Billionaire's Second Chance At Love

Chapter Forty-Eight

Carmen blinked rapidly until the blurriness in front of her eyes cleared up. Her head hurt the instant her eyes clashed with the bright lights in the room, but it didn't take long for her to get used to the feeling of being exposed.

A groan escaped her lips as she made a feeble attempt to sit up.

"Hey, take it easy," a deep voice purred from her right. She turned her head just in time to find her dad by her side, his presence a reassuring anchor. He gently helped her in finding a more comfortable position, fluffing the pillows behind her back.

"Dad," she mumbled, her voice soft and raspy as she shifted, finally settling into a posture that felt bearable. Leaning back into the pillows, she let out a relieved sigh. "How did you get here?"

Roger settled into the chair beside her bed, leaning forward with his elbows resting on his thighs. "Ronin called. I rushed here as soon as I could. The guy was freaked out."

Was he really? The thought flickered through her mind. But then, memories flooded back—his firm hold as he carried her to the car, the fierce glare and low growls he shot her way when she tried to argue that all she needed was a bed to lay her head on. She needed rest. But Ronin was having none of it. When did he ever listen to her anyway? He did what he felt was right. He drove them straight to the hospital but after that, she must have passed out as she couldn't remember what led her to lie in the room she was in.

"How long I have been out?"

"Not too long. I got here like twenty minutes ago."

"What did the doctor say?"

"Food poisoning. They think it's something you ate."

"Oh," she murmured, her fingers unconsciously tugging on her bottom lip as she attempted to piece together her recent meals. But even the simplest mental effort felt like a marathon for her throbbing head. Sighing, she decided not to push herself too hard to recall the details. With time, the memories would resurface, hopefully.

"Where is Ronin?" Carmen asked, her curiosity piqued. She wondered whether he was still around or if he had slipped away the moment her dad had arrived. Lately, understanding Ronin had become as challenging as decoding a cryptic code. He seemed to be behaving in an array of unexpected ways, catching her off guard with his actions and leaving her momentarily speechless.

"He was around not too long ago," Roger replied, his gaze briefly flicking toward the door, almost as if he had glimpsed Ronin just beyond it. "Something must have come up. He was receiving quite a few calls."

Of course, he was. Always the busiest one.

She nodded. "Right. So, what did the doctor say? When can I leave?"

Her dad's tone took an unexpected shift, carrying a note of annoyance. "Not so fast," he responded. "You need to rest. They're planning to run some tests, just to ensure there's nothing else to be concerned about. In the meantime, you're not leaving my line of sight."

Carmen couldn't help but roll her eyes heavenward. "Come on, Dad. I can't stand hospitals. Can't we ask the doctors to prescribe the necessary medications? I promise I'll stick to the schedule."

Roger scoffed, a hint of amusement tugging at his lips as he shook his head. "Carmen, sweetheart, you can't be trusted with medications, and you know that better than anyone."

Carmen chuckled, her stomach hurting at the small effort. It was true that she had a history of forgetting to take her medications on time, often leading to her dad's exasperation. "Okay, okay, you have a point," she admitted with a sheepish grin. "I guess I can't argue with that."