During hospitalization, Jeremy would always squeeze out two hours from his packed schedule to keep me company. He was so soft and attentive that I believed the earlier scene was just an illusion.
Until the fourth day of hospitalization, Jeremy walked in with nothing in his hands, guilt on his face. “Corinne, I was too busy with work today and forgot your food. I’m sorry.”
My hand gripped the phone, which was placed face down. The glow showed through the thin blanket, exposing the video Ophelia had sent two minutes before.
The video showed Jeremy handing the thermal lunchbox, together with my food, to a street dog.
Just because Ophelia said, “That little dog is so poor,” the normally cold and extremely clean-freak head of the Ramsey Group lowered himself and half-knelt to personally feed the stray.
Then Ophelia sent a nearly proud message. [See that? You are only fit to share food with a stray dog.]
My eyes dropped and settled on his knees. The dirt on his black suit pants stood out clearly.
Noticing my silence, Jeremy followed my gaze and spoke calmly, “I just brushed against something by accident.”
I shifted my eyes away, my throat full of bitterness.
It felt like countless white ants were chewing inside my heart, sharp pain drilling deep into my heart.
Jeremy had barely sat for a minute before he stood to say farewell. “Corinne, there’s a project at the company. Order some takeout and eat.”
I stayed silent the whole time.
With a bang, the door shut, cutting me off from Jeremy, and my dark phone screen lit up again.
It was a photo Ophelia sent. In the hospital hallway, the man walked out of the ward and happily moved toward her.
That man was Jeremy, who had just gone out.
So the one he loved had been waiting outside, which explained why he had been so impatient.
I squeezed my hand hard, my nails pressing deep into my skin. My chest felt as if it had been torn open, a cold breeze rushing in and freezing me through.
The following day, I personally took care of the discharge process.
When I reached home, I saw Ophelia and Jeremy walking out of the study. My entire body trembled.
Suddenly, I recalled the time I had accidentally gone into the study before. Back then, Jeremy’s face had been dark as he warned me, “The study is not a place for idle people to enter. If there is a next time, I really get mad.”
As if to remind me, the next day he placed a sign on the study door that read “Corinne and dogs are not allowed to enter.”
But now Ophelia could walk into his study so easily, just like she easily walked into his heart.
It felt like my heart had been tightly held by a large invisible hand. The heavy pain made breathing hard for me.
They spoke with great excitement. Only when they bumped into me did they realize someone else was in the house.
“Oh my, sorry, sister… I-I don’t notice you. It’s all because I’m so careless… You don’t get hurt from the fall, right?”
Ophelia showed an innocent look, but the hand holding my wrist secretly pressed harder, her nails sharply digging into my skin.
The pain made me draw in a cold breath. I quickly pulled my hand away. She used the chance to drop to the floor and said seriously, “Sister, I let you push me back. Don’t be mad, okay?”
“Apologize!” Jeremy looked at me with a dark expression.
I held back the ache and heaviness in my chest and tried to explain, “I didn’t push her. She pinched me….”
Just when I was about to show the injury, Ophelia softly cut in, “Jeremy, I am fine. Sister doesn’t mean it. Maybe she sees me standing too close to you, so she…”
Jeremy’s face turned firm, his voice full of clear authority. “Corinne, apologize. Don’t make me say it a third time.”
