Chapter 205: It will take some time

Sienna was standing beside Aria’s bed. Sienna had barely rested.

Her hair was slightly messy, and there were faint shadows beneath her eyes. She looked exhausted, but she hadn’t left Aria’s side.

The first injection had already been administered. The doctors were watching Aria closely. One of the researchers checked the monitor while another recorded the results.

Sienna stood beside them, her hands pressed together. "Her response is good," one of the doctors said.

Sienna immediately looked up. "Really?" "Yes. We’re seeing the signs we wanted." A small smile appeared on her tired face.

"It will take some time," the doctor continued. "But if she keeps responding like this, she should be okay." Sienna’s eyes immediately returned to Aria.

"You’ll be okay, Aria." She leaned closer. "You’ll be okay." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "We’re going to get you through this." She reached through the opening in the protective barrier and gently touched Aria’s hand.

Her voice trembled slightly. "Remember? You have me." Aria didn’t respond. But the monitor continued to show a steady rhythm. Sienna smiled. Then something caught her attention.

Movement outside the laboratory. She looked up. Through the glass doors, she saw someone moving quickly through the corridor. Viktor.

He was looking around frantically. "Sienna?" She froze. Viktor turned. Their eyes met. For a second, everything around them seemed to disappear. The doctors. The nurses. The machines. The glass walls.

Everything. There was only him. And her. Sienna’s tired face broke into a smile. "Viktor." He didn’t answer. He simply walked toward her. Then faster. Sienna stepped through the doors.

Viktor reached her first. He pulled her into his arms. Hard. So hard that Sienna let out a small breath of surprise. Then she relaxed. She didn’t ask questions.

She didn’t complain. She simply let herself be held. Viktor buried his face against her hair. His arms tightened around her. He had come so close to losing her.

For the last forty-eight hours, he had lived with the possibility that the woman he loved could die from a virus nobody knew how to cure.

And now she was standing in his arms. Alive. Warm. Breathing. Viktor closed his eyes. He held her as though letting go was no longer an option. Sienna slowly wrapped her arms around him.

"I’m okay," she whispered. Viktor pulled back just enough to look at her. "How do you feel?"

"I’m fine."

"No." His eyes moved over her face. "How do you really feel?" Sienna gave him a tired smile.

"Just tired." Viktor touched her cheek. "What about your heart?" She blinked. "My heart?" "Your condition." His voice became more serious.

"Did everything that happened trigger it? Did you feel anything? Chest pain? Difficulty breathing? Dizziness?" Sienna shook her head. "No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Do we need a proper check-up?"

"Viktor..."

"I mean it." He looked genuinely worried. "We’re going to have you checked properly. Blood pressure, heart, everything." Sienna smiled. "I’m okay."

"You’re exhausted."

"That is different."

"No, it’s not." She laughed softly. For the first time since seeing her, Viktor’s shoulders relaxed. He pulled her back into his arms. "You’re coming home." Sienna looked toward the laboratory.

"But Aria..."

"The doctors have her."

"I know, but..."

"You’ve done enough." His voice was gentle this time. "You’ve barely slept." Sienna looked around. The doctors were watching them. So were the nurses.

Some of the researchers had stopped what they were doing. Everyone knew what Sienna had done. She had stayed when she could have walked away. She had worked until exhaustion.

She had helped them find the answer. And now the woman who had spent the last two days fighting for everyone else was finally being taken care of.

Sienna looked back at Viktor. She didn’t argue. "Okay." Viktor bent down. Before she could react, he slipped one arm beneath her knees and the other around her back.

He lifted her. "Viktor!" A few nurses smiled. "I can walk." "I know." "I’m serious."

"So am I." Sienna sighed and rested her head against his chest. She could feel his heartbeat. Strong. Steady. Alive. She closed her eyes. Around them, the people in the laboratory watched quietly.

For once, they didn’t see Viktor as the powerful man everyone feared. They saw a husband carrying his exhausted wife home. And after everything Sienna had done for them, they were glad to see someone finally taking care of her.

Viktor carried her through the hospital corridors. He didn’t care who was watching.

He didn’t care about the questions waiting for him. He didn’t care about the photograph hidden beneath his jacket. For the moment, he only cared about the woman in his arms.

When they reached the car, he carefully placed Sienna in the passenger seat. "Comfortable?" She nodded.

"Very." He closed the door. Then he walked around to the driver’s side. The moment he started driving, Sienna leaned her head against the seat. She had been running on exhaustion for too long.

Her eyes slowly closed. Viktor glanced at her. "Sienna?" No answer. He smiled faintly. She was already asleep.

He drove more carefully than before. Every few minutes, he looked at her. She didn’t move. For the first time in days, she looked peaceful.

Viktor reached over at a red light and gently took her hand. He held it all the way home. When they finally arrived at the mansion, Sienna was still asleep.

Viktor turned off the engine. He looked at her for a moment. Then he quietly got out. He opened her door and carefully lifted her into his arms. Sienna stirred slightly.

"Viktor..."

"I’m here." She barely opened her eyes. Then she rested her head against his chest again. Viktor carried her into the mansion.

The truth was still there. Waiting. But not now. "I’ll take a quick bath and sleep," Sienna said quietly. They were already making their way toward the bedroom, but Viktor still had her in his arms.

"You don’t need to," he said. "I need a shower."

"You can do that." Sienna looked at him.

"I can walk."

"I know."

"Viktor." He didn’t even slow down. "I’m tired, not helpless."

"I never said you were." He carried her straight into the bathroom. Sienna sighed, but there was a small smile on her face.

He carefully set her down and helped her out of her clothes, making sure she was steady on her feet. Then he adjusted the water and helped her into the shower. Sienna leaned against the wall for a moment, letting the warm water run over her.

She closed her eyes. For the first time in what felt like forever, she could breathe without a machine beside her. Viktor stayed close.

Normally, being this close to Sienna would have affected him differently. He was a man who had always found it difficult to keep his hands off his wife. Even seeing her standing there, tired and vulnerable, would usually bring that familiar warmth into his eyes.

But not today. Today, something was different. He looked at her with nothing but tenderness. His hands were gentle as he helped her wash and made sure she didn’t slip. He kept checking her face, making sure she wasn’t dizzy or struggling to breathe.

Sienna noticed. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"What’s wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You’ve been quiet."

"I’m just worried about you." She studied him. There was something behind his eyes. Something he wasn’t saying. Sienna frowned slightly.

Maybe he was still frightened after everything that had happened. Maybe the last forty-eight hours had affected him more than he wanted to admit.

She pushed the thought away. I’m probably overthinking. Viktor helped her out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her.

"Come on." He dried her hair carefully before carrying her back toward the bedroom. Sienna rested her head against his chest.

"You really don’t have to carry me everywhere."

"I know."

"You keep saying that."

"Because you keep complaining."

She smiled tiredly.

"I just don’t want you to think I’m completely useless."

Viktor looked down at her.

"Never." There was something in his voice that made her quiet. He placed her gently on the bed.

Then he pulled the blankets over her. Sienna barely had time to settle before her eyes began closing.

"Viktor..."

"Hm?"

"Thank you." He sat beside her.

"For what?"

"For being here."

His chest tightened.

"Always." Sienna smiled. She reached for his hand and held it loosely.

"Stay for a little."

"I will." Her breathing slowly became deeper. Within minutes, she was asleep. Viktor remained beside her.

He watched her face. Peaceful. Completely unaware. His fingers gently moved a strand of hair away from her forehead.

Then his eyes darkened. She’s Katalia. The thought returned. Carina’s voice followed. The Don will want her back.

Viktor looked at Sienna again.

How could the woman sleeping peacefully in front of him be the same daughter that Don Konstantin had spent years searching for? How could he tell her that the man trying to destroy her was her father?