Chapter 1198
Claire mercilessly texted back, “You went from completely starved to an absolute glutton. Tell me the truth, did you lose your voice?”
Why else would she be texting instead of calling?
“…” Noreen replied.
“But seriously, pace yourselves,” Claire advised. “The man is down a kidney and he isn’t getting any younger. You should probably ask Ms. Gilmore to whip him up some expensive supplements!”
“I’m the one who needs the damn vitamins,” Noreen shot back.
Seth patiently fed her a few bites, and Noreen finally felt a fraction of her strength returning.
Scrolling through her phone, she noticed a missed call from Healy at around eleven last night.
The call log showed a connected duration of 58 seconds.
She had been dead to the world at that hour, entirely oblivious. Which meant Seth had taken the call. She snapped her gaze up to him.
Seth didn’t even attempt to hide it. He met her stare with utter calm. “I was just about to bring that up. Healy called last night. I told him you were worn out and just
fell asleep, and if he needed anything, he could call back today.”
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You could say she was asleep. You could say she was tired.
There was absolutely no need to string the two together!!!
What a manipulative, cunning bastard!!!
Claire had called it perfectly-a fiercely possessive man was the ultimate barrier against any rival.
Once Seth made sure she had eaten enough, he casually asked if she wanted to go out for a walk. He knew her business in Northcrest was concluded and her schedule was clear.
Noreen genuinely wanted to, but she was exhausted, her back throbbed, and her legs felt like jelly. How was she supposed to walk?
She shook her head, firmly rejecting the offer.
That was exactly what Seth had been hoping for. “Then let’s go back to bed. I’ll lie down with you.”
Noreen practically recoiled; the word ‘bed’ triggered a defensive reflex. “I’m not sleepy!”
Seth let out a low, rumbling laugh. A wicked gleam sparked in his usually icy eyes. “If you aren’t tired, how about we find a different way to pass the time?”
“Absolutely not!” Noreen practically shouted. She wasn’t falling into that trap again.
Seth reached out, lightly pinching her cheek. “Try that answer again.”
A little while later, Noreen’s desperate pleas echoed through the room.
“Please, no more.”
“Almost there, sweetheart. Just give me a second.”
…
Meanwhile, Claire was barricaded in her own room, poring over scripts all day.
Mid-afternoon, Felix texted her, asking her out to dinner. Claire immediately swiped the notification away.
She treated him exactly how he used to treat her.
Cold indifference, complete silence, and an emotional blackout. Clearly, being heartless was the key to true happiness.
Just as she was preparing to head down for dinner, her phone buzzed with a call from the hospital.
“Excuse me, am I speaking to Felix Quigley’s wife?”
Frowning, Claire asked, “Who is this?”
“This is St Mary’s Hospital. Felix Quigley was involved in a severe car accident and requires immediate surgery. We need a family member’s signature on the consent forms. Please come right away.
Claire’s first instinctive thought was that it was a sick scam. But on the off-chance it was real, she couldn’t risk delaying life-saving surgery She quickly dialed Secretary Lynwood.✨✨
Secretary Lynwood confirmed her worst fears. “Mr. Quigley was indeed in a crash. He is currently unconscious, and they won’t operate without family consent. Please get here as soon as you can.”
Claire’s stomach plummeted.
If he was unconscious, it had to be catastrophic.
Their marriage might be a burning wreck, but this was a matter of life and death.
She had to swallow her pride and do the right thing.
The moment Claire sprinted into the hospital, the first person she spotted wasn’t the secretary, but Madeline. Naturally, she wasn’t surprised in the slightest.
Madeline was sobbing hysterically, her eyes bloodshot. Felix’s condition must be truly dire.
Secretary Lynwood rushed over with a doctor in tow. “Miss Chase, here are the surgical consent forms. Please sign them.”