I Need Your Help

"Not to the extent." 

Rebecca replied to their query, reassuring them, but there was no way they would believe that.

"Then what is it? You don't know how worried we are when you suddenly collapse," Elric said, his voice laced with worry. He said, "I think we should have delayed the tour when we landed at Dream City."

That's right. It happened when Anton drove them around the city after they settled in the apartment assigned to the Park Hyatt team.

Anton suggested that she familiarize herself with the city; thus, he took her to the southern part of Dream City to visit the hotel, which was much farther from the apartments.

The Park Hyatt Empire is almost complete. All it needs is to decorate each floor and each suite. 

Anton introduces her to the engineers and architects. After a brief conversation, he leads her to the rooftop to watch the city from there. But then she suddenly becomes dizzy and loses consciousness.

Although it was winter in Australia, it wasn't as cold as Bern in Bellarus. It was actually warmer, so she only wore thin clothes. But strong winds suddenly blew. Her body wasn't in great shape, which is probably why she collapsed and lost consciousness.

Lina often locked her up in the cold attic so that she got sick. Although she purchased a duvet and hid it in the secret room, the older lady would suspect why she remained healthy after her effort to make her look sickly.

That's right. Every time Aleksandr Ferrero requested to meet Yelena, Lina did her makeup so that she would look pale. Later on, the cold ultimately weakens her body. 

She has access to a variety of medications that will help her stay healthy, but there will be no evidence Lina abuses her if she takes supplements to boost her immune system.

Hence, she lets Lina make her ill so she can play her role perfectly.

The only missing is the stage and the other actors. She cannot wait to show off her acting in front of Lina in the presence of Aleksandr Ferrero. 'Lina must have thought that I cannot outshine her acting.'

Rebecca was lost in thought. Unknowingly, she grinned, which stunned Anton and Elric.

"The hell! Rebecca, you are the only happy dying person I know!" Elric spat, misinterpreting Rebecca's smile.

Anton wasn't happy as well. "I guess we should lock you up here."

Rebecca looked at the two men with astonishment. The duo appeared quite adorable.

"I said I was not dying." She chuckled and shook her head, denying their assumptions.

"But why do you look sicker than the last time we saw each other?" Elric would never believe her. According to Felix, Rebecca often requests to purchase pain relievers.

Seeing the doubts on their faces, Rebecca sighed and said, "It's not severe, believe me, okay? I'm just having mineral deficiencies. I can recover after plenty of rest and stay in a warm room and a comfortable bed."

"You were saying as if we abandon you!" Elric cried.

"Yeah. You were just saying that so that we would forget this incident. But you were exposed to overwork and having less sleep," said Anton.

Elric chimed, "Yeah. Common illness like you collapsing out of the blue? And what about those pain relievers Felix has to buy frequently?"

Rebecca blushed. She gape at the duo helplessly. "That's for my dysmenorrhea, okay?"

The two fell silent. Indeed, that is uncomfortable for Rebecca. 

On the one hand, Rebecca cannot deny everything they have said but the truth.

Lina is given her daily chores even though she has her period. Hence, she can only design at night and review the documents that Elric sent. Even though Elric is the CEO of Hudson Corp., Rebecca will approve all the decisions.

This means she works day and night as she has to wake up early the following day to prepare Lina's breakfast and then take her warm bath. 

After that, she had to clean the drawing room, where Lina spent most of her free time, or invite her friends to admire the interior and the expensive furniture decorated in the manor.

She worked alone, moving the furniture and hanging the art pieces so that the manor would resemble a royal court. 

Lina was very ambitious. If she wanted to climb higher into society, she should have married Aleksandr. However, it appears that she failed to seduce the older man. 

Lina is doing everything she can to extract a fortune from Aleksandr through her by pretending to be Yelena. Thinking all of that, Rebecca clenched her palm. But she conceals any emotion fleeting in her eyes.

"You aren't, but now that you are working with me, I won't allow you to starve and overwork." 

Anton's soothing voice snapped Rebecca out of her reveries. She didn't counter that but smiled at the guy's undying concern.

"Hey! What does that mean? Are you saying that I didn't take care of Rebecca?" Elric asked Anton. He felt like the latter was accusing him. Hence, he felt wronged.

"I didn't want her to overwork, too! But she is hard-headed about staying in Bern! I am telling her to leave that manor! I have a chateau and will give her a place to work and sleep! She doesn't need to worry about house chores!" he added.

Rebecca kneads her forehead when Anton and Elric bicker again.

"Alright, guys, that's enough. I agree to get an exclusive check-up. But let me meet Chairman Davies first. After that, I will return here for admittance and stay until I complete the tests. Is that fair now?"

Anton and Elric looked at each other. They wanted to protest when the door was pushed open, and a handsome man, wearing a white coat and a stethoscope around his neck, entered the ward.

"The two of you are so loud! Get out! Becca needs rest." He immediately scolded the two other men in the room.

"Hey, Simon, why are you here?" asked Elric with surprise. He hasn't heard of this man since he graduated from Rosetta Academy years ago.

However, Simon simply raised his brow upward, returning the query. "I'm the one who should throw that question. Hudson Corp has no business here in Dream City."

"Hey! Don't speak as if we have no chance! Just watch Rebecca seal a business deal with Chairman Davies!" said Elric proudly.

Hearing that, Simon sneered. "Did you place this responsibility on an ill woman?"

"Of course not! But this is Rebecca's idea!" 

How dare Simon accuse him? Elric felt even wronged.

Simon glared at him before he turned to Rebecca and spoke softly. "How do you feel, Becca?"

"I'm fine. It's been a while, isn't it?"

Simon smiled gently, and both Anton and Elric stupefied. 'The devil actually knew how to smile?'

Simon ignored the two men's odd look boring into his face. He took Rebecca's hand and listened to her pulse. "It's indeed a while. And as I can see, these men aren't caring for you."

"Hey, you can't accuse us without any evidence!" Elric protested.

Simon turned his head, glaring at Elric. "Your mouth is running with useless words. Scram right now."

He may be calm, but his words scream firmness.

"You…. Hmm!!" Elric had no plan not to back down, but Anton covered his mouth to stop him from making noises.

"That's enough, Elric. We all worried about Rebecca. Hence, her health is our top priority. There's no need for unnecessary quarrel."

Among them, Anton was still mature and good at reading a room. It's always nice to have him around, as Elric is reckless and complains a lot.

"Anton has a point. Unlike someone who…" Simon didn't finish his word. He chose to ignore Elric but turned to Rebecca and smiled. "Doctor Payne handed me your case. Hence, from here on, I will be your official doctor."

"Okay." She nodded in agreement. It's best to have someone she knows monitoring her health, as she has no plan to get well.

It was what was playing on her mind when Simon spoke again.

"You have no plan to let your illness become chronic, do you?" he asked. 

Rebecca did not answer. She closed her eyes and tilted her head toward the window. Seeing this, Doctor Simon glared at Elric and Anton.

The two don't want to get out. But maybe Rebecca will listen to Simon. "We'll wait outside."

Seeing how thin she was, they were already worried about her frail body, and Simon Evans was the expert who could help her the most. 

After Elric and Anton left the ward, Simon sat in a nearby chair. Dotingly smiling, he held Rebecca's hand once again. "You can tell me everything now."

Rebecca smiled awkwardly. She pulled her hand and slid inside the blanket. "Don't worry, I'm fine," she assured him.

"No, you aren't. Good thing that you are here so I can treat you."

"It's alright, Simon. I know I need treatment. But this is my choice."

Simon was shocked to hear that. "You're joking, Becca, and it's not your character to do this."

Rebecca smiled meaningfully. "It is, Simon."

"Damn it, Rebecca! Can you forget thinking of your revenge? Why don't you stop here and live for yourself rather than the past?"

"You're right. All of my effort, to the point of intentionally making myself sick, has been gone in vain." Rebecca sighed regretfully. "Aleckin divorced me the other day."

"What were you thinking, then? If your husband cared about you, he would have visited you long ago! Also, you knew that your uncle and his girlfriend abused you. Nevertheless, you just let them."

Rebecca pursed her lips and looked away. Of course, she knew that very well. She was a stranger to Aleckin. Hence, he would never put an effort into this marriage, even to know who he married.

Anyway, she doesn't care about him either. She accepts this marriage not because she likes Aleckin. She had her reasons.

"Simon, I appreciate your concern. But I cannot stop here." 

She waited to fall ill to get Aleksandr's pity. But before that happened, Aleckin had divorced her already.

'Lina is confident that Aleksandr Ferrero will not return from his promise of caring for Yelena Herbert until her death.'

Lina approves of the divorce, knowing that promised. But Rebecca wonders if things would still be in favor of Lina.

Because the truth is, she was only using Lina as her bridge to get close to Aleksandr Ferrero. And indeed, it's now overdue. She cannot wait to see the downfall of the Herbert and Ferrero households.

"Simon, I need your help."