CHAPTER 185: CHAPTER 185

At that moment She lifted her eyes again, her heart tightening at the sight of Cecilia sitting there, calm as ever.

"Let me take you home," Valentina said, her voice almost pleading. "Please. You need to rest."

For a long moment, Cecilia didn’t answer.

Then, with a faint, knowing smile, she shook her head slowly.

"My dear" Cecilia said gently, her voice warm but firm, "this is not something you should worry about."

She shifted slightly in her chair, her hands folded neatly on her lap.

"I know my limits," she said. "And this... this is nothing I cannot handle."

At that moment Valentina opened her mouth to argue, but Cecilia lifted a hand to stop her.

"You just focus on yourself, my dear. Get your strength back. That is what matters most right now."

Her eyes softened, filled with something close to pride. "You are my daughter-in-law. It is my right—and my duty—to make sure you are safe and well before we even think about going home."

Hearing her words Valentina blinked rapidly, emotion threatening to well up in her chest.

Cecilia simply sat there, unshaken, like a quiet wall of strength beside her.

As Valentina adjusted the strap of her bag and prepared to leave, Cecilia’s calm voice broke the gentle silence.

"Valentina," she said lightly, almost as if she were making casual conversation, "do you have any plans for next week?"

Valentina blinked, a little surprised by the question. She shook her head slowly, smiling a bit.

"No, Mother," she said sincerely. "Even if I did have plans... if you needed me, I would cancel everything without thinking twice."

Then Cecilia gave a small chuckle, the kind only a mother would make when touched by such devotion.

"You don’t need to cancel anything, My dear," she said, waving her hand slightly. "I was just asking."

Valentina tilted her head curiously. "Asking for what, Mother?"

Cecilia shifted in her chair, her tone becoming more thoughtful.

"I heard that Raymond will be traveling soon," she said softly. "I thought maybe you would be going with him."

Valentina’s heart skipped a beat.

Traveling? She blinked again, startled.

Raymond hadn’t mentioned anything about a trip to her.

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at Cecilia. "Raymond never said anything to me about traveling," she said slowly, thinking back. "At least... not yet."

She lowered her bag gently back to the bed, a small crease forming between her brows.

"But if he’s traveling," she continued thoughtfully, "I’ll ask him when I get home. How long he’s planning to be away... and whether he needs me to go with him."

At that moment Cecilia smiled warmly, seeing the small flicker of concern cross Valentina’s face.

"Well," Cecilia said gently, adjusting the scarf around her shoulders, "that’s not something to worry about. I’m sure Raymond will tell you about it when he’s ready."

She spoke with a tone of certainty, as if she fully trusted Raymond’s judgment.

Then, with a little sigh, she added, "I was only curious because... around the same time, I might also be traveling. I’m planning to visit someone very close to me. It’s been a long time."

At that moment Valentina listened carefully, her heart torn for a moment.

Part of her felt unsettled—wondering why Raymond hadn’t mentioned anything about his trip yet.

Was he planning to surprise her? Or was it something he didn’t want her involved in?

Either way, she forced herself to stay calm. She wouldn’t jump to conclusions.

She trusted Raymond.

And even if part of her was restless, another part felt warm seeing how much Cecilia cared for her, standing by her side through everything.

She remembered how, in her previous days, she had longed for even a small piece of affection like this.

Cecilia’s quiet, unwavering presence meant more to her than words could express.

Valentina smiled softly, nodding her head.

"Of course, Mother," she said gently. "I’ll go with you. Don’t worry about it. Whenever you want to go, I’ll be right there with you."

Cecilia nodded quietly when she heard Valentina’s answer, though a faint shadow crossed her expression.

She wasn’t unhappy exactly, but there was a slight sadness behind her smile—something almost unnoticeable unless it was looked closely.

Still, she simply patted Valentina’s hand gently and said with a calm voice, "Alright then, no problem, my dear. We’ll talk more about it very soon."

However before Valentina could say anything else, a knock came at the door, and the doctor stepped inside, holding a small clipboard in his hand and wearing a reassuring smile.

"Good Day," the doctor greeted politely, glancing between both women.

He flipped through a few pages and then looked at Valentina with a satisfied nod.

"We’ve completed the latest round of tests," he announced, his voice clear. "Everything looks good. The drugs that were in your system have mostly faded away now. You’re doing much better than before."

Valentina let out a quiet breath of relief, a soft smile touching her lips.

"You’ll still need to rest for a few more days," the doctor added, adjusting his glasses. "Take it easy. Let your body heal completely. But aside from that, you’re clear to go home now."

Upon hearing what the doctor just said Cecilia immediately stood up, her face lighting up with gratitude.

She clasped her hands together politely.

"Thank you, Doctor," she said warmly. "Thank you so much for taking good care of her."

The doctor smiled modestly. "It’s our duty, Madam."

Cecilia glanced at Valentina with a deep affection in her eyes.

"My son was worried sick about her," she said gently, her voice full of quiet emotion. "But now he can rest assured... knowing that nothing bad will happen to her anymore."

The doctor gave a firm nod.

"Yes. She’s going to be just fine."

After the doctor left the room, closing the door quietly behind him, Cecilia remained standing for a moment, as if debating something silently.

Then, with a soft sigh, she reached into her handbag and carefully pulled out a small, delicate porcelain container.

She opened it with care, revealing a single pill nestled inside.

Valentina watched curiously, her eyes wide.

"This," Cecilia said gently, walking over to her, "is one of our family’s treasured medicines. It’s very rare... and very powerful."