Chapter 242


    After settling Jonas down, Natalia finally spoke, "Lexi, I need to run back to the mansion and check on


    Cal. You and Jonas can hang out here in my apartment for a bit, I''ll be back soon. Could you look after


    Jonas for me in the meantime?"


    "Sure, make it quick. And while you''re there, pass on my best wishes. I''ve always been curious about


    Duke Callum, who''s taken care of you all these years," Lexi responded, dismissively waving Natalia off.


    "Off you go,e back soon."


    "Sure," Natalia replied, hurrying out the door.


    Not far from the mansion, Natalia didn''t bother grabbing a taxi. To save time, she went on foot, moving


    briskly. Luckily, the distance wasn''t too great. After a while, Natalia saw the all-too-familiar mansion.


    She quickened her pace, eager to see how Cal was doing. Before long, she passed through the


    mansion''s grand entrance, making her way to the main hall.


    Rita was justing out of the mansion when she saw Natalia returning. Overjoyed, she ran over,


    shouting, "Thank God, Ms. rkson is back! It''s about time!"


    Natalia saw the visibly excited Rita, and her mood lightened a bit. "Rita, take me to Cal quickly. What


    happened to him?"


    "Sure, right away. But you must be prepared, Ms. rkson; his condition is quite serious," Rita warned,


    leading Natalia into the mansion.


    Natalia stumbled a bit at the news. Had Cal really be incurable? Her mind was a mess. If Cal


    really was at death''s door, she didn''t know what she''d do.


    The two women quickly reached Cal''s bedroom. Before they even entered, Natalia could hear the


    distressing sound of coughing. It was Cal''s voice, fractured and weak.


    Hearing the urgent coughing, Natalia immediately pushed open the door.


    The room was dimly lit, with curtains blocking out the light. A pungent smell of medicine hung in the air.


    Natalia walked over to therge bed in the room, seeing Callum''s feeble figure lying on it. His face was


    so pale it was almost transparent.


    Callum''s emaciated figure made Natalia cover her mouth in shock. She''d only been gone for three


    days. What had happened to him?


    Callum, once strong and robust, now looked skeletal. His face was sickly pale with a touch of gray, his


    eyes were sunken, and his lips were slightly purple.


    Weakly lying on the bed, he heard footsteps and opened his eyes tiredly. Upon seeing Natalia, his


    mood instantly brightened. His previously dull eyes lit up as he struggled to sit up. But after a few


    attempts, he realized he didn''t even have the strength to support himself.


    The joy in his eyes turned into disappointment. Callum reached out to Natalia, his voice raspy,


    "Buttercup, is that you? Are you really back? I''m not dreaming, am I?"


    Natalia couldn''t contain her emotions any longer. She tightly held Callum''s hand.


    Tears dropped onto the floor as she choked, "Cal, what happened to you? It''s only been three days.


    How did you get like this?"


    Callum forced a smile. "Buttercup, as long as you''re back, nothing else matters. I thought you were


    taken by Magnus and wouldn''te back."


    "Callum, I promised you I''de back, and here I am. But first, tell me what happened. Why have you


    be so weak? I just heard from Rita that you..."


    She couldn''t finish her sentence. She couldn''t ept what Rita had said. How could Cal be dying? He


    was always so strong!


    Callum knew what she wanted to ask and gave her aforting smile. "Natalia, don''t listen to Rita. I


    just... I just had a little too much to drink. It''s nothing, a few days'' rest, and I''ll be fine."


    "Cal, you don''t have to hide it from me. Look at yourself, you''re clearly seriously ill! Why aren''t you


    taking care of yourself?"


    In response to her question, Cal didn''t give a direct answer. His heart was filled with euphoria, all


    because of Natalia''s return.


    "Natalia, as long as you''re back, that''s all that matters. Really, I''m fine," Cal said, hesitantly asking, "But


    will you leave again?"


    Natalia hesitated, unsure of how to answer Cal''s question. After all, she didn''t know what the future


    held for her.


    Seeing the conflict in Natalia''s eyes, Cal imagined she couldn''t let go of Magnus. His ted expression


    froze on his face. Holding Natalia''s hand, he pleaded, "Buttercup, I know I''m being selfish, but I can''t


    live without you. Could you stay? I wouldn''t survive without you."


    His hands tightly gripped hers, as if she''d vanish if he let go. Natalia felt his hot hands like a burning


    me. "I... Cal, your hands are so hot. Look after yourself first, okay? We''ll talk about everything else


    outside, "Get Cal to the hospital, quickly!"


    Rita came in at Natalia''s call, carefully replying, "Ms. rkson, ever since you left, my master has been


    constantly drinking. And these past few days, when it was raining heavily, he justy in the courtyard


    and wouldn''t let us approach him. He wouldn''t let us take him to the hospital either. We could only


    watch as hey in the rain for two days until he passed out. Only then could we bring him back inside."


    Natalia didn''t expect such a situation. She quickly asked, "What did the doctors say?"


    Rita went on, "The doctor said the master got sick because he''s been drinking out in the rain for days.


    His body temperature''s too low, and he''s got a bit of a chest infection. He needs to take some


    medicine. But the master refuses to take his pills, and he won''t even drink his tea. It''s like he''s trying to


    torment himself to death."


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    With these words steeled in her heart, Rita quickly excused herself, fearing that she might get a


    tongueshing from Callum.


    Upon hearing this, Natalia realized that Callum was trying to wreck his health, which saddened her.