Your Guise Is Slipping, Miss Pearl

Esther lay in the hospital bed, her breathing steady. It seemed like she was out of danger.

"James, you must be exhausted from looking after Esther. You should rest. She wouldn't want you to overexert yourself," Pearl advised, moved by James's dedicated care for Esther. "I'm alright. I managed to get an hour of sleep earlier."

"You've been here for a whole day and only slept for an hour?" Pearl sighed, concerned for James's well-being.

Before she could continue, she noticed Esther stirring. "Is Esther waking up?" she exclaimed, surprised by the sudden movement.

James, too, noticed it, feeling her hand tremble slightly in his grasp.

After a while, Esther opened her eyes.

"James..." Her voice was hoarse as tears welled up in her eyes at the sight of him, the man whom she had been missing day and night.

water from the nearby table, put a straw in it, and offered it to Esther. "Here, have some water. Your throat

water, her spirits seeming to lift with the

shifted to Pearl, her

had us worried sick. You need to take better care of yourself when you're abroad," Pearl scolded gently. But guilt gripped her at the sight of Esther's pale

won't be another time!" Pearl's

encouraged her to rest more. James shared her thoughts. He turned and said to Pearl, "You guys can go

instead. We've already rested," Pearl insisted, gesturing to Richard and herself. She then informed

his concern, Esther mustered her strength to grasp his finger gently.

James was determined to stay, shaking his head. "I can't sleep. I'd be too worried

care of yourself. If you get sick, who will look

now, she