The Alpha's Forced Mate

An Unexpected Emergency

Two days passed quietly. Aria spent most of her time reading books in her room or checking her phone for updates from the hospital. Her father's surgery had been successful, and he was currently recovering well. She felt an immense weight lift off her shoulders, but she knew her part of the bargain was just beginning.

Around midnight, Aria was woken up by a strange, crashing sound coming from the kitchen. Heart hammering, she grabbed a heavy brass lamp from her nightstand and crept out into the dark hallway. The penthouse was completely silent, except for a low, pained groan coming from the living area.

She hurried over and gasped. Ethan was sitting on the floor, leaning against the kitchen counter. His face was deathly pale, sweat breaking out across his forehead, and his hand was tightly clutching his stomach. A broken glass lay shattered on the floor beside him.

"Ethan!" Aria cried out, dropping the lamp and rushing to his side. She knelt in front of him, her hands automatically going to his face. He was burning hot. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"It's... nothing," Ethan gasped out, his teeth clenched in agony. "Just an old stomach ulcer flare-up. It happens when I don't eat or sleep for days due to work stress. Go back to bed."

"Are you insane? You're sweating and you can barely breathe!" Aria scolded, her maternal instincts kicking in. "I am not leaving you like this."

She quickly ran to the kitchen, fetched a clean cloth soaked in cool water, and gently wiped his forehead. She then searched the cabinets until she found the specific medication he needed. Helping him sit up, she held the water glass to his lips, making sure he swallowed the pill.

Ethan leaned his head back against the cabinet, his breathing slowly stabilizing as the medicine began to work. He looked at Aria, his eyes vulnerable for the very first time. "Why are you doing this? The contract doesn't require you to be my nurse."

"The contract doesn't require me to be a heartless robot either," Aria said softly, sitting on the floor next to him, ignoring the mess. "We are living under the same roof, Ethan. We might be strangers on paper, but I won't watch a human being suffer alone in the dark."

Ethan didn't answer, but he didn't pull away when Aria gently kept the cool cloth over his forehead. For the rest of the night, she stayed right there by his side on the cold kitchen floor, ensuring he was completely stable.