For the next two days, Austin was surprisingly well-behaved—no pranks, no antics—though he rarely let Brinley out of arm’s reach. Whether he was reviewing documents with her beside him or reclining nearby with his eyes closed, he never allowed her to drift far.

Early one morning, the hospital director arrived in person, leading a full medical team to conduct a thorough examination on Austin.

Brinley stayed close, quietly observing as the doctors took careful notes, her chest still tight with lingering worry.

Nearly an hour passed before the examination finally came to an end.

One of the doctors slipped off his stethoscope with a faint, reassuring smile and addressed Austin with quiet respect. “Mr. Moore, you’ve recovered remarkably well. All your vitals are back within normal range—there’s no cause for concern. You’re cleared for discharge whenever you’re ready.”

Austin gave a brief nod, his reply even-toned, though the tension in his frame eased at last.

Relief washed over Brinley too, loosening the anxious knot in her chest.

A knock sounded at the door, and Miguel stepped into the room. He greeted Brinley warmly before turning to Austin. “Mr. Moore, there’s quite a backlog of matters at the company. In your absence, several board members have made repeated inquiries and are beginning to express dissatisfaction.”

Miguel barely raised his voice, but every word still reached Brinley with perfect clarity.

She could feel the weight Austin carried as the head of Moore Group. The delays in his recovery had left critical decisions hanging, and the board’s impatience was only natural.

Austin, who had been lounging lazily against the headboard moments ago, straightened with sudden precision at Miguel’s words.

The warmth in his eyes iced over, and the easy curve of his mouth flattened into a hard line. In an instant, the man beside her became the CEO whose name commanded fear and respect across the business world.

“Noted,” he said, his voice deep and stripped of any softness. “Get the car running. I’m on my way back to the office.”

“Right away, sir,” Miguel replied without missing a beat.

Brinley caught herself staring. Even though she had braced for this moment, the abrupt shift still struck her.

Moments ago, Austin had been teasing and warm, clinging to her like he didn’t want to let go. Now, in the space of a breath, he had transformed into the formidable CEO of Moore Group—a man whose name alone could silence a boardroom. The change was so stark it made her heart skip.

She didn’t falter. Her voice stayed calm as she said, “Go on—get back to the office. The company needs you.”

Austin’s eyes softened. “What about you?”

“I’ll pack everything up and head home on my own,” Brinley replied with a reassuring smile.

Before he could respond, his phone buzzed with a sharp, insistent call from the company.

His brows drew together as he answered, delivering clipped, authoritative instructions.

When he hung up, he turned back to Brinley, the reluctance in his eyes quickly hardening into resolve. “I have to head out. If anything comes up, call me right away.”

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