I can take care of you

“Jessica, how many hours do I have, until the shareholders meeting?” Ibrahim asked.

Ibrahim sighed softly as his secretary handed him another stack of paperwork. It's never-ending work, and this is the price he should pay for being the company's most powerful man. He has control over thousands of employees located all over the world. He worked until late at night and never complained about it. He devoted all of his time to work so that he would have no time to reflect on his life. However, this is the first time he has failed to do his job well. He couldn't concentrate because the image of Anna kept flashing through his mind.

“It will be after lunch. I have already prepared the meeting room.” Jessica said quickly. She was aware of her boss's out-of-the-ordinary behavior, which she finds amusing. She has been working for him for two years and witnessed the demise of his wedding to his ex-fiancée but this is the first time seeing him so dull. “Do you want me to go get you some coffee?” She asked, as it was almost lunchtime.

Ibrahim agreed with a nod. “No sugar and one more shot.” He responded without looking at her. His gaze is fixed on the computer screen. He requires a lot of caffeine to stay focused.

As soon as the coffee arrived, he started sipping it and returned his attention to his work, as he needed to prepare for the meetings after lunch. However, he is so engrossed in his work that he was not aware that lunch time has already passed and that it is now time for him to attend the shareholders meeting. He cursed himself when he felt a slight pain in his abdomen because of skipping lunch. He can't escape the meeting, no matter how badly he wanted to. He should remain as a professional, even though it's excruciatingly painful for him. His stomach hurts, and his head is throbbing uncontrollably. It's so painful for him that he desperately wants the meeting to end. He couldn't even focus on the slide show displayed on the tablet in front of him.

“Sir” First call.

“Sir” Second call.

“Mr. Saunders.” Ibrahim turned around to see who was calling for him. It was Jessica.

“Yes?” He responded weakly.

Jessica could see his pale face and trembling lips as he continued to bite them. She can tell by looking at his face that he has been in pain. “Sir, you looked ill. Should we pause the meeting and reschedule it some other day?” Concerned, Jessica inquired.

Ibrahim made a shaky motion with his head. “No continue.”

Jessica sighed, aware of her boss's obstinacy. “Are you sure?” She inquired once more.

Ibrahim gave her a hard stare, indicating that he means what he says and wants her to stop asking further. When Ibrahim’s murderous gaze fell on Jessica, she gulped down her saliva. Despite her concern for him, she respected his decision and continued the meeting.

The meeting took four hours to finish and it was as torturous as hell for Ibrahim. As the meeting is finished, people are going out one by one, leaving Ibrahim and Jessica alone.

“Sir, are you really, okay?” She just kept on asking the same question.

Ibrahim exhaled through his clenched teeth. “Please bring some pain relievers to my office.” He replied quickly and rose from his seat. He seemed to lose his balance as he stood up. He was about to fall on the floor if Jessica was not quick enough to hold him.

“I told you I am fine.” Ibrahim yelled at Jessica and pushed her hand away as he tried to walk through the door. It would be extremely stressful if people kept asking him if he was okay. Furthermore, his head is still throbbing so violently that it feels like it's about to explode. His body is asking him to take rest but he is still making an effort not to neglect his work.

Using every ounce of his strength, he finally made it to his office, where he quickly rested on the couch. He leaned back and closed his eyes for a while, but it still didn’t stop his head from throbbing? Just then, a light knock was heard, and it was Jessica. 

“Here are the painkillers you asked about. You can rest for a while. I will cover your work.” She placed the pain reliever on the coffee table in front of him with a glass of water. Ibrahim just kept resting his head and didn't even bother to open his eyes. “You are free to go.” He dismissed her.

Jessica didn’t respond and left his office quietly. This man is seriously so stubborn that it drives her insane.

Ibrahim took the painkillers as soon as Jessica left his office, hoping that they would at least lessen his discomfort. The pain subsided slightly, and he forced himself to return to his work. However, it couldn't last long because the pain returned several hours later and it was even worse than before. This is not acceptable. He couldn't take it any longer. He slammed his notebook screen angrily and looked at the time. It’s half past six in the evening. Oh, my goodness! How long has he been in this condition? It feels like it’s killing him from within. He immediately called his driver and told him to get the car ready. He gives up. He desperately needs to rest. His body couldn’t take it any longer. He should have listened to Jessica when she was suggesting rescheduling the meeting.

Ibrahim could feel his fingers trembling when he pressed the password as soon as he arrived at his house. He walked into the house with all of his might. He fell down just as he was about to take the first set of stairs, and he felt as if he had lost his consciousness.

When they heard the sound of someone falling, Anna and the maid exchanged glances at each other. She has just finished eating, and the maid is cleaning the kitchen. Her heart clenched as thoughts of Ibrahim entered her mind. Is that him?

“I'll go take a look,” Anna said to the maid, who looked just as concerned as she did.

She walked through the living room, her eyes wide in surprise, because it was Ibrahim, “Ibrahim.” she screamed in terror, when she saw Ibrahim lying helplessly on the edge of the stairs.

“Anna.” When he finally saw his wife's face, he mumbled in pain.

Anna couldn't be more panicked when she saw Ibrahim is about to pass out anytime soon. “Auntie!” She called out for the maid.

When she saw her young master lying down helplessly, the maid was as surprised as Anna.

“Please help me in bringing him to our room.” Anna pleaded as she used all of her strength to lift Ibrahim up. This man is so freaking heavy that Anna could feel his muscular arm.

When they arrived at Ibrahim’s room, Anna immediately directed the maid to place Ibrahim on their bed. “Thank you very much.” She expressed her gratitude to the maid.

Looking at her young master, the maid couldn’t help but get more concerned. Her young master has always been such a strong man but seeing him like that, she panicked as well. “Is there anything else I can do to help you?”

Anna gently shook her head. She was aware that the maid had been working since the early hours of the morning and she didn't want to bother her any further. “It's fine. I'll look after your young master.” Anna responded.

“Are you certain?” The maid does not appear to be convinced.

She forced a smile and lightly nodded her head. “Yes, you may take a break.” Anna tried to persuade her.

The maid has no choice but to obey her. “Good night, Mrs. Saunders.” She responded and bowed to Anna before leaving Ibrahim and Anna in their rooms.

After the maid finally left their room, Anna approached Ibrahim to check on his condition. She noticed him curling himself as soon as he lay down on the bed, indicating that his stomach hurts. His face is so pale that she can see sweat beads forming on his forehead. She placed her palm on his head and noticed a slight fever. How did he bear all of that agony?

She sat on the edge of the bed and gently began to remove his suit. His tie has been long gone, leaving him only with his white shirt. Since their first meeting four months ago, this man has always appeared strong, but no matter how strong he appears, he is still a human who feels pain. Anna’s heart ached a little when she saw how frail he was looking. “Does your stomach ache a lot?” when she noticed him snuggled and moaning in pain, she inquired.

Ibrahim was still awake, and he could hear her voice. He just didn’t have much energy to talk. He gave a weak nod of his head.

Anna took a deep breath and exhaled softly. She almost cried seeing his face was so white. “When was your last meal?” She inquired, reaching for a clean cloth to wipe the sweat from his forehead.

“It was eight o'clock in the morning.” Ibrahim responded in a very weak voice, almost like a whisper. He wants to die right now. He should not have made his body do all of the work.

Anna was furious when she heard his answer. This guy is completely helpless. How long did he work? She wanted to punch him in the face right now. He's so wealthy that he can eat whatever he wants, so why is he skipping meals? “You shouldn’t have skipped a meal, no matter how busy you are.” She sounded agitated.

Ibrahim’s head was throbbing so badly that he doesn't have the energy to fight her right now. “I'm perfectly fine. I had taken the pain relievers earlier.” He answered, eyes still closed.

Anna shook her head, stunned. His maid once said that he always takes good care of his health, is this how he takes care of his health? If this happens too frequently, he will die slowly. She didn't respond. She takes a basin of water and a clean cloth from the bathroom. She placed the basin beside the bed.

“I don't think it's a good idea for you to take a bath right now because you have a slight fever. I'm not going to do anything to you, all I'm going to do is help you to wipe your body.” Anna said, before unbuttoning his white shirt.

Ibrahim did nothing but to obey his wife and allow her to do her job. She's his wife, and it's her responsibility to look after him. Oh, no. When did he start referring to her as his wife?

Anna couldn't help but notice his body when his shirt was completely removed. Those abs are so hot and appealing, she thought. She dipped the cloth in warm water and wiped his entire body gently. Ibrahim screamed in pain as she passed through his abdomen. A clear sign of stomach pain. Despite the fact that he has caused her great pain, she simply cannot hate him. She's come to treat his illness, just as he did for her wound sixteen years ago.

“I have your clothes ready. You can get change.  I'll go down for a while to make something for you to eat.” Anna stated as she placed his clothes on the bed.

When Ibrahim saw how gentle Anna was taking care of him, the pain subsided slightly. Weird? Of course, it could be better than any pain reliever. All he requires is his wife, Anna.

Anna went down to the kitchen to see what kind of food she could prepare for him. He requires something light that he can consume quickly. She chose to make plain porridge. He should eat something before taking his medication. She gets a little curious whenever she thinks of Ibrahim. What is the source of his illness?

She took out her phone and searched for Jessica's phone number while waiting for the rice to cook. His secretary must be aware of what occurred in the office earlier. Thank goodness Jessica asked for her phone number last time when she came to their house.

Anna breathed a sigh of relief when Jessica answered her call after only two rings.

“Hello.”

“Hello Jessica, I apologize for bothering you now, but I need to confirm something from you.”

“What is it, Anna?”

“Do you happen to know what happened to Ibrahim? How hectic was his schedule that he didn't have time for a meal?” Anna asked.

Anna’s question was interrupted by Jessica's heavy sigh. “I noticed he's been feeling sick since the beginning of the meeting, but he's so stubborn that he insisted on continuing. He left his lunch untouched. The only thing he had was a cup of coffee.”

“What? Coffee?” Anna asked.

“Yes. No sugar and an extra shot. He had it before lunch, which I think is the main reason for his abdominal pain.” Jessica replied.

Anna inhaled some air to relax herself. Ibrahim is crazy to consume so much caffeine on an empty stomach. The main cause of his abdominal pain must be an excess of acid in his stomach.

“Did he take any pills?”

“He did ask for some pain relievers.”

She desperately wants to punch Ibrahim right now. Pain relievers will only dehydrate him. “Okay. Thank you very much, Jessica. I apologize for bothering you. Good night.” Anna said.

“It’s okay. Good night, Anna” Jessica replied and ended the call.

Could she tell him how concerned she is right now? Can she tell him that she cares about him, regardless of how badly he had treated her. Anna realized that she had never hated him from the start of their marriage. She may not recognize him, moonlight prince, but her heart already does, so she can't hate him.

Could she tell him how concerned she is right now? She can tell she cares about him because she is concerned about him, regardless of how badly he has hurt her.

Anna stirred the porridge into a bowl as it boiled and to thicken it. She set it on a tray with a glass of water and the medication. She tried not to bother her maid. She was confident she could take care of that man on her own. Anna carried the tray into their room with care and precision. Ibrahim remains helpless on the bed. Anna sat on the edge of the bed and placed the tray on the bedside table. She gently patted Ibrahim's swollen cheek, and he slowly opened his eyes. He appeared frail.

“I cooked some porridge. I know you don't have an appetite, but take a few spoons so you can take your medication.” Anna said gently.

Ibrahim doesn't want to eat right now, his throat burns every time he tries to swallow something. “No, I'll be fine,” he disagreed stubbornly.

If he's healthy, she will pull his hair out for being so stubborn. He seemed to be in a lot of pain, but he still insisted on being fine. This guy is driving her insane. She couldn't hold it any longer and reached for the bowl with her hand.

“Please, just a few spoons, I beg you.” She pleaded.

Ibrahim no longer feels opposed to her. Her genuine concern for him melts his heart. She helped him walk to their room, cleaned his body, and even cooked for him. What is her heart made of? How could she be so generous to him when he's being such a jerk to her? He opened his eyes, with assistance of his wife, he slowly rose to sit on the bed and lean against the headboard.

Anna took it as a positive sign and positioned a pillow behind him to support his back. She scooped the first spoon and gently placed it near his mouth as she fed him. He truly changed from a ravenous beast to an obedient lamb.

Ibrahim choked and coughed loudly just as Anna was about to take the third spoon. He appears to have enough of the food. Everything that passed through his mouth was bitter, and once it reached his throat, it burned.

Anna’s face was flushed red as she replaced the bowl on the bedside table and reached for the glass of water. “Drink.” She handed him the glass while continuing to pat his back. “Drink slowly.” She reminded him again.

Ibrahim sighed in frustration, he never felt so weak. How could he have become so vulnerable in front of his wife? “I can't take it any longer.” He whimpered in agony. Nothing appears to be in order. It feels like his throat, chest, and stomach are on fire, burning him from inside.

Anna reached for the medicine, she didn't want to force him any longer. At the very least, he eats only two spoonfuls of the porridge. “Take this medicine. It’s antacids. It will aid in the neutralization of stomach acids.” She stated.

Ibrahim looked perplexed. How could she have known he was having stomach issues? He doesn't have the energy to find out, as much as he wants to. He simply obeyed her and took the medication, quickly falling asleep. He is in desperate need to rest.

Anna has never been this concerned about anyone, not even Kai, but Ibrahim holds a special place in her heart. Will she still be in love with him if he isn't her moonlight prince?

Anna feels like she can't sleep, she's still worried about Ibrahim and keeps checking his temperature from time to time. She was about to fall asleep when she noticed his slight fever had subsided and he was sleeping soundly. Anna curled her lips into a light smile looking at Ibrahim’s sleeping face. Even though she's tired and sleepy, she doesn't want to miss out on seeing him sleeping so soundly without care for anything in the world. He needed that, Anna thought.

“Good night my moonlight prince.” She softly uttered before falling asleep.