Her eyes welled up with unshed tears, her gaze cloudy and desolate.

Mitchel was right; she couldn't bear this burden alone. At that instant, she yearned for Theodore's presence more than ever; she needed him to shoulder this weight as the father of their children.

A knock interrupted her thoughts. Hastily wiping her tears, she instinctively hid the report beneath her blanket and said, "Come in."

Ariana anticipated a nurse or perhaps Horace. So, when a familiar figure appeared, she was genuinely surprised.

It was Theodore.

She stared at him in surprise.

It wasn't his presence that startled her, but rather the fact that Theodore did not break in without her permission. He usually would employ a courtesy knock before entering. This time, however, he waited patiently outside, demonstrating an unusual level of respect for her response.

The sight of Theodore made Ariana feel a sudden discomfort. Instinctively, she held onto her blanket a little tighter, her emotions swirling as she met his gaze.

Their exchanges had been cold, with their argument still hanging in the air. But after experiencing such danger and being rescued by Theodore like a personal savior, how could she remain unaffected?

Suddenly, Ariana was unsure of how to face this man standing before her.

She averted her gaze, evading his eyes, and whispered, "Horace mentioned you were busy."

“Uh-huh,” Theodore responded with a muffled hum, moving towards her, "Horace mentioned you were looking for me?"

Ariana didn't answer immediately, which made him slightly uneasy. He paused, his hand balling into a fist behind his back.

Did Horace get it wrong? Did she not wish to see him?

This possibility made his heart heavy.

Just as he began to think she'd deny his claim, a faint "uh-huh" filled his ears.

The sound was subtle, yet unmistakably clear.

Theodore immediately loosened his tight grip, heaved a sigh of relief, and, with a heart lightened, continued his approach.

Drawing nearer, he caught sight of the remnants of dried tears on Ariana's face.

His relief was swiftly replaced with concern. His hand instinctively cradled her face, his voice a shade colder, "Why have you been shedding tears? Who hurt you?"