Leah retreated into the guest room, closed the door, and called Ash. It rang for a long time before he finally answered.
"Leah, why are you calling so early? What’s wrong?" Ash’s voice was hoarse. It was obvious he hadn’t slept all night.
"Ash, I saw it on social media. Did something happen at the factory?"
There was a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line.
"It’s nothing," Ash said, feigning a relaxed tone. "I’m handling it. Josh is here helping me out too, so don’t worry."
After hanging up, Leah sat there for a long time. She no longer had any expectations for her marriage. A sham marriage was just a sham marriage. As long as she was useful to her family, she didn’t mind being seen by others as a pushover wife.
She pushed the door open and walked out. Kian was still sitting on the sofa, arms crossed, looking entirely self-assured. Leah sat down opposite him.
"I’ve made up my mind. If you need me to play the role of Mrs. Hawthorne, fine."
Kian furrowed his brows slightly.
"However, I have three conditions," she added.
Kian leaned back against the sofa. "We can negotiate. Let’s hear them."
"First, I will go out and work, and you cannot interfere."
He paused, giving a faint smile. "As long as it’s a respectable and decent job, yes."
"Second, we sleep in separate rooms."
Kian scoffed. "Isn’t that already the case?"
Leah ignored his attitude. "Third, I don’t want children."
This condition kept him silent for a long time. She could tell he was displeased.
After a long while, Kian spoke up. "Leah, we’re both still young, so there’s no rush right now. But you saw Grandma’s attitude last time. This is a major matter concerning the Hawthorne family’s lineage." He looked at her, enunciating every word. "We must have a child. However, I will respect you. I don’t want children for the time being anyway."
Leah pursed her lips. She didn’t believe for a second that he could resist giving Selene a child. Even if he didn’t want one, Selene would beg him for it. Once the child was born, would he really let it remain an illegitimate child? She had learned one thing over the past two years: never waste breath on someone who didn’t love her.
"All right," she smiled faintly. "Deal."
She walked to the entryway, dragged her suitcase back to the guest room, and stuffed her clothes back into the closet piece by piece.
"Mrs. Hawthorne, I’m hungry." Kian leaned one hand against the doorframe. "Could I trouble you to make breakfast?"
"Sure." Leah walked into the kitchen, checked the ingredients in the fridge, and asked with a cold face, "Spam and egg noodles? I’ll toast two slices of bread, too."
"Sure."
Kian followed her in, using the espresso machine to make freshly ground coffee. The two went about their own tasks, neither saying a word. Kian felt that the morning was very peaceful, as if no unpleasantness had ever occurred. Leah’s cooking skills were excellent, producing meals on par with a traditional café. Today’s breakfast seemed exceptionally delicious.
After finishing his meal, Kian placed his plate in the sink. "Which hospital was Uncle Quentin transferred to?"
"Grandview Hospital’s Bayview Campus."
"A foreign-funded hospital?"
"Yeah."
"I’ll find some time to visit him in a couple of days." He turned to leave but stopped. "Was Aethel Hospital not good enough?"
Leah kept her head down, sipping her coffee and scrolling on her phone, as if she hadn’t heard him. Kian felt a bit annoyed but quickly let it go. They had fought so fiercely yesterday, yet she was coaxed back so quickly. She must have been reluctant to leave, right? After all, she had schemed so much back then just to marry him.
"Ash, I’ve already contacted the Bayview Branch. We can go over right now to handle the loan." Josh had just finished his phone call and immediately shared the good news.
"That’s great. Let’s go now." Ash grabbed his jacket and document folder.
"I’ll drive," Josh said.
On the way to the Bayview District, Ash suddenly asked, "On the day you accompanied my sister to Indrah to find the medicine, did you know where Kian was?"
Josh kept his eyes on the road and replied casually, "I don’t know."
Ash cursed. "He was in Silvane, acting as a pallbearer for Selene’s old man. My dad has been sick for so long, and he hasn’t visited even once."
"He’s still with Selene?"
Ash didn’t say a word, his brows knitted tightly. "My sister probably doesn’t know about this yet. She’s been wholeheartedly taking care of my dad lately. She’s under enough pressure as it is, even fainting at the hospital a few days ago. Don’t tell her about this for now."
Josh rested both hands on the steering wheel, staring straight ahead. After a long while, the corners of his lips curled into a helpless smile. "You two siblings are really something."
That afternoon, Kian postponed three meetings to specifically make time to visit the hospital. Leah had been raised by her uncle, so Quentin Sinclair was essentially Kian’s father-in-law.
This hospital was the first foreign-funded comprehensive hospital in Florian. The fees were exorbitant, but the environment was excellent. As he walked into the inpatient department and passed by the doctor’s office, he saw Leah inside, communicating with a foreign specialist in English. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail. Dressed in a short-sleeved knit top and a tulip skirt, with a small aquamarine silk scarf tied around her neck, she looked gentle and youthful.
He had never seen her converse with anyone in English before. Her spoken English was fluent, completely devoid of a mainland student’s accent. Kian stood by the door and listened for a moment before she noticed him and stood up.
"Why are you here?" she asked, somewhat surprised.
"Didn’t I say I’d come to see Uncle Quentin?" Kian’s tone was unusually gentle as he turned to look at the foreign specialist.
Leah introduced them. "This is Professor Hart, a top-tier expert in oncology."
"Nice to meet you." Kian extended his hand and said in English, "I am her husband."
After chatting for a while longer, Leah and the professor finalized the upcoming treatment plan before taking their leave.
On the way to the ward, Leah walked ahead. Looking at her back, Kian suddenly realized that he didn’t understand her at all. Why did she study medicine? How was her English so good? If she hadn’t gotten married right after graduation, what had she originally planned to do?
Upon entering the ward, Kian found that Ash was also there. Standing beside him was another man dressed in a white button-up shirt and black trousers. He had a tall, straight posture and a side profile resembling a celebrity—his presence was undeniable. He had definitely seen this man before, but he couldn’t remember where.
"Uncle Quentin, Kian has come to see you," Leah said, forcing a smile.
Kian’s new secretary, Leo, squeezed into the room carrying a large fruit basket. As he placed it on the coffee table, he accidentally knocked over a water glass. Water SPLASHED all over the floor.
Kian frowned. Leo hurriedly said, "I’ll go find a mop."
"There’s no need. I’ll wipe it up later," Leah said.
"How could I trouble the boss’s wife? I’ll do it," Leo said, sweating profusely from anxiety.
"Get out," Kian ordered coldly.
Leo left with a bitter expression. Leah could tell that her husband wasn’t accustomed to his new secretary yet.
Ash smiled mockingly. "What wind blew the incredibly busy Mr. Hawthorne here today?"
Kian maintained his composure and offered a faint smile. "I’ve been telling Leah that I wanted to come see Uncle Quentin. It’s just that the corporation has been too busy for me to step away. Leah has been working very hard lately. I haven’t dared to put any extra pressure on her, let alone trouble her with my family’s affairs."
The underlying message was clear: they had been ordering his wife around, so Ash shouldn’t act so smug after reaping all the benefits.
Kian’s gaze shifted to the familiar-looking man. "And this is?"
The man extended his hand. "Josh Sterling."
Hearing that name, Kian suddenly remembered. The only person he had ever lost to during high school was this Josh Sterling.