Chapter 6 I’m Counting on You
“Wrap your arm in plastic wrap before you take a shower. Don’t pop the blisters. Let them heal and fall off naturally to avoid scarring.”
Frederick reminded Vivienne carefully as he looked at her.
A trace of gentleness flashed across his eyes, making them all the more charming and luminous.
Vivienne nodded. As she stood up, her hair brushed against Frederick’s chin.
In the next second, the scent of her own hair shampoo mingled with the sun-warmed linen warmth radiating from Frederick’s clothes drifted into her nostrils.
Her heart skipped a beat as she suddenly realized they were too close to each other. She instinctively moved aside a little.
Then she happened to see him clench and then unclench his hand on his side. It seemed he was a bit flustered, too.
As she pretended to be calm, he continued, “Oh, and remember-you should avoid friction or pressure on the injuries.
“Get plenty of rest. Also, a balanced diet matters. More protein and vitamin intake is recommended. For example, milk, lean meats, fish, and seasonal fruits such as cherries…”
Vivienne frowned.
Noticing this, he stopped talking at once.
He thought, “Is she annoyed?
“Am I nagging? But I still have so many things to remind her…”
Meanwhile, Vivienne thought, “If he continues talking non-stop, there’s no need for Lillian to wait. They might as well start preparing a funeral for her.”
She said, “Thank you, Dr. Kingsley. I…”
In the next second, someone grabbed her right wrist with great force.
Sebastian glanced at Frederick, his gaze sharp, and then he dragged her out forcibly.
Failing to break free, she turned around and said to Frederick, “Dr. Kingsley, I’m counting on you!”
o
Outside the ER, she shook Sebastian’s hand away hard.
Sebastian’s expression darkened to the utmost. “How did you get him here?”
She didn’t want to talk to him at all unless it was about the divorce.
So, she turned to walk away, only to be dragged back by him.
He fumed. “Didn’t you hear my question?”
“Are you done?” Her breathing became slightly rapid.
Some patients and their families nearby looked at them, some even aiming their phones at them.
Realizing having a row with Sebastian here would drag Frederick into their mess, she explained, her voice lukewarm, “We met yesterday at Serenity Cemetery.
“I saved his daughter.”
Sebastian’s brows relaxed slightly.
He thought, “So, that’s what this is about-Dr. Kingsley is returning a favor. No wonder she could get him here. I figured there was something going on between them.”
‘Sebastian, what happened? Is Vivienne there?”
Suddenly, Eliza’s voice rang out from somewhere.
Vivienne lowered her head and looked at Sebastian’s left hand.
His phone screen was lit, and she saw the name “Eli” flickering clearly.
Realizing Sebastian had been on the phone with Eliza throughout, she sneered and then left, getting out of the hair of the lespicable duo.
As Sebastian put his phone next to his ear, he was still a bit absent-minded.
He saw Vivienne heading to the hospital cafeteria.
Then he remembered she had always hated airplane food, so probably, she hadn’t taken a bite since morning.
He thought, “I’d always prepare her favorite food before picking her up at the airport.
And she’d hug me before eating, saying it felt so good to be cared about.
Now that I’m starting to neglect her, it must be killing her.”
He said to Eliza, “Don’t worry. Mom and I are fine. Go to rest with Lucy after dinner.”
He sounded so gentle and patient as if he were coaxing a little kid.
Meanwhile, he fixed his gaze on the cafeteria.
He told himself, “Keep neglecting Vivienne. Once she knows what it feels like to be unloved, she’ll understand and accept Eli.”
In St. Avalon Hospital’s cafeteria.
Chapter 6 I’m Counting on You
It was quiet and spotless.
While eating seafood soup, Vivienne mused.
She thought, “Dr. Hayes’ husband is from Northgale, and he’s a doctor, too. And I ran into Dr. Kingsley last night at Serenity Cemetery.
“Is he… Dr. Hayes’ husband?”
She set down the spoon, wiped her mouth, and went to the operating room.
As she arrived, she saw Eliza talking to Sebastian with tears in her eyes.
Sebastian cupped Eliza’s face, his distress for her palpable.
Back then, when Sebastian hati courted Vivienne, he had promised, “If I’m lucky enough to be with you, I’ll never come near any other woman.”
He, a cold, aloof man, had actually said that to her so affectionately, which moved her totally.
But now, she actually didn’t feel a thing as she saw him touch another woman’s face.
She found a comfortable seat and sat down.
Eliza spotted her and walked over, asking with concern, “Vivienne, where were you just now?”
Vivienne said flatly, “Get out of my face before I slap you again.”
‘Don’t get mad, Vivienne. I just feel that it was such a shame that you didn’t get to see Lillian before the surgery.”
‘Why is that? You make it sound like she’s gonna die on the operating table,” Vivienne said.
“Vivienne, you… How could you curse Lillian?” Eliza was so furious that her eyes reddened.
Sebastian strode over, a trace of disgust flashing across his eyes as his gaze fell upon Vivienne. Then he wrapped his arm around Eliza’s shoulders and led her to sit somewhere far away from Vivienne.
It was exactly what Vivienne wanted.
The surgery seemed to take forever.
She texted Kimberly to assign another mission, “Go to Rose Manor and sell all the jewelry in my safe. And check if my wedding ring is still in the trash bin in the bedroom. If so, sell it as well. Also, list Rose Manor for 150 million dollars. I wanna sell it as fast as possible.”
Kimberly came from Rivemont, and her grandfather was her only remaining family. He now lived in Corelynx Hearth Center.
Kimberly had been by Vivienne’s side since her graduation five years ago and was now Vivienne’s most trusted assistant.
Just then, the light above the operating room doors went dark, and Frederick walked out first in his olive-green scrubs.
Chapter 6 I’m Counting on You
Sebastian and Eliza walked over to him right away. Sebastian asked, “Dr. Kingsley, how’s my mom?”
Yet, Frederick didn’t even look at Sebastian, let alone answer. His eyes behind his silver-rimmed glasses landed on a spot farther back.
Vivienne stood up from the seat in the rear and looked at Frederick, asking him with her eyes.
He took off his mask and said, “The surgery was a big success.
The patient was saved within the critical six-hour window, so chances are, she won’t have any complications.”
Then he joined the other doctors walking out of the ER and discussed issues that had come up during the surgery while walking forward.
Eliza was so overjoyed that she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Sebastian’s neck.
“Sebastian, I knew it! I knew Lillian could make it! I knew it!”
He pulled her into his arms.
Thank you, Eli, for praying for her.”
Vivienne looked at them, the mockery in her eyes undisguised.
She thought, “You shameless couple. Go ahead and hug each other like that. Don’t let go even till the day you die.”
She turned around and fixed her gaze on Frederick.
He was so tall, and his figure cast an elongated shadow across the white wall.
After pondering for a while, she caught up with him.
“Dr. Kingsley.”
Frederick stopped, and the others all entered the locker room.
He tilted his body to wait for Vivienne.
She walked closer to him, her probing eyes unfathomable.
“May I ask you something? You’re from Northgale. Why did you take Harriett to Serenity Cemetery in Rivemont?”
