Chapter 4

Caleb often left me with aching back and shaky legs.

Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore and secretly went to see Dr. Albright.

As Dr. Albright took my pulse, his brow furrowed deeper and deeper, finally sighing, “My dear, you need to slow down on your activities and rest for a while, otherwise, this intense activity is seriously depleting your energy and could lead to long-term health issues.”

Me: !!!

What?! Too much activity could seriously mess with my health?!

I was terrified and didn't dare go near Caleb again.

But if I didn't go to him, he came to me.

He actually came directly to the house Julian and I shared!

When the doorbell rang, I was curled up on the sofa watching a reality show, assuming Julian had gone out and forgotten his keys, so I just opened the door.

Seeing Caleb standing there, I nearly slammed the door in his face!

“Y-you, what are you doing here?” My voice trembled, and I instinctively tried to close the door.

Caleb put his hand against the doorframe. The force wasn’t immense, but it kept me from moving it an inch.

His gaze fell on my panicked face, and he asked, “Why haven’t you come to 'play' with me lately?”

Play? You play that hard, who'd dare play with you, ugh!

“I… I’ve been a bit busy lately,” I mumbled, my eyes darting away as I scrambled for an excuse.

“Busy?” Caleb raised an eyebrow slightly, taking a step closer. The clean scent of sandalwood mixed with a hint of pressure washed over me. “Too busy to even answer your phone?”

I retreated under his intense gaze, my heart pounding.

Dr. Albright’s warning about “depleting my health” echoed frantically in my mind.

“Mr. Caleb, I think… what we’re doing isn’t right,” I bravely tried to reason. “That day, I was impulsive. We really should…”

“Should what?” he interrupted, his gaze calm but carrying an undeniable intensity. “Julian told you to 'play,' remember?”

The mention of Julian instantly deflated me, like a popped balloon.

He was right, Julian had told me to do this.

How could I disobey him?

But… I was really scared of getting sick!

Just as I was at a loss, Julian’s confused voice came from behind me: “Caleb? What are you doing here?”