"How is she?"

Oliver watched the doctor look back into the room from the transparent glass, focusing his eyes on the bed where Anne-Marie was fast asleep. He let out a weak sigh right before he turned back to Oliver who looked like he was anxious to hear what he had to say,

"Well, I know one thing for sure," the doctor said. "She has a really strong immune system. The test results for the V virus came out for both her and everyone she was in contact with,"

And?

Oliver's persuasive gaze on him made him understand how he wasn't supposed to beat around the bush.

"It's negative, she doesn't have the virus."

Denise let out a relief exhale, clinging on to the neck of her sunshine yellow dress and squeezing it too. That was a relief, that was a huge relief, Oliver knew that too.

"Thank Goodness." She whispered to herself as she slowly let her legs bring her into the bench at the corner.

"We had to quarantine everyone until the test results were out as you know, but we've advised they went back home with their guardians after the results came out. We ran a few tests however and realized that Miss Vutron's blood level is low, probably because of stress, she also has a mild cold, that explains why she fainted earlier. I would strongly advice that she refrains from doing any tedious activities and stays bedridden for the next one week."

Denise raised her gaze to look at him immediately.

"B-bedridden?"

He exhaled and turned to her, he nodded.

"She needs time to recuperate, I'd also advise she stays around family for now, it would help her regain her energy much faster. Mr and Miss Vutron, the situation should not be overlooked, Paris is still so young and it's not quite usual to have such a condition at her age. This should not be treated lightly. She'd recover in time but for now, I'd recommend she stays away from strenuous activities-"

"That's not going to be possible." Oliver raised his gaze to him just as Denise and the doctor shifted their gazes to him too. Denise furrowed her brows. "The royal engagement is in two days, there are still a lot of preparations to be made, the queen would need her to help handle preparations for the engagement, if the royal family found out any of the things you just said it could cause a pause on all our plans, and a pause is what I cannot afford right now."

"Oliver,"

Oliver raised his gaze to the doctor.

"A representative from the palace would be here soon for an update on Paris' condition, you can't tell them any of the things you just told us now."

Denise got up slowly from the bench.

"Oliver," she couldn't believe her ears.

"She got into a fight with her friend and fainted from shock." Oliver went on. "It's nothing a good night's rest won't take care of. That is all you are going tell them."

Denise let out a weak exhale.

"But Mr Vutron,"

Oliver grabbed his arm and held on tightly to it, glaring into his eyes like he was trying to reach for his soul.

"You've been my doctor for many years, you've worked for my family for many years. The future of my family depends on this very moment, it's determined by whatever you say today, we've gone so far to make this engagement work and you of all people should know better." Oliver's voice was cold and his eyes were beseeching him to listen. "The king can never know, he can never know or have any reason to postpone this engagement, it has to hold, my daughter has to get engaged with the prince in two days and I don't care what has to happen and who has to collapse for that to happen, do you understand?!"

Oliver said everything in a whisper but it was loud enough to prove his point to the doctor, who just stood there too astonished to speak. Was he really asking him to lie to the king? To change his prescription and wave away the truth of Anne-Marie's condition, throw it under the rug just so he could help him make sure the engagement wasn't cancelled?

Oliver let his go slowly after confirming that his silence was an affirmation that he understood what he was trying to say.

Oliver nodded.

"All she needs to do is rest, you said so yourself. A day's worth of rest should do the trick. Do all you can, whatever it is you can to make sure she's in good condition by tomorrow, prescribe whatever drugs it is you have to, do whatever it takes to make sure this doesn't become a problem up until after the engagement. Keep her on adrenaline if you have to, sedate her for the whole day if you have to, I don't care what it is you need to do as long as she gets better in two days." He exhaled. "I hope you understand what it is I'm trying to say."

The doctor exhaled, Denise too.

Oliver found his gaze retreating back to the glass and into the room so he could have a good look at Anne-Marie. He had gone so far, done everything he could to get to where he was and he was not going to let anything get in the way of him and his goals, of him and the throne. He wasn't going to take any chances this time around, it had to happen, the royal engagement had to happen even if Anne-Marie's life was hanging by a thread. He couldn't care less.

Just two days.

All she had to do was endure it for two more days, she had to, she must. Two more days and everything was going to be okay, all his dreams were going to come through. Two more days and everything he and Paris had hoped and planned for was going to become a reality.

He let out an exhale and clenched his fist as he stared at the bed.

Just two more days.

*************************************************

Aiden had his hands behind his back as he paced to and fro on the stairs with his head bowed. He couldn't stop, he couldn't stop thinking about it, thinking about her and everything that had happened. He was worried, he was worried about her especially since news about how it was suspected that she was exposed to the virus had come from the hospital earlier and he was advised to self quarantine, not just him, everyone else in the palace she had been in contact with.

He could see how his mother sat behind the tea table, lost in her thoughts, just like him, Vanessa was worried a lot about the entire situation. She couldn't wrap her head around it, around the possibility that Anne-Marie was possibly infected, Aiden couldn't too. He felt so guilty. If what the doctors had said was right, then he had himself to blame for it.

How on earth could he have been so stupid? Why did he let her tag along all that while? He could have stopped her when he had the chance, he could have protected her when he could. He let out a weak breath when the door opened and one of the court ladies rushed in as fast as she could with a doctor behind her.

She was headed straight to where Aiden and Vanessa were and when she got to the front of them, she bowed earnestly and left her head bent over.

"Your highness, the royal physician is here with the test results."

Vanessa got up immediately. She was too anxious, too anxious to know what was going on, too nervous and everyone could see it. Aiden was too.

"Your highness," the man in a white robe that looked like he was over fifty years said as he stepped forward with his briefcase and an envelope in his hands. He bowed.

"The test results are out I heard," Vanessa spoke first just as Aiden found his way to him too. He took the envelope the doctor had handed to the court lady to give to him from her.

"Yes your majesty." The doctor explained as Aiden pulled out the sheets from the envelope, "it's with great joy that I announce that neither you nor the king or prince tested positive for the virus."

Vanessa held on to the table for support as she let out relief breaths, that news was everything to her. She was relieved, relieved by what the doctor had said, Aiden raised his head to him.

"What about Paris?" He asked him. "Why hasn't any news from the hospital arrived yet?" Concern was laced in his voice.

Vanessa nodded.

"That's right," she said. "It's been over five hours, why haven't we heard anything from the hospital yet?"

"Your highness," the court lady took a step towards them to speak when-

"Your highness!" A loud voice called from outside the door, "Head of the Phoenix guards has arrived and seeks an audience."

Aiden and Vanessa narrowed their eyes to the door just as it opened immediately and Elijah walked in as fast as he could, his eyes focused on the ground and his hands folded in front of him.

Thank God!

Finally, news had arrived.

"Your highnesses." He bowed when he got to them and then he raised his head to them. "I bring news form the three hospital."

Aiden took a step to him and then another,

"How is she?" He had to ask. He was dying to know, the past few hours had felt like the world had stopped, like his heart had stopped. He felt so suffocated and was going to do anything to get some good news at least.

"Did you say you had news about Paris's health?"

Elijah bowed slightly again.

"She tested negative for the virus your highness."

Aiden let out a relief exhale as his legs weakened, causing him to slowly find his way to the stairs. Finally, good news, now he needed to sit. He was relieved, more relieved than he was when his test results were out. Vanessa too.

"Were you able to find out what happened? Why she suddenly fainted?"

"The doctors say she's fine and just needs to rest. It happens that she was just in shock after she had an argument with Miss Aubrey Bolton."

Shock?

That was it? Anne-Marie fainted due to shock? Something about what Aiden had just heard didn't sit right with him. It didn't look like Anne-Marie was in shock before the incident. He remembered how she looked so pale before she and Aubrey even got into that situation, how was it shock?

"A-are you sure about what you just said?" He asked him.

"Affirmative your highness." Elijah turned to him. "I confirmed from the doctor myself and he assured me she'd be fine by tomorrow."

"That's good." Vanessa said. "That's really good news." She finally retreated back to the table, she needed to sit. After worrying the entire evening and making sure everyone was fine, she had become so exhausted. It was good to know she had nothing to worry about.

Aiden got up immediately.

"I should go see her."

"I don't think that's a good idea your highness," the doctor said taking a step to stop him. Vanessa turned to them just as Aiden narrowed his gaze on him. "Your test results must have come out negative but it doesn't mean you are completely out of danger zone. It has been a rough couple of days for both you and Miss Vutron especially with the engagement ceremony coming up. You need to take some rest, to take some time to take care of your body in order to be in good health and lead the kingdom."

"It's just going to be a minute." Aiden would be damned if he ever let the words of the doctor stop him. "I just want to see her. I'd be back soon."

"I think the doctor is right your highness," Elijah stepped forward. "Miss Vutron isn't allowed to entertain visitors for now so it might not be a good time to see her right now. The doctor put her on sedatives and advised that she rested for the rest of the day."

"Your highness," Felicia, the old woman who happened to be the queen's head of staff finally said with her head still bowed and a huge smile on her face. "It looks like the prince is really worried about Miss Vurtron now. He hasn't been able to sit the entire evening because he was waiting for news and now he's trying to run to her without even having dinner yet."

Vanessa smiled , something about what the lady had said made her feel so happy, she had never seen it before, she had never seen him worry about anyone like that before especially not Paris, it looked like the documentary idea was a good deal after all, Aiden was starting to care about Paris more than she had imagined he would and faster too. She smirked just as Aiden turned to her, everyone else bowed too with huge smiles on their faces, everyone except Elijah.

"What is it this time mother?" He asked Vanessa.

She shrugged her shoulders, she wasn't sure she had words.

"I just want to see how she's doing mother, that's all."

"I didn't say anything, why do you have to explain to me?"

"It's not what you think."

Vanessa pursed her lips and shrugged again. She made it so obvious that she didn't believe him, Aiden widened his eyes and scoffed, he raised his hands on his hips and kept it there.

"It's really not what you think,"

"If you say so," Vanessa turned back to the table and grabbed on to her tea cup, she took a quick sip.

"It looks like the prince has finally fallen for Miss Vutron your highness, the last time I saw his face go red at the mention of anyone's name was when he was a baby, seeing the way he's so concerned about her well being, it's safe to say he has finally accepted her and is on board with the royal engagement. It looks like he can't wait until the royal wedding."

Aiden scoffed, now what the hell was she talking about?

"Fallen for-" Aiden exhaled. "Why would I fall for her? What are you even talking about?"

Vanessa didn't say anything, she just managed to hold her smile in as she took extra sips from her cup. Aiden could hear how the other court ladies and the doctor were trying to hold back their laughter. He turned to them.

"Don't believe a word they are saying." She said. "It's really not like that." He tried to explain to them for no reason at all.

Why did he care so much what they thought? It was hilarious especially since none of them believed a word he said. He could see it.

He exhaled and dropped his hands. It was useless even talking to any of them,

He was going to take that idea to rest now. It looked like he really needed it