Chapter 4

I collapsed into bed as soon as I got to my room. The hangover hit hard, and by the time I woke up, it was already completely dark outside.

As I tried to get up, I felt burning hot all over, without even the strength to kick off the covers.

In my daze, the bedroom door was gently pushed open.

The moment Kai entered and saw me curled up under the blanket, my cheeks flushed red with fever, he walked quickly over and touched my forehead. His whole body panicked. "Nora?" "How did you get such a high fever?"

I frowned and instinctively shrank away, my voice hoarse. "I don't need you. Go away."

His hand froze in mid-air, his eyes instantly flooding with heartache and self-blame.

"Be good, don't fuss. Let's take your temperature and you'll feel better after taking medicine, okay?"

He turned and quickly fetched a thermometer and fever medicine.

I was too dizzy and weak to argue with him, letting him help me obediently swallow the medicine.

When his cool fingertips touched my burning lips, the hand at his side clenched tightly, and his breathing grew heavy.

In my foggy consciousness, I seemed to hear the sound of cold water running in the bathroom, continuing for a very long time.

When I fully woke up again, it was already morning.

As soon as I opened my eyes, I found myself tightly held in Kai's arms.

Seeing me awake, he immediately looked down at me, his fingertips touching my forehead before he let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"The fever's finally broken. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Do you want some water?"

Looking at the dense bloodshot in his eyes, most of my anger dissipated, though my words remained stubborn.

I struggled out of his embrace, saying ungraciously, "I won't die. I don't need your fake kindness."

Kai's hand froze in mid-air, a flash of hurt crossing his eyes as he said quietly,

"It's my fault for not taking good care of you. I knew you'd been drinking but still let you catch a chill and get a fever."

"What does my fever have to do with you?" I looked at him as two days' worth of grievance and anger suddenly surged up,

"Kai, who are you putting on this devoted act for now? You weren't honest from the start, and after we got married you wouldn't even touch me. What exactly do you think I am?"

The more I talked, the more wronged I felt, and I continued recklessly.

"Jade already found me two male models with eight-pack abs. Being with them would be better than staying with an old-fashioned stick-in-the-mud like you!"

The moment those words left my mouth, Kai's expression changed instantly.

His pupils contracted sharply, his hand gripping the bedsheet so tightly his knuckles went white.

But seeing my reddened eyes, that towering rage was forcibly suppressed.

"Nora, I'm sorry."

Seeing him only capable of apologizing made me even angrier. I rolled over with my back to him, not wanting to deal with him anymore.

Kai sat behind me for a long time-so long I thought he'd left-before I felt him gently touch my hair,

"It's my fault. All of it is my fault." His voice was very low, heavy with self-blame,

"Don't be angry, and don't go to anyone else, okay? Whatever you want, I'll give it to you. I'll change everything."

I ignored him, keeping my eyes closed and pretending to sleep.

He sighed softly and got up to leave.

The moment the door closed, I opened my eyes, my heart a tangled mess.

Outside the door, Kai leaned against the wall and closed his eyes hard.

His friends were right. If he kept being such a coward, he really would lose his fated mate.

Kai pulled out his phone and messaged his childhood friends, asking them to come to the house.

He needed these brothers to help him figure out how to make his little mate stop being angry,

How to make her completely believe that he loved her more than his own life.