It had been a long time since she had seen that side of him. Most of the time, his eyes sparkled with teasing humor.

Ariana knew that Theodore had a reputation for being cold and heartless, but she also knew that this was just a facade, a carefully constructed mask that he wore to keep people at a distance. In reality, his heart was soft and vulnerable, more so than anyone else's.

But one thing about him was true—he was indeed sharp-tongued.

At the thought of this, she couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, her dimples appearing as she smoothed his hair to the side.

But as she touched his forehead, she felt a sudden surge of heat emanating from his skin.

Ariana mustered her courage and placed her palm on Theodore's forehead once again. She was taken aback by the heat radiating from his skin.

"Theodore, wake up!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with anxiety.

"You look like you have a fever or something. I'm taking you to the hospital right now!" She fumbled for her phone, eager to call an ambulance.

However, Theodore's grip on her wrist tightened, preventing her from dialing. His eyes were puffy and his voice was hoarse when he spoke.

"No, I won't go to the hospital."

Ariana was taken aback by his refusal. She couldn't understand why he was so stubborn.

"Why not? You can't just stay here like this, Theodore. You'll only make it worse."

As she tried to call an ambulance again, Theodore snatched her phone away from her.

“I'm not going to the hospital," he insisted, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I just need some rest."

Ariana had no choice but to bargain with him.

"Fine, you don't have to go to the hospital. Just let go of me and I'll get you some antipyretics."

Ariana could see the doubt in Theodore's eyes as he scrutinized her, questioning the authenticity of her words.

She bit her lip, searching for the right words to assure him.

"I'll be back soon. You can trust me."