Allison, amused, decided to tease him. “So, Mr. Lloyd, your kitchen skills aren’t just a rare talent? You’ve been working on them since you were barely out of diapers?”
She couldn’t help but imagine a pint-sized Kellan, barely able to see over the kitchen counter, standing on tiptoe to cook. What kind of look would he have had on his face back then? Could he have been as aloof and distant in childhood as he seemed now?
Kellan shook his head. “It’s really not a big deal.”
But just as the words left his lips, a sudden jolt of familiar agony stabbed through his head like lightning splitting the sky. His hands balled into tight fists, his knuckles white from the pressure, and the veins on his forehead stood out as if trying to escape his skin.
“You all… carry on without me… I just need…” Before he could finish, the pain hit harder, his fists clenching as though he could physically crush the migraine. Sweat began to bead on his brow, and his breathing turned sharp and ragged, as if his body was battling some unseen force.
The butler, in his shock, dropped his fork with a clatter. “Mr. Lloyd!” he gasped.
“What’s happening?” Allison shot to her feet, her earlier playfulness giving way to genuine concern. Kellan had seemed perfectly fine just moments ago, so this sudden change left her rattled.
“Mr. Lloyd suffers from severe neurogenic migraines,” the butler explained, his voice trembling as panic set in. “He’s had them for years, and nothing seems to help.”
The condition had long defied any medication, and even the private doctors could only administer temporary relief through sedatives. Seeing Kellan in the throes of pain tore at the butler’s heartstrings, and he stood frozen, eyes wide with terror.
Lorna, though silent, sensed something was terribly wrong. Her eyes grew large with worry, and she stared at Kellan, her hands hovering in helpless uncertainty. Though she couldn’t find the words, her tears made her concern for him unmistakable.
Allison, seeing the distress in Lorna, gently stroked her back to soothe her. Then, with a firm but calm voice, she turned to the butler, Jim Pierce. “Please take Lorna upstairs and call for the doctor. I’ll stay with him.”
Hearing Allison’s calm directive, the butler wasted no time. With Lorna in tow, he quickly made his way upstairs, hoping to settle her. “Thank you, Miss Clarke!” he called back, a strange sense of trust forming toward her. Perhaps it was the way Kellan treated her that convinced him – any woman Kellan trusted and liked couldn’t possibly be incapable.
“Take it easy, slow and steady!” Allison urged, turning back to help Kellan, carefully guiding him toward the sofa.
By now, the pain had overtaken Kellan, leaving him speechless and pale, like a ghost. His neurogenic headaches, when they flared, were like a tempest in his mind – dizziness, an intense ringing in his ears. Through it all, he bore the torment silently, biting down on his lips and refusing to make a sound.
Allison swiftly grabbed a few tissues, gently wiping away the sweat that beaded on his brow. “The doctor will be here soon,” she reassured him, her voice soothing.
As her fingers brushed against his forehead, a flicker of recognition crossed Kellan’s pain-stricken face. Amid the haze of agony, a faint, familiar scent reached him, clearing his mind ever so slightly.
“I… I’ve smelled this before… It’s the perfume… you made… yourself,” he murmured weakly, struggling to form coherent thoughts through the pain.
Allison suddenly remembered their earlier conversation. Without hesitation, she reached into her bag, pulling out a small bottle of perfume, and spritzed a few sprays around the room.
Sure enough, the moment Kellan inhaled the familiar scent, a slight relaxation flickered across his face, and the tension in his arms began to ease. Yet the pain clung to him like a shadow, and beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead. His slightly curled lashes trembled as his body shook. Whenever agitation took hold of him, his eyes would turn bloodshot, revealing a fragility that Allison had never witnessed before.
Allison gently massaged his pressure points, wishing to ease his torment. “Just hang in there a little longer,” she murmured. Suddenly, Kellan reached out, his hand finding her arm.
His skin felt like fire against her touch, and their positioning seemed to suggest they were propping each other up, two pillars amidst a storm.
From where Allison stood, she noticed Kellan’s fingers trembling ever so slightly. He was in immense agony, yet not a sound escaped his lips. Taking a few deep breaths, Kellan’s voice emerged weak but steady.
“I’m sorry you had to see me like this. You’re a guest, and this… this isn’t how I meant to welcome you.”
Allison shook her head, dismissing his concern. “No need to apologize. Everyone gets sick.”
As she gazed at Kellan, barely hanging on, Allison suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity wash over her. After all, Kellan had always exuded strength and detachment, maintaining his poise and elegance even in life-threatening situations. When had he ever allowed himself to show such vulnerability? Even through the torment, he was still concerned about his hospitality toward her.
“You stay put. I have medication for neurogenic headaches. It won’t cure everything, but it should offer some relief,” Allison said, leaving the perfume behind as she grabbed her bag and dashed out the door.
She had witnessed these symptoms before during her time with the Stevens family. Lindy often battled similar headaches. There were many triggers – both physical and psychological – that could spark these neurogenic migraines, but the one constant was their sheer intensity. Many patients had even contemplated ending their suffering during episodes. To this day, a definitive cure remained elusive.
Years ago, Allison had invested in the MDH Pharmaceutical Research Institute overseas. When she reached out to them, she learned they were the only facility in the world developing medication to alleviate such pain.
The Soothing Capsule they produced couldn’t completely eradicate neurogenic headaches, but it offered considerable relief. Allison had managed to acquire some of those capsules three years ago for Lindy’s treatment.
Just as she opened her car door, her phone rang. The number was unfamiliar. She answered, only to hear Colton’s voice on the other end. “I can’t believe you blocked me. You…” His tone dripped with disbelief.
Allison had no time to entertain him. She swiftly hung up. The phone beeped, and Colton glared at his device, seething with anger. If it weren’t for his mother’s illness, he would never have stooped to asking Allison for help.
He tried calling again, switching numbers in a desperate attempt to reach her. The phone rang relentlessly. Annoyed, Allison finally answered, her voice cold and detached. “If you have something to say, make it quick. I don’t have time for this.”
Colton bristled at her chilliness, but he reminded himself that he still needed her help. Swallowing his pride, he spoke as calmly as he could manage. “Allison, could you bring the medication for neurogenic headaches? I’ll pay you for it if I have to. My mother is in excruciating pain again, and it’s unbearable for her. That’s why I’m calling.”
“Well, isn’t this a classic case of showing up without a reason?” Allison couldn’t help but chuckle coldly at Colton’s request.
She had only one pill left, enough for just one person. Even if Kellan weren’t in the picture, handing it over to Lindy was out of the question. After all, she had made it abundantly clear on the day of their divorce – she and Colton were finished. Bridges had burned, and paths had split. Now, Colton and Lindy dared to come to her for help? What audacity!
“I only have one pill, and I’ve already promised it to someone else,” Allison replied flatly.
Colton, on the other end, clearly didn’t buy it.
“What a convenient excuse! If you’re going to lie, at least be creative about it!”
He pressed on, his voice slicing through the air. “Allison, regardless of our past differences, you can’t just stand there and watch my mother die. She has never mistreated you. For three years, she treated you like her own daughter…”
Allison pressed harder on the gas, her voice growing icy. “The label on this medication clearly states it comes from MDH Pharmaceuticals. Your family isn’t hurting for cash; you could easily hop on a plane and get the medication yourself. There’s no need to grovel before me.”
“You think I haven’t tried?!” Colton shot back, his temper flaring. The constant sarcasm had frayed his nerves, his face darkening with anger. “That research institute is impossible to reach! They’re like a phantom – never seen, never heard from. I’ve been turned away at their door more times than I can count in the last few days. They won’t even give me a meeting!”
Taking a deep breath, he attempted to soften his tone. “You can’t just leave us hanging like this. If you won’t give us the pill, at least help me get the medication.”
Allison laughed, bitterness lacing her amusement. She had no patience for his nonsense.
“You come begging for help, yet you act so entitled? Am I indebted to your family? Over the years, I’ve gone above and beyond. You know the address of the research institute. If I decide to help, it’s out of kindness, not obligation. How dare you demand anything from me! If you can’t handle this, Mr. Stevens, then put in the effort.”
With that, Allison hung up, severing the conversation without a second thought.
“You-” Colton’s expression twisted in frustration as he stared at his now black screen.
He tried calling again, but Allison’s phone had already been switched off. Furious, he hurled his phone against the wall, shattering it into a million pieces. The sound of Lindy’s agonized screams echoed nearby, amplifying his sense of helplessness. He was at a loss.
Storming into the next room, his brow furrowed deeply, Colton spat, “Mom, Allison lied. She won’t give us the medication.”
Lindy, already screaming from the relentless headache, erupted in rage at the news.
“How could that heartless woman be so cruel?” she shouted. “She used to be all sweet and compliant, but now her true colors show – an ungrateful, cold-hearted wretch! I treated her like family, and this is how she repays me? What a waste of my kindness!”
The maids stood frozen in the doorway, terrified. Witnessing their once-elegant hostess in such a fury, they dared not breathe too loudly, fearing they would become the target of her wrath.
Melany, who had been massaging Lindy’s head, felt her body ache. Her hands were sore, and now her eardrums were nearly shattered by Lindy’s screams.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.