out now. I need some quiet to perform more precise examinations."

We all stepped out into the outer hallway, and a heavy, desolate silence prevailed, broken only by the sound of Alexander and Cedric’s footsteps as they paced back and forth, anxiety clawing fiercely at their features. Looking at Cedric at that particular moment stirred a violent storm of tension and loathing deep within me; the image of his bare chest and Isabella in his arms was still branded in my memory like a painful tattoo. I tried to ignore him completely and turned toward Alexander, placing my hand gently on his shoulder to comfort him. "Calm down, Alex... he’ll be fine. Your grandfather is a strong man."

He looked at me with eyes full of fear and answered in a broken voice: "I’m truly worried about him, Steph... he’s all we have left."

"There’s no need for all this panic," I said, trying to reassure him with a pale smile. "It’s likely just a simple fainting spell resulting from a sudden drop in blood pressure. The first aid was enough to stabilize him."

Suddenly, in a move I didn’t expect, Alexander pulled me toward him and embraced me with a sudden force, as if he were drowning and drawing the breath of life from me. "Thank you, Steph," he said in an audible whisper. "If it weren’t for your presence and your quick thinking, I don’t know what would have happened."

I patted his back gently, conflicting emotions surging through my being; I could feel Cedric’s cold gaze watching us from afar. "I did nothing but my duty," I whispered back. "Anyone in my place would have done the same."

At that moment, Cedric’s sharp, forced throat-clearing rang out, and his voice emerged with a clear note of annoyance that no ear could miss: "Alexander, come here... it seems the doctor has finished the exam. Stop wasting time."

Alexander stepped away from me and looked at the closed office door, then asked in surprise: "But the door hasn’t opened yet. How do you know he’s finished his examination?"

As if fate wanted to embarrass him, the door opened that very second. Doctor Maurice stepped out, wiping his glasses. "You may come in now," he said. "Help your grandfather up gently. He has regained full consciousness and is doing well."

Cedric and Alexander rushed inside eagerly, supporting their grandfather, who was trying to stand up with great weakness, until they seated him on the lush sofa. "Grandfather, do you feel any pain?" Cedric asked with genuine fear. "You nearly killed us with worry."

"Truly, Grandfather," Alexander added, holding his hand. "Our hearts stopped beating for fear of losing you!"

Mr. Victor replied in a weak voice and with shallow breath, trying to reassure them with a faint smile: "I’m fine... don’t worry. Just a passing spell."

I approached them and said with a calm smile: "Thank God for your safety, Grandfather. You really gave us a scare."

"Dear Grandfather, those were terrifying moments," Isabella said, standing behind Cedric, trying to assert her presence. "It’s good that you’ve returned to us safely."

The doctor commented as he gathered his medical bag and prepared to leave: "It’s nothing serious a transient drop in pressure due to exhaustion. He just needs to rest completely in the coming days." Then he turned to me with a clear look of appreciation: "Well done, my daughter. Your first aid was perfect and allowed him to wake up and regain his balance in record time."

Grandfather looked at me with deep gratitude and said weakly: "Thank you, Stephanie... if it weren’t for your wit, things might have taken a turn for the worse."

"It was my duty, Grandfather. Your safety is what matters most," I replied, lowering my gaze in modesty and respect.

When the doctor moved to leave, I said quickly to escape Cedric’s gaze: "I’ll see you to the front door, Doctor."

I followed the doctor outside. As soon as the door closed behind him and I took a sigh of relief, I felt a hand as strong as steel grip my arm and pull me violently behind the side wall of the corridor. My eyes met Cedric’s, which were burning with the fires of anger and jealousy.

"What are you doing? Have you gone mad?" I said, trying desperately to pry my hand loose. "Let go of me this instant!"

He tightened his grip and cornered me with his massive body against the wall, leaning toward me and saying with a hiss like that of a snake: "Don’t you dare embrace him in front of me again! Do you hear me?"