Chapter 173

Unexpectedly, Alex looked up at me. "Serena, don't go. Stay with me for a while." I nodded. "Get some rest first. I'll keep an eye on the time and wake you when it's time." He lay down on the couch, and I found a blanket to cover him. Maybe it was because he wasn't feeling well or maybe the medication was taking effect, but he fell asleep before long. I sat beside him, watching him as he slept. Gone was the sharp, calculating businessman who always had a plan. The fever had tinged his cheeks with a faint flush. At this moment, he was no longer the decisive and commanding Mr. Hastings—he was just Alex. My fingers moved involuntarily, tracing the curve of his brow. The heat from his skin seeped through my fingertips, sending a slight tremor through my heart. At some point, I must have dozed off because when I woke up, I was lying in a bed in one of the rooms. I vaguely remembered that Alex had woken up and carried me upstairs, placing me on the bed. And before he left, it seemed li