My Bratty Wife
Chapter 75 - Seventy Five

Chapter 75: Chapter Seventy Five

Suzy’s steps echoed softly down the marbled hallway, her heart pounding a nervous rhythm against her ribs. In her hands, a simple white bowl held cool water and a soft linen towel, an image so foreign to her life she almost coughed.

Taking care of the sick never featured in her childhood. Growing up as an only child, she’d always been the one coddled, the recipient of care rather than the giver.

She had never had the experience of tending to a feverish sibling, a sick friend or a bedridden parent. The closest she’d come was witnessing her mother fuss over her father when he’d occasionally catch a cold.

Memories flickered in her mind – her mother’s gentle touch as she placed a cool compress on her father’s forehead, the soothing murmur of comforting words. Suzy subconsciously mimicked the action, tilting the bowl in her hand to ensure the water stayed cool.

"Maybe I should ask Mrs. Madelyn or Mary to help," she muttered to herself, her voice barely a whisper. The thought of tending to Ryan alone, especially with his fever and the lingering tension from their occasional confrontation, sent shivers down her spine.

But then a wave of stubbornness washed over her. No, she can do this. Tending to him was the least she could do, especially after his "all of a sudden fever". It would be a show of goodwill, a gesture of... duty, she corrected herself quickly.

"Good deeds, Suzy," she muttered to herself, forcing a smile. " anyone will help a sick person, wouldn’t they?" Yes, that’s why she was doing this. It had nothing to do with the way her heart clenched at the news of his fever, nor the strange flicker of protectiveness that surged through her when she knew he would have been taken care of by his ex-lover.

Her brow furrowed in thought. Eleanor’s unexpected audacity had thrown her off balance. The woman’s venomous words and thinly veiled accusations lingered in her mind, leaving a bitter taste.

"He’s my husband now," Her subconscious echoing her words from earlier. Has she gone crazy? Why did she say a thing like that? And it’s not like she meant every word she said, she just wanted to put Eleanor in her place.

She shook her head, refusing to dwell on such embarrassing thoughts. Right now, she needs to do what she has come to do - nursing Ryan back to health. His well-being was her priority, especially since he couldn’t very well care for himself in his feverish state.

Reaching his chambers, Suzy took a deep breath, steeling herself for whatever awaited her within. Knocking softly on the oak door, she waited for a response.

Silence.

Hesitantly, she pushed the door open a crack, peering into the dimly lit room. The scent of illness hung heavy in the air, a mix of sweat and something... medicinal?

A wave of surprise washed over her as she entered the room. Ryan wasn’t tucked in bed as she’d expected, but sprawled out on the plush sofa.

There, on the plush sofa, lay Ryan. His face was flushed, his usually vibrant eyes closed in sleep. A frown creased his brow, a testament to the discomfort he must be feeling. Frowning, she set the bowl and towel on a nearby table.

"Why isn’t he in bed?" she muttered to herself, a hint of concern battling with her forced indifference.

Ignoring the unwelcome emotion, she moved closer to the sofa. Reaching out, she hesitantly placed her hand against his forehead. The heat radiating from his skin confirmed her suspicions. He was definitely burning up.

His chest was rising and falling rhythmically and Suzy found herself unable to tear her gaze away. Even with a flush on his cheeks and a sheen of sweat on his brow, he was undeniably handsome.

A reluctant sigh escaped her lips. "Too bad all that beauty’s going to waste on a sick man," she muttered under her breath.

Regret gnawed at her almost immediately. Maybe coming here wasn’t such a good idea after all. She was beginning to have second thoughts.

"It’s probably just a coincidence," she muttered to herself, trying to quell the strange sense of responsibility that washed over her. "Him getting sick right after his ex-lover visits... it has nothing to do with me."

"Maybe his fever will convince him to cancel all future social engagements," she thought sarcastically, a flicker of annoyance bubbling up within her. "Like, say, with his ex-lover."

But even as the thought crossed her mind, a pang of guilt pricked at her conscience. Why did Eleanor’s interference bother her so much? It shouldn’t, shouldn’t it?

She kept her touch light as she checked his temperature, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Gently, she brushed a stray strand of hair from Ryan’s forehead.

"You owe me big time for this," she mumbled under her breath, more to herself than to him.

Suddenly, Ryan’s eyes snapped open. Startled, Suzy pulled back, but before she could move away, a strong grip clamped around her wrist.

"Duchess?" he rasped, his voice hoarse and barely a whisper.

Before she could react, he pulled her gently, tugging her onto his lap as he settled back onto the sofa. The sudden movement sent a jolt through her, and she gasped, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Hey what was that for?" She shrieked.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered, his voice husky and laced with a hint of amusement.

Suzy’s cheeks flushed a deep crimson. The close proximity, the warmth radiating from his body, it was all incredibly disorienting.

Startled by his sudden hold, She flinched, pulling her wrist free from his grasp. "I-I just came to see if you were alive or not," she stammered, blurting out a flimsy excuse she herself found stupid. "Wouldn’t want anyone to accuse me of murdering or thinking I poisoned the Duke, would we?"

Ryan’s smirk faded as he watched Suzy flinch away. Her words, laced with a forced nonchalance, hung in the air. He glanced towards the table, spotting the bowl of water and soft towel. So, she did bring something to help him. Yet, her hurried explanation and nervous energy made him question her motives.

A hint of amusement was evident in the way his lips twitched. "Dead? Poisoning?Duchess, you flatter me, sometimes I wonder how your mind works." he rasped, his voice rough with illness. "Thank goodness you decided to check on your supposedly deceased husband. The kingdom would be in quite a stir if they thought you’d done away with the Duke."

Suzy forced a laugh, the sound strained and unnatural. "Exactly!" she chimed, a little too loudly. "So, alive and kicking, I see. Excellent."

He shifted slightly, his gaze focused on her. The way she avoided eye contact and bit her lip spoke volumes. Was there more to her visit than just morbid curiosity?

"Excellent?" he drawled, his voice husky but laced with amusement. "So, my well-being is a matter of national security now?" he continued his internal monologue, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "It looks like my health has become a matter of grave importance to the Duchess."

The thought sent a spark of warmth through him, quickly doused by a wave of skepticism. He knew Suzy wasn’t known for her emotional displays. Her visit could be a simple duty call, a way to appease the court and avoid any rumors of neglect.

But then, her action caused him to raise an eyebrow.

She started to stand up, eager to put some distance between them, but he pulled her back on his laps and spoke again, his voice laced with a knowing smirk.

"Let me rephrase the question, Duchess, since you don’t want to answer the first one." he drawled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. "Why did you chase that woman away?"

"Wha..." she began, her voice trailing off.

Before she could formulate another excuse, Ryan cut in, a hint of seriousness creeping into his voice. "Let me ask again, Duchess. Why did you send Eleanor away?"

Suzy’s heart skipped a beat. Did he overhear her conversation with Eleanor? Her mind raced, searching for a plausible explanation.

"Send who away?" she feigned ignorance, her voice strained. " who’s Eleanor?"

Ryan’s amusement faded, replaced by a flicker of something she couldn’t decipher.

A low, rumbling sound emitted from him that sent shivers down her spine despite her best efforts. "Don’t play coy, Duchess," he said, his voice low and serious. "I know you’re not naive. You saw her, didn’t you? She came here right?"

Suzy’s stomach churned. There was no point in denying it. "Yes, she came here," she admitted reluctantly. " I invited her for tea because she said she wanted us to get along."

"And?" Ryan prompted, his gaze holding hers with an intensity that made her heart race.

Suzy hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. But then, remembering Eleanor’s accusations, a spark of annoyance ignited within her.

Silence gripped them both in the room.