Magnus crouched slightly in front of her and placed his hand over hers.
“What is it?” he asked again, his voice tight with worry. “Is it your stomach?”
Sophia could only manage a faint nod.
Before Magnus could say anything else, her vision blurred. Darkness crept into the edges of her sight.
And then—
Her body went limp.
“Sylvia?”
Magnus caught her instantly before she could fall.
He grabbed her shoulders, shaking her slightly.
“Sylvia? Wake up!”
But she didn’t respond.
The panic on his face grew. The heated emotions from moments earlier vanished completely, replaced by worry.
He quickly wrapped his arms around her to hold her steady while pulling his phone from his pocket.
He quickly dialed a number.
The moment the call connected, his voice turned sharp and commanding.
“Brent, get to the auction hall right now,” he barked. “I’m in one of the side rooms near the north corner of the main hall. Come quickly.”
He ended the call immediately.
Holding Sophia tightly in his arms, Magnus waited, his heart pounding painfully in his chest as the seconds crawled by.
***
Sophia groaned softly as she slowly opened her eyes.
The room around her came back into focus.
She was lying on a bed, her body feeling weak but far more relaxed than before. The sharp pain in her stomach had mostly faded.
Carefully, she pushed herself up into a sitting position.
Just as she started to stand, the door suddenly opened.
Magnus walked into the room.
The moment he saw her trying to get up, he rushed toward her.
“What are you doing?” he asked sharply.
Before she could answer, he crossed the room in two quick steps, scooped her up into his arms again, and carried her back to the bed.
He gently placed her down.
“The doctor said you need to rest,” he said firmly.
