Ruby’s stomach twisted painfully at the thought.
She swallowed, her eyes burning.
"What happened to him?" she forced herself to ask.
Amie hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Someone knocked him on the back of the head. The impact must have made him fall hard onto the ground."
Ruby’s breath hitched.
Her fingers curled into tight fists on her lap.
She wanted to know who would do such a thing to him, but before she could think more, Amie continued speaking.
"And..." the healer paused, as if unsure whether to continue.
Ruby’s heart pounded harder. "And what?" she demanded, her voice urgent.
Amie let out another sigh, her gaze serious. "Someone also tried to choke him. There are fingerprints on his neck."
Ruby’s entire body went still.
For a moment, she felt like she couldn’t breathe.
Her vision blurred, her mind struggling to process what she just heard.
Someone tried to strangle Julian?
Who dared to hurt him ?!
Her face drained of color, but her eyes burned with coldness.
"I’ll see," she muttered, her voice low, dangerously calm. "I’ll only know everything once Julian wakes up."
Because she would get answers.
And if someone had done this to him—they were going to regret it.
Healer Amie studied her expression but remained silent. Instead, she stood up, gathered a few herbal mixtures, and began preparing something.
"Take care of him," she instructed, her voice firm but gentle. "I’ll give you a medicinal paste to apply on his wounds. Change the bandages twice a day. And make sure he stays warm, his body is still weak."
Ruby nodded stiffly, absorbing every word.
Amie handed her a small pouch of herbal paste, clean bandages, and a cloth.
Ruby took them, gripping them tightly in her hands.
Then, she looked down, a slight hesitation in her expression.
"I... I’m sorry, Healer," she said, her voice quieter than usual. "I don’t have money right now. I’ll pay for the treatment tomorrow, I swear."
Amie waved her hand dismissively. "It’s alright. I wouldn’t let a inocent suffer just because of money."
Ruby felt a small flicker of gratitude, bowing her head slightly. "Thank you."
She hesitated before asking, "Can we stay here for the night?"
Amie studied her for a moment before giving a small nod. "Yes. You can rest here."
Then, she stretched again, groaning slightly. "I’m going to rest now. I have a long line of patients to treat tomorrow."
She pointed toward the corner of the room, where a few thin mattresses and blankets were stacked.
"Make yourself comfortable. There are some spare blankets over there," she said.
With that, she turned and disappeared into her resting quarters.
Ruby watched her leave before looking at Julian again.
He was still unconscious, his breathing slow but steady.
A deep, protective instinct curled inside her chest. She wasn’t going to let him out of her sight tonight.
Carefully, she walked to the corner, grabbed a blanket, and returned to sit beside him.
As she reached out and gently brushed his hair away from his forehead, her jaw tightened.
Whoever did this to him...
They were going to pay.
Ruby leaned forward, her heart aching as she pressed a soft kiss to Julian’s forehead.
His skin was still cool, his breath barely noticeable, but at least he was alive.
She gently tucked the blanket around him, making sure he was warm, then settled on the edge of the bed.
Her red eyes never left his face.
She watched every rise and fall of his chest, every twitch of his fingers, every subtle movement.
She wished she could see his gentle mossy-green eyes again.
But right now, all she could do was wait.
She didn’t even blink, fighting against her own exhaustion.
Sleep tried to pull her under, but she refused.
What if he woke up and needed something?
What if he felt uncomfortable and couldn’t speak?
So she stayed awake, watching over him.
By the time morning light filtered through the clinic’s windows, Ruby’s body was stiff from sitting in the same position all night.
She greeted Healer Amie, who was already preparing herbs for her other patients.
"I need to get some money and other things," Ruby said, stretching slightly. "I’ll be back soon."
Amie simply nodded, understanding her situation.
Without wasting time, Ruby stepped outside, feeling the cool morning air against her tired skin.
She couldn’t go home yet.
She knows others are worried about her and Julian. However, it will take a long time for things to resolve, and without her, who will take care of Julian? She can’t wait for him to wake up.
Instead, she headed toward the set area.
By now, most of the crew was still asleep, probably suffering from hangovers after last night’s fun.
She walked through the quiet filming space, the usually lively atmosphere now eerily silent.
Almost no one was around.
Everyone had arranged to stay at a nearby inn, since today’s shoot was the last one in this location.
Next week, they would be traveling to a new place for filming.
Ruby didn’t worry about that for now.
She spotted a staff member walking by and quickly stopped them.
"Where’s Director Sylvia?"
The staff member blinked sleepily. "Oh, she’s out back doing yoga."
Ruby sighed in relief and made her way to the back area.
There, Director Sylvia was sitting on a mat, stretching gracefully, her posture perfectly aligned despite the late-night drinking.
Ruby felt a small sense of admiration.
Director Sylvia had a strong alcohol tolerance, unlike the rest of the crew.
But as soon as the director’s eyes landed on Ruby, her expression shifted.
She took in Ruby’s wrinkled clothes from yesterday, the dark circles under her tired eyes.
"What happened?" Sylvia asked, her tone more curious than concerned.
Ruby sighed, rubbing her temples.
"Director Sylvia, can I get my payment for yesterday’s work right now? I need it urgently."
Sylvia’s brows lifted slightly, but she didn’t refuse.
Seeing Ruby’s condition, it was clear she needed it for something important.
She gestured to her assistant, who had just arrived, and instructed them to prepare the payment.
As she waited, Sylvia studied Ruby again.
"You okay?" she asked again, this time with genuine curiosity.
Ruby simply nodded. "Yes. But I won’t be able to come today. My husband is ill, and I need to take care of him."
—To be continued...🪄