Chapter 11Who did this to you?

Rachel's POV

I heard the loud muffling and shuffling of objects waking me up from my sleep. Then followed by the shifting of the large curtains, which made way for light to enter the room.

Someone was arranging the room, a young maid.

How did I get here?

I shook my head, refusing to allow the memories of what happened yesterday to come back to me fully to taunt me. I have a whole day to be taunted by them, but most definitely not now. I pulled the bedsheet over my head, blocking the soft sounds and the light so I could sleep longer.

"Ms Rachel, are you awake?" I heard the maid who was arranging the room ask as she walked towards me.

I was about to answer when I felt the pang of a headache. I winced in pain under the sheets.

"Ms Rachel... Ms Rachel..." The maid continued to call.

I had clenched my teeth to withstand the pain.

"Yes." I replied but it came out more of a whisper.

Something was wrong with my throat. It felt rather dry and hoarse.

I coughed to clear my throat.

"Yes... But I wish to sleep longer." I answered very loudly.

"Ms Rachel... Your voice sounds rather odd." The maid came up to me and pulled the blanket off my face.

"Oh my goodness..." She exclaimed when she saw my face.

Is there something on my face?

She then bent down and placed her palm on my head to feel my temperature.

"You're boiling!"

That was the reason for the headache.

I raised a palm to my neck to feel my temperature. My temperature was indeed high.

"I have to inform Mr. Wright at once." She stood up ready to leave.

"No... Wait a second..." I caught her dress causing her to pause.

"It's just a normal fever it would go away on its own. " I said weakly. I didn't believe it was just a normal fever, but I didn't want to see Ethan right now. I had no idea how to face him after what I believe was him saving me last night.

She shook her head immediately.

"Your temperature is too high to just be a normal fever. You need a doctor; I'll be right back, Ms." The maid said as she hurried out of the room.

"Hey... Hey." I called after her, but she just left, or maybe she probably didn't hear me because my voice was getting weaker and weaker.

Once she was gone, everything that happened yesterday began playing back like a tape in my memory.

My family's confession that I was not their real daughter, their second proclamation that my gold-digging liar of a best friend was indeed their true daughter... Up until the part where my grandfather slapped me hard on the cheeks.

I touched my cheeks subconsciously. That was the first time my grandfather had hit me. He never liked me, which he made very clear, but still, he had never raised his hands on me, not until yesterday.

Then, what followed afterward was me leaving the house in anger and pain and with the feeling of betrayal. I just walked as far as my legs could carry me, crying on the way, until I met that bastard.

I clenched my fists when I remembered the bastard I had met last night. That ugly bumkin was trying to take advantage of me. I tried as much as I could to stop him, but he was just too strong, and I was too tired from crying all day.

I had already resigned to my awful fate when suddenly, I felt the man's presence on top of me disappear, followed by a loud sound of groaning.

Ethan came like a knight in shiny armor and beat the daylights out of the idiot. I feared he would actually kill him, not like he deserved any punishment other than death.

I was surprised and scared but, at the same time, joyful that Ethan was there. I didn't even realize when I started balling my eyes out again, crying the tears I thought I had exhausted.

"Oh no." I slapped my face gently in embarrassment.

"How am I to face him now?" I cried my hands covering my face in embarrassment

Ethan had seen me in such a low state, twice! What would he think of me now?

"Ouch..." My head began aching again, it felt like I was being pounded over and over in the same spot.

Last night's cold wind must have gotten to me as I am allergic to cold.

"Archeeeew." I sneeze suddenly.

I grabbed the blankets and hurled them over my head again because of how cold I was feeling.

"What is wrong with her?" I heard Ethan's strong powerful voice at my doorstep.

My eyes were wide open under the sheets, my ears following his every move.

"Ms. Rachel's temperature is incredibly high, Sir Wright." The maid reported leading him to me.

I shut my eyes tightly as Ethan removed the blanket from my face.

The next thing I felt was his cold hands on my warm face. I don't know if it was because his hands were cold or because it was his hands, but when he touched my face, I felt a shiver down my spine.

My eyes flicked, but I still kept them shut, balling my hands, which were under the blankets to a tight fist.

"Call Joyce, now." He ordered removing his hands from my face.

I so badly wanted to open my eyes, but I knew that would be a terrible mistake.

The maid bowed and left the room leaving just me and Ethan... Together... In the same room... After whatever unsure thing happened last night...

This is awkward.

But to ease the awkwardness of this situation, at least for myself, I continued to keep my eyes shut in the pretense that I was asleep.

Ethan stayed in the same position for some time which made me anxious.

Why wasn't the guy moving?

Was he just staring at my face? Was there something on it?

I could feel his stare, and it was shivering. My breathing, which I had been trying to keep even, increased.

Then suddenly, I felt his cold fingers on my face again, caressing the bruise on my face.

I struggled inwardly to keep my body's reactions to his touch at bay.

I'm sleeping, for Christ's sake!

"Who did this to you?" I heard Ethan ask.

Was he talking to me?

Should I answer him?

But I'm sleeping. Why would a sleeping person answer questions?

I kept my lips and my eyes shut just in case he wasn't talking to me, or maybe he just wanted to test if I was truly sleeping.

"Rachel, I know you're not sleeping; the maid told me she conversed with you before heading out to call me."

What!

So he knew I wasn't asleep the whole time!

Why didn't he say something?

I flickered my eyes open and saw him seated by my bedside, his hands still on my bruise.

"Who did this to you?" He asked again.

I pursed my lips.

"My grandfather."

I saw the way his jaw tightened.

Was he mad? If he was indeed angry... Was it at me?

I opened my mouth to explain but he beat me to it with another question.

"What happened yesterday, with your family?"

I sat up. My head was still pounding, but I was feeling very uncomfortable with the position we were in.

"I found out a lot of things. Things I never believed to ever be true until today."

He removed his hands from my face. I would confess, I was a bit disappointed when I did that. I immediately missed his cold touch on my warm face.

"Go on."

I contemplated telling him everything. If I did, he may no longer have any need or use for me.

I would no longer be the only daughter, the only child of Mathew Andrews... I would no longer be Rachel Andrews in his eyes.

He may want to just, throw me away...

He could stop helping me.

Should I tell him?