The CEO’s Unspoken Love (Eleanor and Derek) novel Chapter 180

Chapter 180

“Eleanor…” he murmured, his lips aimost against the hollow of my neck, his warm breath making me shiver involuntarily.

I knew he was in a feverish, confused state, probably not fully conscious, but that didn’t diminish the tremor in my heart. I wanted to push him away, yet worried that doing so might wake him and potentially worsen his condition.

Derek’s fingers continued to trace invisible patterns on me, gentle yet insistent. I felt my breathing quicken, my heart racing. Finally, I gently gripped his hand, halting its further exploration.

‘Sleep, Derek, I whispered, ‘you need rest.”

Strangely, he seemed to understand, his hand ceasing its wandering but still holding me tight. We fell asleep like that, entwined in

an atmosphere of ambiguity and restraint, moonlight illuminating our intertwined figures through the window.

The next morning, I woke to find Derek’s forehead pressed against my shoulder, his breathing steady and warm. Carefully, I placed

my hand on his forehead, feeling that his temperature had significantly decreased.

“Feeling better?” I asked, keeping my voice calm and detached.

Derek opened his eyes, seeming to take a moment to focus on my face. Much better than yesterday,” he answered, his voice still

somewhat raspy, but the clarity in his eyes confirmed his fever had indeed receded.

“Good,” I said, quickly getting out of bed. “I need to go to the flower shop. There’s breakfast in the kitchen if you’re hungry.”

I quickly washed up and changed, then went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast. I made some simple toast and scrambled eggs,

enough for him to eat alone. I also brewed honey lemon tea on the stove, carefully pouring it into my thermos.

When Derek trudged into the kitchen, looking tired but better, he noticed the thermos in my hand, his eyes flashing with hope. “Is

that for me?”

“No, I said, tucking the thermos into my bag. This is for me. There’s more tea in the kitchen if you want some.”

I pointed to the teapot on the stove, then to the medication on the counter. “Take your medicine every six hours, make sure to drink

plenty of water, and avoid foods that are too cold or spicy.”

Derek nodded, his face bearing what seemed to be an amused expression. “Yes, doctor.

I gave him one last look, ensuring he appeared stable enough, then grabbed my keys, ready to leave. “I have to go or I’ll be late.”

“Wait, Derek called after me. “When will you be back?”

I paused, not turning around, not wanting him to see the concern in my eyes. “Regular time. Call me if you don’t feel well.”

Then I hurried out, not waiting for his response.

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Chapter 180

At Four Seasons Florals, I tried to focus on an upcoming order, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Derek at home. Several times

while arranging roses in the greenhouse, I found myself reaching for my phone to text or call Derek, only to put it down at the last

moment.

Eleanor, Mia, my assistant, approached. “You seem distracted today.”

“Sorry,” I said, arranging the last rose. I’m just a bit tired.”

‘Is it because of that client who ordered the large batch of white roses? I can contact him for you.”

“No, that’s fine,” I said, suddenly realizing half the day had passed. “I just need to get home early today.”

“Any special plans?” Mia asked curiously.

“No,” I shook my head, trying to find a reasonable excuse. “Just some things to take care of at home.”

After Mia left, I caught myself murmuring while arranging flowers: “I hope he remembered to take his medication on time.

This thought made me pause. In that moment, without excuses or self-deception, I admitted a simple truth: “I do care about his

well-being.”

This realization both surprised and confused me, but also brought a strange sense of relief. As closing time approached, I found

myself speeding up my cleanup, inwardly looking forward to seeing Derek at home, though reluctant to acknowledge this

anticipation.

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The CEO’s Unspoken Love