Perplexed, she stood there until Theodore entered the room. Taking her by the hand, he guided her to his own room, saying, “This is where you'll stay from now on."

Ariana then noticed, to her surprise, that all her belongings had been neatly arranged in his room, even her cherished stuffed toys. Moreover Theodore had thoughtfully prepared everything she might need, from seasonal clothes to a personalized study desk. The meticulous attention to detail made it evident that he had been planning this for quite some time.

As the realization of her special place in his life dawned on her, warmth and joy overflowed in Ariana's heart. Emotions swirling within her like a tempest, Ariana found herself irresistibly drawn to Theodore. In a moment of spontaneity, she grasped his collar and planted a tender kiss upon his Lips, brimming with affection.

Though she initially intended to pull away from him after the sweet exchange of affection, Ariana found herself buried in Theodore's warm embrace. The kiss deepened, and she couldn't resist tightening her grip on his collar, surrendering to the intoxicating sensations that enveloped her. A soft, involuntary moan escaped her Lips as she felt Theodore's hands delicately caress her waist.

Yet, amidst the ardor of their embrace, Theodore's keen perception detected a shift in the atmosphere. Responding instinctively, he gently disengaged from the kiss, gazing into Ariana's flushed countenance, her skin warm to the touch. A trickle of blood escaped from her nose.

The sight of Ariana's face smeared with blood struck terror into Theodore's heart. Without wasting a moment, he delicately lifted her onto the bed and applied a healing potion he kept on hand for emergencies. Witnessing the potion seep into Ariana's system, his heart palpitated in dread.

He had always kept this potion close at hand, bracing for the possibility of her sudden sickness. The fact that this hypothetical situation had now manifested was both a shock and a heartrending reality.

Ariana battled a persistent nosebleed and a torrent of emotions. An intense urge to lash out welled up within her, but she managed to suppress it, gripping Theodore's hand as a lifeline.

Soon, she was shaking uncontrollably, her words morphing into a disordered mix of references to their children and desperate pleas for help. Throughout this disorienting ordeal, one constant remained-her frequent calling out for Theodore.

“I'm here, I'm right here," he murmured, cradling her close, his body echoing her tremors.

Even with Theodore's soothing presence, a profound sadness consumed Ariana. In her distress, she bit her Lip hard enough to draw blood and scratched her arms, leaving behind angry, red welts.

Alarmed, Theodore quickly caught her hand, placing a gentle kiss upon it to deter further self-inflicted harm.

Fortuitously, the healing potion worked its magic promptly, and Ariana finally found calm, cocooned in Theodore's steadfast reassurance, and drifted into a deep, restful sleep.

As he held her close, gently stroking her forehead and eyes, a cold sweat ran down his back. This harrowing episode served as a harsh wake-up call for him.

Theodore resolved firmly that their unborn children would not be allowed to continue their growth-even if it meant Ariana would resent him, he was prepared to bear the brunt of her anger.

Come morning, Ariana awoke refreshed. Her hand instinctively reached out, finding Theodore's side of the bed empty.

With a sleepy yawn, she touched her lips, the memory of last night's illness was fuzzy, but Theodore's tender kiss lingered clearly in her mind.

A wave of worry washed over her as she laid a hand on her belly, contemplating the possible effects of her illness on the baby.

Shaking away these troubling thoughts, Ariana decided to look for Theodore. Despite an exhaustive search, he was nowhere to be found.

At that moment, Judy entered the room and noticed Ariana's perplexed expression.