(Not) The Billionaire’s Replacement Bride

Ariana wasn’t surprised to find out that the person knocking on the door was Gerald. She tried to act normally. When she asked him to use the bathroom quickly, he instead sat casually on the bed without saying much. Consequently, Ariana grabbed her clothes from the wardrobe and went back into the bathroom to change.

After dressing, Ariana sat down on the toilet. Her stomach suddenly felt queasy and painful, and her head throbbed intensely. Her body started shaking uncontrollably. She leaned her head against the toilet wall, trying to take slow breaths to alleviate the sudden pain and tightness attacking her chest. She felt weak all of a sudden and couldn’t even support herself on her own feet.

She knew Gerald was out there, and he would help her if she asked. But she was reluctant to do so. The cold ceramic floor touched the soles of her feet, sending a shiver up her spine. She was still trying to keep herself conscious when she heard the bathroom door open, and Gerald walked towards her.

“Ariana?” his voice sounded like a distant hum in her ears. Ariana tried to open her eyes, but all she saw were vague shadows that then turned into darkness. And something hard hit her body.

Gerald looked at her face, which was growing paler. “Ariana?” he tried calling her name again. Her eyes briefly opened, appearing unfocused before her body slumped forward and fell into Gerald’s arms. She passed out.

“Ariana?” Gerald slapped her cheek gently. Her face was cold. “Ariana?” Gerald patted her cheek softly once more. She mumbled weakly. Gerald positioned Ariana so he could carry her properly. Her body was completely limp in his arms. He quickly descended from the second floor. Amber and several employees there looked at Ariana, their expressions filled with concern.

“What’s wrong with Ariana?” the question seemed to be voiced simultaneously from different mouths. Gerald ignored it, continuing to carry the girl out of the restaurant area.

Vivan, who was inside the car, immediately opened the door when she saw Gerald carrying Ariana. “To the nearest hospital,” she ordered. The car sped off instantly with swift movements.

Gerald brought Ariana into the emergency room. He called the attending doctor while a nurse guided him to lay Ariana down on one of the hospital beds. A young male doctor named Akara approached and examined her.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“Could you tell me what happened?” Dr. Akara requested.

Gerald himself was confused about how to explain it to the doctor. “I found her sitting in the bathroom. Her face was pale, and she seemed faint,” was all Gerald could say. The doctor examined Ariana carefully. Gerald didn’t understand what he was doing. He simply remained silent. After the examination, the doctor spoke.

“At the moment, I can conclude that the patient is experiencing IBS, or commonly known as irritable bowel syndrome. This can happen due to excessive fatigue, lifting heavy objects, stress, or irregular eating habits. For now, I will provide pain relief medication and a nutrition infusion. I will examine her further once she regains consciousness. But if she wakes up and her condition is stable, there’s nothing for you to worry about,” the doctor said again. “And there’s a possibility she’s running a fever, so someone needs to keep an eye on her.” Gerald nodded his head. Once the doctor left, Vivan and a nurse approached Ariana’s bedside.

“Saya sudah mengisi data tentang Nyonya, Boss. Selanjutnya apa Anda mau Nyonya dipindahkan ke ruang rawat inap?” she asked again. Gerald nodded vaguely. And Vivan proceeded to do everything without waiting for Gerald’s instructions.

In less than twenty minutes, Ariana had been moved to the VIP room, and a female nurse even helped her change into special patient clothes. And throughout this, Gerald never left her side.

“Go home,” he ordered Vivan. “Ask someone to bring my spare clothes.”

Vivan looked at Gerald hesitantly. But she knew that his words were a command to her. Vivan finally excused herself and asked someone to bring Gerald’s necessities as the man had requested.

Ariana still hadn’t woken up. Gerald was worried. Not because he didn’t want her to sleep, but precisely because she seemed restless in her sleep. Her forehead was constantly furrowed as if she were having a bad dream. Her body moved restlessly. And her lips kept murmuring something unclear.

And just as the doctor had said, Ariana was running a fever. She kept whimpering in her sleep, even louder than when she was in the apartment two nights before. What was happening to her? What kind of nightmare was haunting her? Could Gerald step inside her dream and drive away all the nightmares? Of course, he couldn’t do that. All he could do now was hold her hand, gently stroke her forehead and cheeks, and occasionally whisper words that were soothing and calming, like, “It’s okay, I’m here.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll stay with you.” And other phrases that even Gerald himself wasn’t aware of came out of his mouth.

Ariana felt her body was so tired and in pain. It felt like she had been running far, far away. She felt her body was wet with sweat. Ariana opened her eyes and saw a white ceiling above her head. Where was this? she wondered silently. It was certainly not her apartment room. Nor was it the restaurant. And definitely not Gerald’s room.

Gerald, recalling the name, flipped her memory. She had been sitting on the bathroom floor, and Gerald approached her. After that, she didn’t remember anything.

Ariana tried to move but felt something restraining her. She glanced to her left, and there was an IV pole standing there. Slowly, she lifted her left hand and saw the back of her hand covered by a square-shaped white object. Something hiding the IV needle underneath.

Then she turned to her right. She couldn’t move her hand because it was being held by Gerald, who was even using it as a pillow. Why was he here, waiting for her? Once again, Ariana wondered silently.

Ariana shifted uncomfortably. Her whole body was damp with sweat. Perhaps she had a fever and was sweating afterward. She tried to sit up, supporting her weight with her left elbow. It was a bit challenging, and her movement seemed to wake Gerald from his sleep.

The man glanced at Ariana momentarily, still partly lost in his dream world. “Love, are you awake?” his question made her furrow her brow instantly. Why did he address her with the term ‘Love’? Ariana didn’t like it. “What do you want? Water? Food?” he offered. Ariana didn’t respond.

“My clothes are wet,” she answered softly. Gerald approached and then grabbed a tissue from the nightstand, wiping the sweat off Ariana’s forehead. “Can I change my clothes?” she asked when Gerald still didn’t understand her words.

The man smiled and nodded. ‘Oh God. Don’t smile so gently and don’t be too kind to me. We’ll part ways soon. Don’t make me like you,’ Ariana thought to herself. Gerald seemed to press a button, and shortly after, a male nurse entered the room.

“Could you get a female nurse and new patient clothes?” he asked the male nurse. The nurse just nodded and then left Ariana’s room again. “Are you okay? Do you want something?” Ariana simply shook her head, and Gerald didn’t say much more.