“I know that. Emma was the apple of Master Adelmar’s eye, and I completely let him down,” Benjamin’s eyes filled with sorrowful regret.

“It’s good that you know that,” Waylon said as he gave Benjamin a gentle pat on the back. “Stay here with Abel for the next few days then. You may continue with your reflection when you return home.”

“Thank you, Waylon,” Benjamin nodded somberly.

Waylon said a few words to the in-house maids before bidding goodbye and leaving the room.

“Could you guys leave us for a little while? I want to spend some time alone with Emma,” Abel said out loud.

Benjamin looked like he was about to argue otherwise, but Janie held him back. “Let them have a momen alone,” she whispered to Benjamin before tugging on his arm. Reluctantly, he followed Janie out of the room. Luca, who was the last to leave, closed the door, leaving Abel in the room alone with Emma. He brought a chair close to Emma’s bed and sat down as he observed Emma’s delicate features that decorated her dainty face.

“Emma, I’m begging you. You have to overcome this… You have to get better… I’m waiting right here for you,” Abel said forlornly. “It’s our wedding anniversary in less than a month. I’m still eagerly waiting for you to be my bride officially and for us to spend the night together. The children need you too. How will they be happy without you? Em…” Abel carefully placed her tiny lifeless hand in his. He would have thought that she was dead if not for her body warmth and the softness of her skin.

“Ugh….” Abel moaned as pain shot through his abdomen and a wave of nausea hit him. He put down Emma’s hand gently and rushed to the bathroom to throw up again. As he expected, he was vomiting more blood than bile.

“This is not good…” Abel said to himself as he clutched his abdomen. “Abel Ryker, now that you’ve found her, you can’t let yourself crumble before she wakes up. You still have to be there for her! Hang in there, you weakling!” he scolded himself before rinsing his mouth and wiping his face with a paper towel.

Abel exited the room to find Luca patiently waiting for him outside. “Prepare some soup for me. I’m ready to eat,” he announced.

Luca jumped up from his seat rather emotionally. “Mr. Abel, you… want to eat something?” he asked to confirm.

“Yes,” Abel nodded. “I need to have energy to watch over Emma.”

“Yes, yes, you’re absolutely right, Mr. Abel!” Luca was pleasantly surprised. “It would be a disaster if Ms. Emma wakes up only to watch you pass out!”

“There’s a kitchen downstairs,” Janie added. “I could cook you some soup. You might not be used to the cuisine in this part of the world.”

“That works. I’ll join you in the kitchen. If there’s no ingredients, I can make a trip out to get some,” Benjamin offered.

The two of them took the stairs down to the first floor. Two maids gingerly rushed over to them, addressing Benjamin in their native language. “Mr. Benedict, is there anything we can help you with?” they asked politely.

“We were thinking of using the kitchen. Are there any ingredients available to make some soup?” Benjamin asked.

“Yes, yes, there is,” one of the maids confirmed.

“That’s great. Don’t worry about it, we’ll help ourselves,” Benjamin informed them.

“Oh?” the maids were clearly surprised that one of the Adelmars was personally going into the kitchen. “Well, then, let us know if you need any help.”

Benjamin and Janie were surprised to find the kitchen stocked full of ingredients enough to feed at least a hundred people. It seemed like Robert and Adelmar always had their meals here after visiting Emma. Janie immediately got to work, preparing the ingredients for a hearty vegetable soup.

Half an hour later, Luca brought a bowl of piping hot soup to Abel. Abel sat up on the sofa in the lounge and frowned at the bowl. The soup looked delicious, a testament to Janie’s culinary skills, but Abel did not know how his body would react to it. However, he had to try for Emma’s sake.

Luca watched the hot steam fogging up Abel’s glasses as Abel wolfed down spoonful after spoonful of hot soup eagerly, knowing Abel was trying his best to hide the pain he was experiencing.