Chapter 303 Nothing at All
Willow watched as Mitchell took his midday medicine, then saw him fall asleep. She took out her laptop and sat on the sofa watching a drama series. Originally, she had thought about resting in Mitchell's room, but since he still had a fever, she was hesitant to leave him alone. Despite the awkwardness of being alone together in a room, she decided to stay and take care of him. She held her laptop close and moved to the far end of the sofa.
Mitchell lay in bed, possibly drowsy from the medicine or reassured by Willow's presence. He closed his eyes soon after lying down. Willow wore headphones as she watched her show, the room quiet with sunlight streaming in through the window. She drew the curtains slightly to dim the room, creating a cozy atmosphere for sleeping.
After watching for a while, Daniel messaged her again.
Daniel: [Willow, what's the plan for today? Last night didn't work out, so how about trying again tonight?]
Willow truly admired Daniel's perseverance, not just in work but in everything he did since childhood. She glanced guiltily at the person lying in bed and knew she couldn't afford to be reckless today.
Willow: [Mitchell caught a cold, has a fever, took medicine, and fell asleep.]
Daniel took a while before responding.
Daniel: [Cold and fever, why? What did you do to my brother last night? He caught a cold directly because of you!] Daniel found it unbelievable, considering their robust physical training since childhood. Illness was a rare occurrence for them.
Willow was puzzled herself. Could a mere kiss lead to a fever?
Willow: [How is my brother now?] Daniel expressed concern for Mitchell.
Willow: [He's asleep.] Willow glanced at the peacefully sleeping figure on the bed.
Daniel: [How do you know he's asleep? In your room?] Daniel's curiosity was piqued.
Willow recounted finding Mitchell with a fever in the morning to Daniel, fearing she would be bombarded with questions if she didn't explain. Willow: [I can't just leave Mitchell to fend for himself.]
Daniel: [Of course not, to some extent, you bear some responsibility, after all... you kissed my brother, which might have shocked him into catching a cold.] Daniel quickly responded, expressing his absurd theory.
Willow was somewhat speechless. Could she really be blamed for this?
Daniel: [Is my brother really asleep? Are you sure?]
Willow: [Definitely asleep.] Willow even stood up to check before confirming to Daniel.
Daniel: [Sister, the opportunity is here, now, immediately. Go check my brother's wallet and see whose photo it is. It's so thrilling. I've been waiting for this chance for so long, and today we'll finally uncover the mystery.] Daniel was overly excited.
Receiving the message, Willow hesitated and felt a bit scared. Over the years, she knew there was someone special in Mitchell's heart, but her curiosity had long faded. All that remained was her cowardice and reluctance to face it. She didn't want to know what that person looked like; she believed that no one else could compare to Mitchell as long as it wasn't that person. She had understood this truth for a long time, just as no one could replace Mitchell.
Willow: [Let's forget about it.] Willow chose to retreat.
As soon as the message was sent, Daniel called directly. His anxious voice came through, "I wish I could fly to your room right now. Are you really not curious to know who it is? What if the person my brother likes is you!" Daniel sounded exasperated and finally gave the last command, "Just go check for me quickly, take a photo, and send it to me."
After hanging up, Willow sat on the sofa in a daze for a while. Daniel's words kept echoing in her mind, "What if the person my brother likes is you?" Eventually, she put down her headphones and laptop and slowly walked toward the bed.
Approaching the bed quietly, she leaned over to take a look. Mitchell's eyes were closed, his face relaxed in deep sleep. She cautiously moved closer, unsure whether the wallet was on him or in the room.
Nervous and trembling, Willow took a deep breath and tentatively lifted a corner of the blanket. Her hands were sweaty with anxiety. She reached toward the pocket of his pants, feeling something inside. Thankful that Mitchell was wearing loose sports pants, she slowly reached in and touched the wallet.
She carefully pulled out a black leather wallet. Willow half-squatted in front of the bed, her body stiff with tension. Looking at the wallet in her hand, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before mustering the courage to open it...
At that moment of opening it, she was dumbfounded. The section where a photo would be placed was empty, with nothing inside.
She felt a slight sense of disappointment but mostly relief. Seeing nothing was perhaps easier to accept than seeing someone else's photo.
Gently placing the wallet back, Mitchell still slept soundly, unaware of her actions. Willow returned to the sofa, her phone vibrating incessantly, likely Daniel's impatience.
Willow picked up her phone to reply.
Willow: [There's nothing.]
Daniel: [?] He sent a question mark, not understanding her message.
Willow: [The wallet is empty, no photo inside.]
Daniel hadn't expected that the result would be nothing after all the anticipation. Perhaps her brother had removed the photo, so it still existed, just not in the wallet.
Willow didn't check her phone again, nor did she feel like watching her show. She sat on the sofa, hugging her knees, lost in thought, feeling inexplicably down.
If Mitchell's fever subsided tonight, she planned to leave the next day. After this ordeal, she no longer felt the urge to stay and play around. Her few days off were coming to an end, and she found solace in the thought of returning to work with fewer worries.