Alpha's Rejected becomes the Lycan's Obsession-Chapter 87: Who assigned you?

That evening, Tessy made a firm decision. She didn’t want to spend the night at the hospital, surrounded by the sterile white walls and the sharp smell of antiseptics. The thought of the beeping machines and the constant footfalls of the nurses made her skin crawl.

She longed for the comfort of her own bed, the warmth of familiar surroundings. So, against the gentle protests of the doctors, she signed the discharge papers and returned to the mansion with Roman.

The drive home was wrapped in a soothing silence, the hum of the engine the only sound between them. The night air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of blooming jasmine from the gardens they sped past. When they finally pulled up in front of the grand mansion, Roman turned to Tessy before she could even think about moving.

"Don’t climb out yet," he ordered in that low, commanding tone of his, one that brooked no argument.

Tessy arched a brow at him, confused but compliant. Roman climbed out swiftly, the gravel crunching under his shoes as he made his way around the car. Before Tessy could piece together what he was up to, he opened her door with a fluid movement and leaned down, reaching for her.

"What are you doing?" Tessy asked, her eyes widening with surprise, her voice touched with incredulity.

"Carrying you, of course," Roman replied smoothly, as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Tessy huffed, crossing her arms lightly even as she allowed herself to relax against him without much resistance. "I can walk by myself," she reminded him, a light glare flashing in her eyes.

Roman only smiled at her, a smile that did wicked things to her heart. He didn’t say anything in response, just slipped one arm under her knees and the other behind her back, lifting her effortlessly into his arms as if she weighed nothing.

Cradled against his broad chest, Tessy couldn’t help but notice how securely he held her, how confident and at ease he seemed, striding toward the mansion with her in his arms as if this was something he did every day.

Inside the house, the warm golden light spilled across the marbled floor.

"Tess!" Freya’s voice rang out as soon as they arrived at the sitting room.

Freya scrambled to her feet from the couch she had been perched on, her eyes wide with concern. She dropped her bag on the floor and hurried toward them.

"My friend is here," Tessy murmured to Roman, twisting slightly in his arms to glance at him. "Can you let me down now?"

Roman shook his head, not missing a beat. "Nope. I’m not letting you down until we get to your room," he said with the stubbornness of a man determined to have his way. Roman turned to Freya with a slight tilt of his head. "Come upstairs, Freya," he said.

Freya, whose face was practically carved from worry, nodded quickly. "Of course," she said, grabbing her bag and following closely behind them as Roman carried Tessy up the grand staircase, his steps strong and measured.

Once they reached Tessy’s room, Roman finally, and with the utmost gentleness, set her down on the edge of the bed.

"I’ll leave you two to talk," Roman said, straightening to his full imposing height.

"Tell my maid to prepare her special fruit salad for me," Tessy called after him as he turned toward the door.

Roman lifted a hand in acknowledgment and left, the door clicking shut softly behind him.

Freya wasted no time. She dropped her bag by the foot of the bed and rushed to Tessy’s side, her face etched with concern.

"What happened to you?" she demanded, her voice trembling slightly.

Tessy let out a small sigh, patting the space beside her on the bed. "Relax, Freya. I just passed out because of stress. I’m fine already," she said reassuringly.

Freya’s brows knitted together, clearly not entirely convinced, but she nodded slowly, willing herself to accept Tessy’s words.

Just as they were getting into the thick of their conversation, a soft knock sounded at the door. Both women glanced at each other before Tessy raised her voice to call out, "Who is it?"

"It’s Ruby, ma’am," came the slightly muffled reply.

Tessy’s face softened. "Come in, Ruby," she said.

The door creaked open and Ruby practically stumbled into the room, her face a picture of raw emotion. It looked like the world was crumbling at her feet. She rushed to Tessy’s bedside, falling to her knees in a heap and grabbing Tessy’s hand between her own.

Tears spilled freely from Ruby’s eyes as she choked out, "I’m glad you’re alright now, ma’am Tessy."

The rawness of her voice, the sheer heartbreak it carried, hit Tessy like a blow. Her throat tightened.

"I thought—" Ruby hiccupped, struggling to speak, "I thought it was worse than this and that you would be in the hospital for a long time."

Tessy’s heart twisted painfully at the genuine fear in the girl’s words. She squeezed Ruby’s trembling hands and flashed her a warm smile, brushing her thumb soothingly over her knuckles.

"Stop crying, Ruby. I’m fine, as you can see," Tessy said softly, her voice full of gentle reassurance. "It wasn’t anything serious."

Ruby nodded, her bottom lip trembling as she wiped at her cheeks with the sleeve of her uniform.

"And thank you for caring about my wellbeing," Tessy added.

"I care about you a lot, ma’am Tessy," Ruby said, her voice thick with lingering emotion. "Please don’t do anything that will break you down again. I’d be heartbroken," she added, her tone bordering on a slight scold.

Before Tessy could even respond, Freya, who had been watching the emotional exchange with amused eyes, cut in, a teasing lilt to her voice. "Are you scolding your madam?"

Ruby’s eyes widened in horror, her hands flying up in protest. "Never, ma’am Tessy! I wouldn’t dare. I was only—"

"I was only kidding, Ruby. Don’t take it so seriously, and there’s no need for you to explain yourself," Freya laughed, waving her off.

Relief flooded Ruby’s face, and she chuckled weakly. Freya turned her gaze back to Tessy.

"She really made sure I was very comfortable since I arrived," she said, smiling fondly.

Tessy threw a surprised look Ruby’s way. "You did?" she asked, her brows lifting.

Ruby ducked her head bashfully and nodded. "She was very worried when she arrived and became even more worried when she found out you were taken to the hospital. She would have gone to the hospital herself, but no one knew which hospital you were taken to, so she decided to wait. I only did what I could to help lessen her worry," Ruby confessed, her voice quiet.

Tessy’s heart warmed. She reached out and patted Ruby gently on the back.

"Thank you, Ruby. I appreciate all you do," Tessy said sincerely.

Ruby sniffed and smiled, a little more relaxed now. She pushed herself to her feet, brushing invisible dust from her knees.

"Do you want me to get something for you to eat to regain your strength before dinner is ready?" she asked eagerly, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Tessy grinned. "Yes, I already asked for my special fruit salad with milk. I enjoyed the last one you made," she informed Ruby, watching as the girl’s face lit up like the sun breaking through storm clouds.

"I’ll go make it right away," Ruby said brightly, heading toward the door with a newfound bounce in her step.

But just as her hand hovered over the door handle, another knock sounded, this one accompanied by a voice.

"It’s Gina, ma’am. I have your fruit salad ready," came the announcement.

Tessy’s brows furrowed in confusion. Freya tilted her head, a matching look of bewilderment on her face. But the most dramatic reaction came from Ruby. She froze, her body stiffening, then slowly turned back to Tessy with an expression that was a mixture of confusion and betrayal.

What fruit salad was Gina talking about? Was it the same one she was just about to prepare?

"Open the door, Ruby," Tessy said after a beat of silence.

Ruby opened the door slowly, and in walked Gina, carrying a silver tray expertly balanced on one hand. On the tray sat a glass bowl, filled with colorful diced fruits and a generous splash of creamy milk—Ruby’s special fruit salad.

Ruby stared at the bowl like it was a personal insult.

"Ma’am Tessy," she said, her voice cracking with emotion, "you told Gina to prepare it for you?"

Tessy shook her head quickly. "I guess there was a misunderstanding," she explained calmly. "I forgot to specifically attach a name, so my husband must have asked the first person he saw to do it."

Ruby’s shoulders sagged slightly, but the fire hadn’t gone out of her eyes. She turned to Gina, her fists clenched.

"Is there a problem, ma’am?" Gina asked, clearly thrown off by the thick tension in the room.

"Yes, there is a problem," Ruby said fiercely. "I was supposed to make that for ma’am Tessy. Not you."

Gina’s eyes narrowed. "Who assigned you the role of the official fruit salad maker in this house?" she shot back with equal heat.

"I assigned myself," Ruby snapped, her face flushed with emotion.

Tessy clapped her hands lightly, cutting through the escalating bickering.

"No fighting, you two," she said firmly. "I assure you, Ruby, you’ll make the next one."

Ruby swallowed hard, then nodded solemnly. "Okay, ma’am Tessy."

Tessy accepted the tray from Gina, offering a polite nod of thanks. But as she picked up the glass bowl containing the fruit salad, she paused as her heartbeat picked up.

Something was... Wrong.