Jayson’s voice was calm and steady.
His words landed squarely in Ariel’s cats, leaving her stunned for several seconds.
Outside the door, the nurse looked at the striking man in front of her in surprise. A few of the younger nurses nearby couldn’t help sneaking glances his way.
Jayson lowered his gaze to the nurse. “I need to speak with the doctor from last night. Do you know what time his shift starts?”
ER doctors rotated shifts. When it got busy, they were almost impossible to track down.
He still had no idea what exactly was wrong with Ariel.
The nurse had just opened her mouth to respond when the door in front of her swung open.
Ariel stood in the doorway, looking unwell. Her expression was unmistakably displeased. She stared straight at Jayson.
He looked down at the sound and met her eyes calmly.
“Good morning. Do you still feel sick anywhere?” he asked before she could say anything.
With a composed expression, he sized her up.
It stopped Ariel cold, cutting off the question that had almost slipped from her lips. She had been ready to demand why he had told the nurse he was her husband,
But then she noticed the phone in his hand. The screen was lit, showing an ongoing call.
The contact name read “Grandma“.
He was on the phone with Betty.
A tight knot formed in her throat as it all clicked into place. Betty must have called to ask about her condition. And the nurse just happened to ask who he was in relation to Ariel.
That was why Jayson had said what he said.
Ariel pressed her pale lips together. “I feel much better.”
On the other end, Betty immediately began fussing over her
Ariel could hear the genuine worry in her voice and responded softly, trying to ease her concerns.
But the second the call ended, the warmth drained from Ariel’s face. She didn’t even look at Jayson. Instead, she turned to the nurse. “I’m fine now. I’ll be checking out soon.”
Then, she added pointedly, “And he’s not my husband.”
It was hard to tell who the words were actually directed at.
With that, she turned and walked back into the ward.
The nurse stood there, stunned. She glanced at Jayson again, but his expression was unreadable. It was so neutral that it gave nothing away.
Jayson slid the phone into his pocket and entered the ward.
1/3
Chapter 314
+25 BONUS
Ariel was sipping water.
He leaned against the wall and looked at her. Like someone being politely helpful to a mere acquaintance, he asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to speak to the doctor again?”
His eyes lingered on her face. “You still don’t look great.”
Ariel finally looked up and met his unreadable eyes. “Mr. Larkin, I do appreciate you bringing me here in time. But please don’t say anything that could make people misunderstand our relationship again.”
She didn’t beat around the bush. Her words were clear, direct, and firm.
It was a reminder to Jayson that they were divorced.
Funny, really. She had spent all those years married to him and never once heard him call himself her husband. Now that they were no longer together, he finally said it.
Maybe it was how serious she looked, but Jayson stared at her in silence for a long beat. Then the corners of his lips curved slightly.
“Get ready. I’ll take you home.”
He let the matter drop without another word, as if they both silently agreed to move on. He didn’t push her to stay for more observation either.
Ariel had her back to him. “That won’t be necessary, Mr. Larkin.”
Jayson didn’t argue.
Soon, she heard his footsteps retreating. He left.
Ariel wasn’t shaken. She quickly packed up.
She had carried the weight alone too many times. No matter how fierce the storm or how crushing the pain, she always found a way to recover quickly. Even when it felt like she was on the edge of death yesterday, she still managed to pull herself back together.
Once the paperwork was done and she had paid her bill, she headed downstairs.
That was when she saw Jayson not far off, casually smoking. He hadn’t left. He seemed to sense her presence and looked up.
Ariel frowned instinctively.
Seeing her, Jayson stubbed out the cigarette, which he hadn’t even smoked more than a few puffs, and walked toward her. “Is someone coming to get you?”
She looked away.
“Okay.”
“Yeah.”
He nodded but didn’t budge, just stood there next to her like some kind of personal after–sales service.
Ariel didn’t speak either. She simply took a small step away
Thankfully, after two minutes, Janice pulled up.
The moment she spotted Jayson, her expression cooled. But when she turned to Ariel, her tone softened. “Come on, Ari. Let’s get you home.”
2/3
Chapter 314
Ariel didn’t say goodbye to Jayson. She couldn’t be bothered to waste her energy.
When she got into the car, Janice hit the gas.
+25 BONUS
Jayson stayed where he was, composed as ever. He lit another cigarette. Only when Toby pulled up did he finally glance back at the hospital.
Janice had brought breakfast. As she drove, she said gently, ‘You should eat something. Chad said you need to rest for a few days. Don’t rush back to work. You need to take care of yourself if you want to keep kicking ass, right?”
Ariel didn’t have much of an appetite, but she didn’t want Janice to worry, so she sipped a little of the soy milk. ” Okay.”
Janice still looked worried. Frowning, she asked, “Chad said your stomach hurt. How did it get that serious? What did the doctor say?”
“It’s nothing.”
Ariel knew Janice well. If she gave her the truth, the latter would probably lose sleep for days. So she changed the subject and gave Janice a small bite of the sandwich.
Janice, ever easy to distract, immediately shifted focus.
Just then, Ariel’s phone buzzed with a message she hadn’t expected.
“Hi, Ms. Walker. This is Liam Spencer. There are a few issues with Mr. Walker’s treatment plan that I’d like to go over with you. Would you be available today?”
Ariel still didn’t feel great, but Liam had been helping with the treatment plan. His time came first.
“Sure, I’ll come now,” she replied.
She asked Janice to take a detour to Liam’s hospital.
By 10:00 am, she was in Liam’s office.
The moment Liam looked up and saw her, he paused for a split second. His eyes gave her a quick once–over,. subtle and respectful.
“Ms. Walker, are you feeling unwell?”
3/3
