Josie never expected to see Matthew under these circumstances. He was dressed in white, his usual professional and gentle demeanor intact. Seeing her waking up, he gently pressed on her stomach, “Does it still hurt here?”
Seeing him, Josie felt embarrassed. She raised her arm to cover her eyes and spoke in a low voice, “A little.” Matthew’s expression stiffened as he glanced at the man waiting outside the ward. Dexter’s eyes were dark and impenetrable, making it difficult to discern his thoughts.
In a low voice, Matthew advised, “You fainted because of exhaustion, and your body is too weak. You need to take better care of yourself. The vomiting was likely caused by irregular eating habits recently. I’ll prescribe some medicine for you. Rest well and stick to a light diet.”
As Matthew turned to leave, Josie grabbed the edge of his clothes and asked, “Matthew, when can I leave here?” She still had an IV drip attached to her wrist.
“Just one more bottle of nutrition, “he adjusted the drip speed for her while asking, “What happened? Did something go wrong?”
Josie forced a smile and nodded, “Since you’ve examined me, you should be able to guess what happened.”
The scar on her waist remained, not fully healed yet. She deliberately didn’t use the ointment given by Lao Sun. She wanted to remember this shame on her own. Matthew pursed his lips. Just now, he saw Dexter rush in carrying her. Matthew was startled by the terrifying darkness that filled in his eyes.
He unbuttoned Josie’s clothes and saw bruises, kiss marks, and the scar on her waist, piecing together the general picture. Dexter’s voice resonated from above, “Matthew, you’re her friend. Can I trust you?”
Ignoring the bitterness creeping in him, Matthew simply nodded. Arnold and Eileen followed along. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, Arnold wouldn’t have believed the man that acted so ruthlessly in the market was the same man that anxiously carried Josie to the hospital.
“Let’s go, “Arnold pinched the woman’s soft and delicate hand, his eyes distant and ethereal. “Let them solve their own problems, okay?” Eileen’s eyes were amber, resembling a cat’s. “Alright.”
“Will you be working overtime tonight? Dad wants us to go home for dinner.” She held onto Arnold’s hands. Sensing the coldness in his eyes, she looked at him pleadingly.
Revealing a distant smile on his face, he caressed her chestnut-colored hair. “Okay, I’ll send you home first.” “Then I’ll wait for you at home, and we can go together later.” Arnold accepted the arrangement. “Don’t tire yourself out. Rest well.”
After resting for a while, Josie thought everyone had left. She finally removed her arm from her eyes and opened them slightly. To her surprise, she saw a man standing beside her bed, his expression as cold as ice, staring intently at her.
Josie revealed a startled expression but quickly regained her composure, looking indifferent. Dexter, as if guessing her thoughts, calmly spoke, “You were the one who kept holding onto my clothes, not allowing me to leave.”
Josie was taken aback, and seeing his unwavering expression, she realized he wasn’t joking. “Thank you, “her expression unchanged, “But I don’t need you here anymore.”
Dexter raised an eyebrow slightly. “Are you biting the hand that saved you?” Josie felt annoyed. She detested his mocking tone and besides, if it weren’t for him, she might not have fainted in the first place.
She turned around to leave, but after taking just a couple of steps, she noticed that the needle she had just pulled out caused a sudden gush of blood, covering her hands. Startled by the blood, the man hurriedly approached, taking her to the bathroom to clean up before calling Matthew inside. Josie impatiently struggled, saying, “Let go of me.”
He forcefully pressed her back onto the bed, revealing a wave of hidden anger. “Don’t move!”
