While in the car, going home, I ended up falling asleep in the car. I guess my tiredness got the better of me because I don't remember falling asleep, the most I can remember is closing my eyes for only a second.

But I do have to admit, the nap in the car made me forget about all my worries including Liam. While he was silent on the drive home.

As the car turned on a familiar road, I started to open my eyes, blinking my eyes open as I was trying to adjust to the sunlight, looking around to find that the car was pulling in the driveway. The faint sound of the gate opening and closing.

The driver puts the car into park and as soon as he does, I feel Liam's presence disappearing, as I don't look around, keeping my head against the window. His side of the door shuts as evident to the car slightly shaking.

I sigh tired and out of energy, but I try my best to wake myself up as I look around the car to see where Liam had disappeared to.

It doesn't take long as I feel someone's hand on the door handle as my car door opens, revealing Liam with my bag. He looks at me for a second before stepping aside, supposedly giving me room to step out.

As I got out, the sun shines brightly on my face as I tried my best to cover myself. Moving out of the way to let Liam shut the door, I then asked him, "How long are you going to stay here?"

I know it's slightly rude to ask that question, I know my mom scolds me for asking people when they are going to leave whenever they visit whilst I was still living with my mom. But I'm curious–And to be honest, I genuinely think he's getting out of work for this.

But he doesn't take offense to this question, as he answered, "Until I'm confident that you won't try to work until you get better"

I don't say anything in response, I wanted to say that I'm perfectly fine, but even that I don't think is true as I look up and suddenly my visions blurry, mixed with a slight ringing in my ear.

I sigh and groan, trying my best to hide this, feeling more sick and weak by the minute. The consequences of overworking myself.

Looking at Liam, he must have noticed this because he then puts his hand on my lower back, guiding me towards the front door, as he reassures me, "Don't worry Hailey. You're going to be well taken care of"

I hum at that. Liking the idea.

As we enter the house, I look over at Liam as we stop briefly at the foyer, he's admiring everything about the entrance way, as he stares in awe.

But for me, I have seen this hundreds of times, so it doesn't really change for me. It's amazing the first time I've seen it, but after some time, it gets boring.

So with that, I began to climb the stairs as I literally want to be in my bed, and wanting to stay in bed forever, a nice dream of mine but I know that reality won't allow me to do that.

Almost making it up to the top of the staircase, I heard a frantic person running up the stairs after me, I stopped and looked back as Liam was halfway up the stairs as he stop for a moment to say hello to a housekeeper passing by, before running up the stairs again, catching up to me.

Arriving at my bedroom, I sigh quietly as my perfectly made up bed is waiting for me–I can just imagine the bed talking to me, trying to convince me that I should just sleep in my clothes.

Facing the bed, I was really debating whether or not I should do it. Liam then says, "You have a really nice house" He compliments, being behind me.

To this, I don't make the move to turn around and face him, as I consider that would take much of my energy. I responded, "Thank you" I quickly said as I looked from the corner of my eye as Liam set down my bag.

I closed my eyes for a second as I thought about telling Liam that he doesn't have to stay longer than he wants to, even though I kind of do want him to stay, but I won't force his hand.

As I turned around, I suddenly get startled as me and Chopard collided into each other, with him catching me, holding me steady. I looked up at him as I was confused about what he was doing, coming behind me.

Letting go of me, his hands trace the center of my jacket, running his fingers over the bottoms as he stops at the last bottom, he briefly stops to look at me before he starts to unbutton my jacket, one by one. Taking his time.

Harshly taking a breath in, I watched silently as I don't stop him, my brain is too tired and unfocused to come up with what's going to happen next.

Finally unbuttoning the last bottom at the very top, and without taking his eyes off me, he swiftly but gently takes off my jacket, folding it in half as he throws it on the end of my bed.

Now personally, I would never let anyone throw my things, that's one of the things that I hate, even my housekeepers aren't allowed to do that.

But for Liam, I'll make an exception. Just for him. And also because I'm tired and I want to go to sleep, that's the only thing on my mind right now.

He then grabs onto my arms as he starts to move me backwards, I continue to look up at him as I trust he knows what he's doing. We both didn't say anything at that moment as I tried my best to walk back normally.

Once the back of my knees touches the bed, I gasp silently as he pushes down on my shoulders, making me sit on the bed. Now that I'm in contact with the bed, I just want to fall backwards and sleep like a baby.

Chopard kneels back to the floor, as he grabs the back of my foot, lifting it up so that he can slide my shoe off, placing it neatly next to my bedside table, he does the same with the other shoe.

Slightly leaning back on the bed, my hands holding me up, my brain starts turning again as I remembered that it's the middle of the work day and there are many things that I have to do. And of course, I have to worry about the files and everything that comes along with that.

Since I am at home right now, and Liam and Ruby have made it clear that I'm unfit to work in the office right now, maybe they were saying that I shouldn't work in the office because I might give someone my sickness.

Maybe they're saying that I can work from home. Yeah, that's it, I can just have my laptop with me and do my work, that is after a quick necessary nap though.

I nod to myself as I settle that as my plan, and as soon as I do, Liam comes into view as he stands up from the floor, he announces, "I'll be back" and with that, he turns to leave the room.

But before he steps out of the room completely, I said, "Are you giving yourself a tour of my house, or maybe you're looking for something to take?" I jokingly asked.

He turns back to face me as he answers, "Maybe", not clarifying which question he's answering, maybe both of them or just one of them. I don't know, I can't tell.

And with that, he left. I don't know where he's going, but I trust that he'll find what he's looking for.

Trust. I thought, what a funny concept, can you really trust anyone in the world?

It depends, and right now, I know that I can trust Liam right now, he has proven himself.

I lay out on the bed as I sigh as I felt my body relax for the first time in what it feels like forever. Staring up at the ceiling, I giggled as I thought of nothing but Liam as he basically pushed himself to take time out of his day to take me home and care for me.

And I'm sure Akako and Daphne would read into this whenever I get the chance to tell them.

As I settled in bed, not caring to take off my pants even though they are uncomfortable to rest in bed at the moment, my laptop stayed closed as I thought about how long I wanted to work. And after I settled on my time frame, I opened my laptop and started going.

And of course not without coughing, or sneezing, but I'll be fine.

And as soon as I started to get into my usual work zone, where I type like there's no tomorrow, I hear Liam coming back into the room with a few supplies in his hands, as I noticed the rattling noises.

I briefly stopped typing as I looked at him, lowering my eyes to see what he has in his hands, there was some medication, and a thermometer.

He got that...for me? I thought as I completely forgot you have to take something in order to feel better. I just figured that I would ride out this sickness and hope that my body would make itself feel better.

Liam eyes me as he travels his eyes move towards my laptop and my hands hovering over it, pausing mid air like I got caught doing a crime.

He stood in the doorway for a minute, just staring at me before walking towards the bed, shaking his head. He sets down the things on my bedside table. He then takes a seat, making my bed bounce.

As I'm under the covers, he sits on the side of the bed, feet in contact with the floor, before I can say something, he quickly reaches his hand over, shutting my laptop shut.

I scoffed, offended, as I opened the laptop back up, pointing out, "Liam, I need to get some work done, if you mind" I say before yawning, blinking my eyes rapidly so that I don't fall asleep right here and now.

"Actually I do mind" Liam responds by shutting the laptop shut again, this time, he takes it away as he tucks it on the other side of him, out of my reach. He then further argues, "Hailey, you've gotten no sleep, and you may have a fever on top of that"

He continues, explaining "You shouldn't be working, especially when you're sick. It's okay to take a rest day"

Crossing my arms as I lean back, the pillow softing my back, I argue back, "Chopard, I'm not sick and I should be working on these files, and try to figure out what's the matter with them"

But with that, it's like my argument, which is true and fair, has gone out the window, in fact–It through one ear and out the other, then out the window because Liam didn't say anything, as he got up a retrieve something from my bedside table as I didn't see what he got.

With my arms still crossed, Chopard instructed me, "Put this in your mouth" Looking at me, waiting for me to follow instructions, holding out the thermometer. 

I sigh as I reach out and put the damn thing in my mouth, knowing deep down that all I want to do is sleep off this fever, but at the same time, I'll feel guilty for not being productive.

But also knowing me, I don't want Liam to feel that I do actually have a fever, and if he finds out, then he'll be right, not just him but Ruby. And I hate being wrong.

But this time, I have to surrender.

After a few minutes with this thing stuck in my mouth, Liam comes over as he checks the status of my fever, pulling the thermometer out, checking. He nods as he places his hand on his hip, still standing over me, "Yep, this confirms it, Ms. Cantrell, you have a fever, higher temperature than the average"

All I can do is softly breath out.

He then puts the tool down as he sits back down on the bed, this time, he's closer than ever. He reaches over to bring some fever medicine, he pours some in a cup as he lifts it to my mouth.

I stare at him in confusion as he say, "Take some, then you can go to sleep"

Not having much energy to fight this time, I slowly open my mouth as Liam lifes the cup up some more, the medicine slowly pouring into my throat, I shut my eyes, trying to fight this disgusting taste.

As Liam makes sure the last drop was in there, he moves back, allowing my mouth to close as I swallow it, the aftertaste was horrible. Only chasing it down with a little bit of water, one of the things Chopard brung for me.

As I was too distracted by the horrible taste of the medicine, I didn't realize that Liam was at my window, because in a span of a few seconds, the room went dark, not completely dark, but dramatically dark.

Looking over, as Chopard retreats from my now closed curtains, as he walks over to me, I slowly begin to tuck myself in–Fully surrendering myself, I can't fight this off any longer.

He makes it over as he smiles, looking over me, asking, "Now, do I need to tie you down to make sure you're going to sleep"

I can't help but chuckle as I responded, "No–No you don't Liam, I'll be fine. I actually do need the rest" I said, assuming him.

He smiles even bigger as he's happy to hear that, he lingers more a moment, as if he was going to do something he wasn't sure of. But he shakes off the thought as he leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

Staring up at the ceiling, I softly close my eyes, and now for the first time since I can remember–I'm not thinking about what to do next, or any task that needs to be done, just sleep.

                                          *

Many hours later, I don't know for sure, I slowly woke up as someone soothe their hand over my arm, running their hand up my arm and down my back. As I'm laying on my stomach, I take in this feeling.

Opening my eyes, the room is still dark, even darker now. The second thing I noticed is the discomfort under the covers, mostly from my clothes. Realizing that I went to bed with pants and socks on. I groan at the thought.

The hands retract as if they noticed that I'm slowly waking up. And the third thing I noticed is a source of small light coming towards me. 

I sat up, rubbing my eyes as I wondered where it's coming from. The blurriness in my eyes is gone as I am faced with a large decorated cake, with several candles on it.

Quickly looking up at the person holding the cake, it's Chopard as he grins, he moves to carefully sit down, trying not to drop the cake in his hands.

I subconsciously move for him, as I cross my legs, giving him safe to place the cake between us, Liam then mimics my position, crossing his legs as well.

In the back of my mind, I wondered if all of this is a dream that I'm having, since he hasn't said anything yet–It has to be, no way would Liam wake up with a cake with lit candles on it.

"What?" Liam said curiously.

Okay, so maybe not a dream or is it? I don't know anymore.

Quickly pitching myself, pain seizing through my arm as I quickly come to the conclusion that this is real life.

Answering his question, I asked, "What are you doing Liam?" Nodding towards the cake in front of the both of us.

He hums as he begins to explain, "Well, I was on my way out and I somehow forget my phone in here, so when I went to get it, I accidently saw a text on your phone, it was from your mom–Telling you happy birthday"

I grasp his explanation, like how he now knows what I look like when I sleep and the birthday text.

He continues, "So, I figured I would get a cake and we can celebrate your day"

My hands come to my face as I try to hide, stating that, "This is embarrassing" and I don't mean just celebrating my birthday.

I mean even forgetting my birthday, I guess I have been working so hard that I don't even keep track of the days anymore. Birthdays are special, yes, but I just see them as another year of my life gone by. I know it's sad to think of it that way, but when you have a company to run, I think celebrations are less of a priority.

But behind my hands as I cover my face, a smile forces through me, smiling uncontrollably as I take in the appreciation that Liam stopped by a store and bought me a cake.

Taking my hands away, Liam perks up as if he was waiting for me patiently, saying, "Well, it would be more embarrassing for you, if you worked on your birthday"

"Birthdays are one year closer to death Liam, I don't think I haven't celebrated in years" And as I said that, the thought saddens me a little.

"This year, you will" Chopard softly say as he pushes the cake more towards me, "I will spare you the birthday song if you blow out the candles"

I smile even harder as I'm overcome with happiness, with so much happiness, my chest starts to ache as tears welled up in my eyes. I complied as I bent over, taking a deep breath as I blew out every single candle.

Except only one remains as it was the only light source, the shadows of Liam's face darkerns, only seeing part of him.

Either one of us makes the move to blow out the last candle, as we want to see each other, I mean, we could turn on the light, but I guess that would ruin the moment. This moment.

As Chopard continues to look at me, he suddenly reaches his hand out as he touches my cheek, caressing it. I lean into the touch, feeling the warm, soft hand as I smile softly as him, my hand holding the back of his hand so that he doesn't move it away.

He then leans forwards, careful of the cake and the lit candle on it, and as he perfectly balances on the bed, he hesitantly lands a soft kiss on my free cheek, he pulls away as he does it again, getting more confident with each one.

I laughed as I warned him, "Liam, I still might be sick. I don't want you to be sick"

At that, Chopard pulls away completely as he looks at the cake then at me, shrugging his shoulders as he brushes away the concern, clearly not worried about me possibly getting him sick.

He then swipes one finger from the top of the cake, the indent making it clear. And as he gathers a good amount on his finger, and for a second, I thought he was going to taste the cake for himself, I mean–I wouldn't mind it, but then–

He brings his finger to my mouth, I lean back at the sudden offer, looking at Liam, surprised.

I thought about this, even though I know this is a small gesture, this is huge for me, and it's not just about the finger in cake.

This whole thing of caring for me, volunteering to care for me, even though he could have done so many other things he wanted to do, he decided to do this–For me.

Maybe...just maybe, I could fully trust him, maybe he doesn't have any bad intentions afterall, maybe my suspicion of him was getting the best of me and it made me have blinders on, not allowing me to see what's in front of me.

A caring person who just wants to make it in the world.

I took a breath in as I complied, tasting the frosting along with the favor of the cake off Liam's fingers, I hummed as I subconsciously nodded, enjoying the taste.

And whilst in the mist of that, me and Liam couldn't take our eyes off each other.

Cake cheers everyone up, even the CEOs.

-Summer Roe