Alex raised an eyebrow, his voice tinged with curiosity. “Which one?”
“The Maple Group,” Sadie replied, her voice a gentle whisper, as if confiding a secret. “The CEO’s surname is Dominguez. Does that ring a bell?”
A mischievous grin slowly spread across Alex’s face, his eyes lighting up. “You should’ve led with that. Our families have been friends for generations. Consider it done.”
A flicker of excitement danced in Sadie’s eyes, igniting them with hope. “Really? Help me get that project, and I’ll owe you a dinner at the finest restaurant in town!”
Alex’s laughter echoed in the room, warm and infectious, enhancing his already striking features.
“It’s a promise!” he declared. “Once you’re on your feet again, I’ll arrange a meeting with Mr. Dominguez myself.”
Sadie’s spirits lifted, a soft blush tinting her pale cheeks. “It’s a deal!”
Alex reached over to press the call button beside her bed, signaling the nurse to attend to the finished IV drip.
As he stood to leave, his voice softened, filled with a tender earnestness. “Rest up. I’ll be here tomorrow to keep you company again.”
A wave of warmth washed over Sadie, her heart swelling with gratitude, yet burdened by the thought of the inconvenience she was causing Alex.
“That’s sweet, but really, I’ll be fine on my own,” she murmured gently, turning down the offer.
The concern in Alex’s eyes deepened, reflecting sincere compassion as he gazed at her. “Sadie, don’t shut yourself away from the kindness others offer. This world has its harshness, but there’s also a lot of kindness. Let yourself accept it; you deserve that much.”
The words made Sadie’s eyes brim with unshed tears again.
With a quick, shaky breath, she lowered her gaze to mask her vulnerability and managed a subdued nod. Her voice, thick with emotion, barely whispered, “Okay.”
After Alex’s departure, a heavy silence reclaimed the room.
Sadie pulled out her tablet, her fingers brushing over its surface before she immersed herself in crafting her presentation and refining her documents.
Next time she met Roy, she wanted to be ready-impressive enough to win him over.
The weight of her decision to part ways with Noah pressed heavily on Sadie, reminding her that, from now on, she needed to be her own anchor. Once a vibrant and promising designer, she had allowed her talents to dim in Noah’s shadow.
But that was about to change. Determined, she vowed to herself that she would reclaim the value she had once placed on her own worth.
The following day, as the noon sun cast stark light through her window, Sadie’s eyes fluttered open. Groggy and disoriented, she squinted against the bright light and noticed a shadowy figure looming nearby. Assuming it was Alex, she called out, “Alex, is that you?”
But the response came in a harsh, irate tone that chilled the air. “Sadie, look carefully at who I am!”
Sadie’s eyes snapped into focus, her brow furrowing in distress as the figure before her became clearer.
Noah stood tall in his impeccably tailored suit, his presence commanding and his expression unyielding. Confidence and power radiated from him, but the fire of displeasure flickered in his gaze.
“What are you doing here?” Sadie’s voice cut through the tension, her tone cool and detached.
“Oh, so I’m not supposed to be here?” Noah shot back, irritation lacing his words. “Or is it just that you’d rather see Alex? Sadie, let me remind you-you’re still my wife!” His voice, though steady, betrayed a flicker of vulnerability.
A tremor of emotion fluttered through Sadie’s heart.
She remembered Alex’s gentle words from the previous night, “You deserve that much.”
Alex’s voice carried a warmth that stood in sharp contrast to Noah’s cold indifference, wrapping around her like a comforting embrace.
Yet, she dared not let her guard down.
Dodging the brewing storm of their confrontation, Sadie steered the conversation. “When will you sign the divorce agreement?” she asked, her voice a mix of resolve and weariness.
Noah was at a loss for words, his complex gaze locking onto hers.
His eyes, deep and tumultuous, seemed to churn with a storm of unsaid words, but he swiftly quelled the rising emotions.
With a deliberate clearing of his throat to mask his unease, he slid a small box across the bedside table toward her. “Open it and see.”
Sadie didn’t care what Noah was up to-she just wanted him gone, the sooner, the better. So, she played along and opened the box. Inside, nestled among the soft fabric, lay a set of gleaming pink car keys for a Mercedes. They caught the sunlight and twinkled mesmerizingly.
“You’re giving me a car?” she inquired, her voice steady and devoid of any real shock.
Noah gazed at her, his lips slightly parted in anticipation. “Do you like it?” A subtle tremor of nervousness lingered in his voice, almost imperceptible.
Before Sadie could muster a reply, the door to the hospital room burst open. Kyla strode in with effortless grace, her white dress flowing, a serene smile on her face.
“Sadie, Noah took me along to pick this for you. It’s pink-absolutely your color.”
Her voice carried a tinge of pride, bordering on arrogance.
At those words, Sadie’s grip on the box tightened momentarily, irritation flashing across her face before she forced herself to relax. With a swift motion, she snapped the box shut and extended it back toward Noah. “Take it back,” she demanded calmly.
Noah’s expression morphed into one of confusion. “You don’t like it?” His eyebrows knitted together, surprise evident in his voice.
Before Sadie could respond, Kyla inserted herself into the conversation, her tone overly sweet. “Sadie, you really should accept this. It’s Noah’s gift to you, and if you don’t, he’ll always feel guilty.”
Guilty?
Sadie’s mind raced to the reason why. It was because when, battered from her accident, she had called for help, and Noah had hung up on her. What made it worse was his decision to bring Kyla here now, flaunting their bond as if to spite her.
As these thoughts swirled in her head, Sadie fixed Kyla with a sardonic smile and said with deliberate nonchalance, “Do you like it? I certainly don’t care for it anymore, so you might as well have it.”
Her words carried a hidden edge, hinting not just at the car, but at Noah as well.
Kyla’s face flushed with a mix of surprise and embarrassment. She was clearly stung by the implication that she was merely taking Sadie’s unwanted things. She bit her lip in visible distress and tugged at Noah’s sleeve, her eyes pleading. “Noah, did you hear what she said?”
Noah, catching the undercurrents of Sadie’s disdain, bristled with indignation. “Is it that you don’t like this car, or just the one I chose for you?”
“Does it make a difference?” Sadie retorted, her voice dripping with icy detachment. “You’ve delivered your gift, now you can leave. And don’t make me press the call button to have you escorted out like last time.”
Noah gave a casual shrug, arching an indifferent eyebrow before settling into a chair beside Sadie’s hospital bed. With deliberate slowness, he picked up an apple and started peeling it, seemingly unaffected by the gravity of the moment.
“Just so you know,” he said, his tone effortlessly composed. “I’m now a major shareholder of this hospital. If I run into a problem, a quick call to the director will take care of it.”
Sadie couldn’t mask her incredulity. “What the hell do you want?” she demanded, fixing him with a piercing stare that seemed to search his soul. “You made it clear you wanted a divorce, which I agreed to, yet you refuse to sign the papers. You ignored my calls for help during my accident, and now you won’t leave my hospital room. Noah, do you even realize how much you’re contradicting yourself?”
At her words, Noah’s hand stilled on the apple, a sudden discomfort gripping him. He was at a loss, torn between his feelings and his pride.
Remembering Sadie’s distant demeanor the previous day sent a jolt of pain through him, spurring a desperate need to mend things between them. Yet, his pride wouldn’t allow him to acknowledge how much he still cared about her.
His voice turned icy as he replied, “Don’t read too much into it. I’m here merely to offer some comfort, nothing more than a gesture of goodwill for the sake of our marriage.”
A sharp pang struck Sadie’s heart at his words. Her eyes welled up with unshed tears, but she fought them back fiercely. “I don’t want your pity,” she declared, her voice breaking slightly. “I’ve cried over you for the last time.”
As Sadie’s sorrowful confession hung in the air, Noah’s attention wavered. The fruit knife he was holding slipped, gouging a deep wound into his fingertip. A stream of blood trickled down, staining the apple’s flesh and spattering the pristine white bedsheet with startling crimson drops. Oblivious to the pain, Noah remained transfixed by Sadie’s desolate tone until Kyla’s alarmed voice broke through his reverie.
“Oh, Noah, you’ve hurt yourself!” she exclaimed, her concern palpable.
Yet, Noah paid her no mind. His gaze remained intensely fixed on Sadie, his eyes shimmering with unspoken agony. It was as though he was searching for a clue in her features, but he hesitated to meet her gaze directly, fearing the vulnerability it might expose.
Kyla tugged gently at Noah’s sleeve, her voice sweet yet insistent. “We should clean that wound and maybe get a tetanus shot. It looks pretty deep, and it definitely needs some bandaging.”
Noah, however, didn’t respond, his gaze still fixed on Sadie, seemingly oblivious to Kyla’s concern.
With a subtle bite of her lip, masking her rising jealousy, Kyla turned to Sadie and pleaded, “Sadie, could you please tell Noah to see a doctor? He’ll listen if it’s coming from you.”
Sadie offered Kyla a mocking smile before her eyes settled on Noah with a serene expression, as if untouched by the tension.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.
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