Valentina lay back against the pillows, her skin still slightly clammy, but the worst had passed. Or so it seemed.
She watched Raymond quietly as he moved around the room — adjusting the lighting, pouring a glass of water, checking the antique cabinet where the ancient antibiotics were kept. His movements were calm, methodical… but his face told another story entirely. Beneath the surface, she could feel it — the intensity, the storm, the worry that he wouldn't say out loud.
She managed a faint smile, her voice hoarse but steady. "Raymond… how are you going to keep a close eye on me when you have so much going on? The company… the family business… all of it. You can't be in two places at once."
Raymond turned and met her eyes. For a moment, he didn't speak. Then, he slowly stepped closer and placed the glass of water in her hand.
"You're my priority," he said quietly. "Everything else can wait."
She opened her mouth to protest, but he raised a hand.
