Chapter 4

Brooklyn stood at the door and looked back at me.

The corners of her mouth slowly curved up.

"There's no room for a cripple in my world."

"But I did it to save you..."

"I never asked you to save me."

"That was your own wishful thinking."

"You're my wife. Was it wrong of me to save you?"

"Mr. Simmons, don't talk nonsense. Who's your wife?"

"You've already put your fingerprint on the agreement."

"From now on, please call me Miss Stephens."

Brooklyn turned and walked away without hesitation.

Ava was afraid I might do something rash.

She hurried to comfort me.

"Rupert, it's okay. Brooklyn's probably just in a bad mood."

"She was only joking with you..."

I closed my eyes.

"I'm a little tired. You should go too."

I thought Ava would leave.

Then I woke up and opened my eyes.

Only then did I see her slumped against my hospital bed, asleep.

Peeled fruit was laid out on the table.

Along with a change of underwear.

I looked at her tired, sleeping face.

Just then a nurse came in on her rounds.

I gestured for her to keep it down, so as not to wake Ava.

The nurse asked me in a low voice, "Did you scold Miss Pruitt?"

I was startled, then shook my head. "No."

"She cried all night, but she was afraid of waking you, so she didn't dare cry out loud."

"A girl as good as her—don't let her down."

"As for that wife of yours..."

"Compared to her, she doesn't even come close."

I sat stunned for a few seconds, then gave a soft hum.

When dawn broke, Ava opened her eyes and woke to find herself lying in the bed.

And in a man's arms, no less.

She was completely dazed.

She saw me watching her with a smile.

Her whole body went stiff as she asked, "How... how did I end up in the bed?"

"I had the nurse lift you up here to sleep."

"Huh?"

Ava's pretty face turned red all the way to her ears.

She scrambled out of bed and quickly fixed her hair and collar.

"I'll go get some water to help you wash your face."

She hurried off with the basin.

At the water station, she happened to run into the night-shift nurse just getting off work.

She hesitated, then called out to her.

"Nurse Hansen, were you the one who carried me onto the bed last night?"

Nurse Hansen shook her head. "No."

"You... you didn't?"

Ava was even more bewildered, murmuring, "Then how did I end up in the bed?"

When she got back to the room.

Ava found the hospital bed empty.

She remembered the nurse talking about a patient who had jumped from the building a while back, and her face changed in an instant. The basin slipped from her hands and clattered to the floor, water splashing everywhere. Her eyes reddened at once, and the tears poured down uncontrollably.

"Rupert, please, don't jump!"

She turned to go looking for Rupert Simmons.

And suddenly bumped straight into a man's arms.

She cried out, and when she looked up.

She was stunned to find.

The man she'd been so worried about was standing right in front of her, holding a bouquet of flowers.

He gently reached out and wiped away her tears.

"Why are you crying?"