Love Unspoken

For two full days, Quinn had been sequestered within the confines of the villa, with no sign of Alexander. The relentless rain had mirrored her isolation, persisting unabated throughout the duration of her confinement. As the weekend twilight fell, Alexander returned to find Quinn still ensconced in her corner, her body curled into itself, immobile. His gaze flickered with an unreadable emotion as he crossed the room to gather her into his arms. "Quinn?" he queried, his voice barely above a whisper.

She lay limp in his embrace, her breaths shallow and her eyelids fluttering but remaining closed. A sense of urgency seized him, prompting him to whip out his cell phone and dial Soren's number.

Despite the downpour, Soren arrived drenched, his trousers heavy with rainwater. His eyes widened in alarm as he took in the sight of Quinn in Alexander's arms.

"Alexander, what happened to Quinn?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Check on her!" Alexander commanded, his tone brooking no argument.

Startled by the urgency in Alexander's voice, Soren hastily set down his bag and began to check Quinn's pulse. His eyes fell on the bandages wrapped around her fingers, prompting him to ask, "What happened to her hand?" Alexander's silence was deafening, his intense gaze compelling Soren to lower his head and focus on his task. After a moment, Soren wiped the sweat from his brow and reported, "Alexander, Quinn has fainted from hunger. She needs liquid nourishment."

His words were measured, chosen carefully to avoid inciting Alexander's wrath. A vein pulsed ominously on Alexander's forehead as he muttered, "Stupid woman!" He had been away for a mere two days, and she had chosen to abstain from food and drink.

Soren, he asked,

hastily, "Yes... yes, shall I

"Go now!" Alexander commanded.

Soren scurried off to the kitchen, Alexander carried Quinn upstairs. Soren returned with two bottles of glucose solution for an IV, and a

it's all ready,"

a Sebastianful to cool it, and attempted to feed Quinn. But the soup merely dribbled from the corner of her mouth, her body refusing to swallow. Soren

a shadow of her former self, her body worn thin by exhaustion. It had been just a

grip on the

"Alexander?" Soren ventured.

Alexander asked, wiping the dribble of soup from Quinn's mouth with

she wakes up to feed her. The glucose from the IV should replenish her fluids," Soren