Owning Her Body

Chapter 6-2: Fever

Upon heading upstairs, my father and Uncle Demir entered at that moment.

They were well-informed about the individuals I had detained. Both of them had sources everywhere, all the time.

I embraced them both. Uncle Demir had great affection for me. He also cherished Ethan. He couldn't bear to be apart from my uncle either.

"Who are those in the warehouse? What's going on, Lucas?" My father inquired, his expression furrowed with concern.

"They caused trouble. So, I took the necessary steps," I explained.

My father understood me well, as did Uncle Demir.

"Let it be for now, but if anything else arises, I will investigate," my father cautioned.

I chuckled. "Dad, trust me just this once."

"Every time we trust you, you find trouble," Uncle Demir remarked, referring to both Ethan and me.

"Your progress brings me joy and pride."

Uncle Demir placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Lucas, we all went through youth. We made our fair share of mistakes. We remain by your side because of this awareness."

Given their immense power in the mafia world, they always had numerous adversaries.

"I understand," I replied.

There was something my father had previously mentioned to me: "If you can defeat me in the ring, that throne will be yours."

Yet, I hadn't achieved that feat. Overcoming my father wasn't an easy feat; he remained the infamous Owner of Darkness, Nicolas Morrison, who aspired for me to follow in his footsteps.

Uncle Demir withdrew his hand.

"Take care, Lucas. Your every move is being monitored," my father warned.

I agreed, yet deep down, I pondered how I could resolve this without my father's awareness.

I remained in place while my father surveyed the surroundings. Uncle Demir's next statement didn't come as a surprise.

"I heard that Dalton Thompson's son came to you last night?"

I sensed he had news. Now, I feel even more trapped. "Yes, he did."

"Did he find the girl he mentioned he was searching for?" my father inquired.

"I'm not sure. I didn't inquire. I made it clear that he couldn't barge into my place and firmly asked him to leave. He won't dare attempt that again," I replied.

My father shook his head. "Who was the girl he mentioned? Are you familiar with her?"

Or was this connected to Victoria in some way?

"I'm unsure," I responded.

Turning to Uncle Demir, he remarked, "Regardless, I have no desire to even speak the name of that disgraceful bastard," effectively closing the topic.

Otherwise, my father would have persistently interrogated me. After he left, I completed my tasks and headed back to check on Victoria.

I returned home and noticed that she was sleeping in the same position. Approaching her, I observed her curled up with her arms and legs drawn close to her body.

I frowned as I noticed her flushed face. Placing my hand on her cheek, I exclaimed, "f**k! You have a fever!"

Perplexed as to why she had suddenly developed a fever, I urgently called out, "Victoria, wake up!"

However, she remained unresponsive. Feeling at a loss, I muttered in frustration, "f**k! s**t!"

Recalling my mother's methods for treating fevers, I recalled that a warm shower or a solution of vinegar water were the usual remedies. Opting for a shower as the best course of action, I gently roused Victoria from her slumber.

"I'm cold," she murmured.

I swiftly carried her to the bathroom and undressed her. She was trembling uncontrollably, unable to even open her eyes. Noticing a wound, I carefully wrapped it with stretch film. Feeling unsure of what to do next, I turned on the warm water.

As she shivered on the brink, I heard her weakly utter, "I'm cold!"

Upon hearing this, I removed my shirt without hesitation.

Gently, I held her waist and guided her under the warm water, joining her in the shower. As the soothing water cascaded over her, she let out a cry and instinctively embraced me, burying her head against my chest. The fragrance of her hair enveloped me, compelling me to bury my nose in its softness, taking in a deep breath. Her hands found their place on my back.

"Please! I'm cold. Let me out!" she pleaded.

"You have a slight fever. Just a little longer," I informed her.

Despite her struggles, I kept her submerged for a few minutes, during which she clung tightly to me, both of us becoming thoroughly drenched.

I gently pressed my hand against her back, feeling the warmth of her bare skin.

After a brief while, I lifted her out of the water and led her to my room, wrapping a towel around her. I assisted her with dressing with the clothes of my twin sister, Esmira, yet her fever showed no sign of abating. Reluctantly, I had no option but to summon Rojin for assistance.

Rojin, the daughter of my aunt Noreen and uncle Oliver, who were both medical students, was like a sister to me. I quickly called her for help.

Victoria continued to shiver before me, her body still trembling. Thankfully, she remained conscious.

"Yes, Lucas?" she answered.

"Rojin, can you come to me? But please don't inform anyone else. Especially not Esmira!" I emphasized, leading to a brief silence on the call.

"Lucas, what's going on? Are you hurt? What's the matter? Don't keep me in suspense," she responded.

"I'm fine, but I need your help. I will contact Ethan. He will pick you up, wherever you are, alright?"

"Okay, I'll be ready."

After ending the call with Rojin, I reached out to Ethan. He initially questioned but eventually agreed to come.

Meanwhile, I rechecked Victoria's temperature, finding it unchanged. I examined her wound, realizing it looked severe with signs of infection. How had I overlooked this?

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. Opening it, I found Rojin and Ethan standing before me. As they entered and witnessed Victoria, their expressions turned puzzled.

"Who is this girl?" Rojin inquired.

I explained to Rojin why I had requested her presence without divulging Victoria's identity.

"Take a look at Victoria's wound!" I instructed.

In my words, Rojin approached Victoria without further queries, knowing better than to argue with me. While Rojin attended Victoria, Ethan pulled me away for a private conversation.

"Lucas, who is this girl? I haven't seen you for two days. What's going on?" he inquired.

Upon detailing the situation, his brows furrowed in further concern.

"Are you out of your mind? Have you lost your senses? Do you comprehend the repercussions if your father discovers this?" he demanded.

I simply shrugged off his concern. Regardless of the consequences, I was resolute in my decision. I had no intention of backing down from this resolution.

"I haven't lost my mind!"

"Are you sure you're thinking clearly? Why is that girl here? Explain yourself calmly! You're making a mistake!" he remonstrated.

"That girl will remain in my care! No matter what objections you raise, my stance will not waver! Your words are futile!" I asserted firmly.

He regarded me disapprovingly. "Are you actually listening to the words coming out of your mouth? Do you have the authority to take in the girl? If your father were to learn of this, he would never permit such a decision. Remove that girl immediately! Do you want to stir up trouble for us?"

"Yes, I do."

"This is absurd! You need to part ways with the girl at this instant! You must notify your father of the situation! Otherwise, I will inform him myself!" he insisted.

I grabbed his collar. "You will remain silent! Not a word will leave your lips! Victoria stays with me!"

He swiftly removed my hands from him and pushed me away. "You'll regret this! Are you even thinking straight? If you ever realize your mistake, you'll be banging your head against a wall! I'm telling you this because I care about you!"

"I won't regret it! Just stop!"

"Have you developed feelings for her or something? Why do you insist on keeping this girl with you?" Ethan inquired.

Glancing over at Victoria, with Rojin tending to her wound, I responded, "Feelings? Love has nothing to do with it. There are other factors at play. I've explained this to you before. Remember?"

Ethan sighed in exasperation. "Are you being foolish? I have no words for you right now, Lucas. Your actions are irrational! Won't your father comprehend if this results in trouble with this individual named David? They're still pursuing her, after all."

"Whether they understand or not, I will do as I please! Just keep out of it!" I retorted.

Placing his hand on my shoulder, Ethan implored, "This is absurd! I can't stand by and watch you head down this path alone! No matter how frustrated I am, I'll stand by your side."

I chuckled as well. "Why are you so worked up?"

"Lucas, you made a mistake, but I understand your stubbornness. Let me support you. Together, we are stronger."

I was well aware that Ethan would stand by me through thick and thin. We had vowed to be there for each other, unwaveringly.

"My father won't find out."

"It would be a miracle if they remained ignorant, but..."

"There are no 'buts,' Ethan!"

"Alright, alright! Just tell me, why is David targeting this girl? Who is she?"

"I'm not sure, but we'll uncover the truth."

"What's our plan of action?"

Numerous thoughts raced through my mind. Retribution was on the horizon. No trace of him would be left behind. We were going to right the wrongs of the past and ensure the safety of Victoria and her family.

"Don't you want to set things right from the past, Ethan? This is our chance. We'll eliminate that despicable individual, David Thompson!"