All Novel JR
Chapter 75
0075
Chapter 0075 Chapter Hannah
I awoke with a start to the sound of rustling curtains and soft footsteps across the bedroom floor. Squinting against the morning sunlight, I pushed myself up on my elbows to see my handmaid, Ana, moving around the room. Yawning, I sat up fully and rubbed my eyes. Ana pulled open the curtains to another window, letting even more sunlight stream in.
"Good morning, Luna," she said without turning, her voice sounding more hoarse than usual. "I hope your slept="
Before she could finish, she fell into a fit of coughing. I blinked hard, taken aback by how sick she sounded.
"Are you sick, Ana?" I asked, furrowing my brow.
She turned towards me then, and I immediately noticed how pale and sickly she looked. "I'm so sorry, Luna," she said, clearing her throat. "It's just allergies."
"Allergies?" I threw the covers off of myself and swung my legs over the side of the bed, standing. As I approached, I could see the dark circles under her eyes and the pale look on her face. "You don't seem like someone who's suffering from allergies." My handmaid paused for a few moments, clearly grappling with whether to tell me the truth. Finally, her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. "I'm sick. I think it was something I ate." And then she hurried to add, But don't worry, Luna! I won't let it get in the way of my duties." With that, she turned on her heel and began making my bed.
I couldn't help but frown as I watched her work, my mind flashing back to the countless times in my past life that she had dutifully cared for me through my own bouts of debilitating illness-the severe vomiting, the dizzy spells, the emotional breakdowns. In my past life, I had treated her-and all of the servants-with nothing but cold indifference and callous disregard, too wrapped up in my own misery to pay her any empathy or kindness in return.
A pang of guilt twisted in my gut as I really looked at Ana-this woman who had devoted herself to me, who had handled the brunt of my foul moods and childish behavior without complaint for years now.
The sting of shame was sharp and visceral.
Well, not anymore. Not this time around.
"Don't be ridiculous," I said, crossing the room to take her by the elbow and guide her toward the armchair next to the fireplace. "You're in no condition to work. Sit down. I'll be right back."NôvelDrama.Org © 2024.
Ana opened her mouth to protest, but I shot her a look that promptly silenced her. Before she could try to argue further, I turned on my heel and hurried into the bathroom.
I returned moments later with a cool, damp cloth draped over one arm and a small pill bottle clutched in my other hand, Ana was perched on the very edge of the chair, her arms folded tightly over her midsection, when I knelt in front of her. Chapter 0075
"Luna, you don't need to-" she tried again, but I simply held up my free hand to stop her.
"Enough," I murmured, reaching up to gently dab the cloth along her neck, which instantly seemed to give her some relief. "You've taken care of me more times than I can count over the years. I'd like to start returning the favor."
A delicate pink color tinged Ana's pale cheeks as she averted her gaze, seeming almost.... ashamed? I said nothing, simply continuing to tend to her in silence as I smoothed the damp cloth across her clammy forehead and flushed face. Only once some of the sickly pallor had faded from her complexion did I uncap the pill bottle.
"Take these," I instructed, tipping two pills into the palm of her hand and holding out a glass of water toward her. "They'll lower your fever and settle your stomach."
For several long moments, Ana simply stared down at the pills resting in her hand, her expression utterly baffled. Then, finally, she swallowed the pills with a gulp of water and leaned back in the chair.