Chapter 524
Chapter 524:
“Yeah,” Ellie murmured absentmindedly, her mind drifting to Kaiden’s special treatment of Carole and his reluctance to grant her a divorce. Yet, he had acquiesced to her simple request for porridge.
The irony wasn’t lost on her.
“No need for that ice pack, thank you,” Ellie said, pulling back her hand. She preferred the comfort of cold milk tea over the chill of the ice pack. Left alone with her thoughts, Ellie was soon interrupted by the nurse.
“Miss Gordon, you have a visitor p>
Surprised, Ellie looked up to see Howard, dressed formally, a stark contrast to his usual casual attire.
“Howard, what brings you here? And all dressed up like this?” Ellie couldn’t hide her astonishment.
Howard, in his suit and shoes, his hair neatly combed back, looked slightly uncomfortable.
“My family set up a job opportunity for me… Do I look odd?” He was clearly out of breath, suggesting he had hurried to see her.
“Not strange at all, you look great!” Ellie offered an encouraging thumbs up.
“I was in the area and thought to check on you,” explained Howard, who had taken the opportunity to come during his lunch break, despite his hectic schedule.
Ellie expressed her gratitude. “You really didn’t have to, especially with your schedule. I’m much better now and should be leaving the hospital tomorrow p>
“I needed to see that you were alright. I wouldn’t have been able to relax otherwise p>
Howard’s earnest reply caught her slightly off guard.
“You…” Ellie sensed what was coming.
Howard, taking a deep breath and locking his gaze with hers, confessed, “I like you, Ellie. So I had to come and see that you were alright.” His admission didn’t surprise Ellie.
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Though Howard had been discreet, not overstepping any boundaries, his constant presence and thoughtful gestures, like bringing her favorite coffee, hinted at more than just friendship. Ellie even suspected the anonymous flowers on the first day of class were his doing. She had maintained a careful distance with Howard and kept their interactions formal to avoid any misunderstandings.
“You…” Ellie gently reminded him, “Howard, you’re aware I’m married p>
“I know,” he acknowledged, looking down. “Your husband is Kaiden p>
“Even knowing that, you p>
“But Ellie, that doesn’t deter me.” Realizing his boldness, Howard quickly clarified, “I don’t intend to disrupt your marriage. I just… wanted you to know that you’re someone worth liking, regardless of your marital status p>
He had noticed her apparent unhappiness with Kaiden and couldn’t help but admit to himself that, despite her marriage, he still harbored feelings for her.
“Thank you, Howard,” Ellie said, her smile genuine, adding a touch of warmth to her otherwise pale face.