Chapter 1718

chapter1718

Alina watched Harvey retreat to the study, leaving her alone in the dining room. A wave of unease swept over her, leaving her momentarily dazed. There was a gnawing sense of foreboding she couldn't shake.

The anxiety mirrored the moment she discovered the villa's renovation plans had been changed without warning, leaving her scrambling to adjust on the fly.

Her stomach growled softly. She hadn't eaten lunch and was genuinely hungry. But now, her appetite was gone.

She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself, feeling utterly lost.

Just then, her phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen.

An unknown number was calling. Still rattled, she hesitated for a moment before answering. "Hello?"

"Is this Alina Jensen?" a woman's calm voice asked.

"Yes, it's me," Alina replied.

"I'm Theodore's fiancée-or, I should say, ex-fiancée. I just got a call from his parents. I just wanted to let you know. Theodore was in a car accident and is at Oakdale Hospital. If you have time, you should visit him," the woman explained evenly.

The woman on the phone spoke with a calmness that seemed out of place. She was not bitter or angry toward the person who had allegedly disrupted her engagement. Instead, she even offered a considerate reminder.

Alina didn't have time to dwell on it. She immediately asked, "A car accident? How did that happen?"

"I don't know the details. Car accidents happen all the time. But you two were each other's first loves, weren't you? You've known him far longer than I have, so you should know how he drives-constantly speeding.

"An accident like this was inevitable. Anyway, I have other things to do. Good luck rekindling whatever you two had. I'm done with him."

Her tone remained steady even when she said, "I'm done with him." Her calm demeanor was nothing like what one would expect from a fiancée in this situation.

Alina felt a jolt of disbelief.

Alina momentarily doubted this was

the same woman Theodore had described. He had claimed his

fiancée refused to accept the breakup, threatening suicide whenever he tried to end

things-crying, throwing tantrums, and even talking about hanging herself. Both families had blamed him, and he felt helpless.

Yet, this composed call suggested the opposite. The woman said she was done with him. She even called his first love, which didn't sound at all like someone causing trouble.

But there was no time to dwell on this right now. The situation with Theodore's accident was unclear, and she had to rush to the hospital immediately.

After leaving the dining room, Alina noticed Harvey looking at her from the couch. That brief look made her heart skip a beat.

"I... A friend of mine was in a car

accident need to go to the hospital now. I'll come back in a couple of days when you're not busy," Alina said hurriedly, avoiding Harvey's gaze.

She quickly changed her shoes. Just as she was about to open the door, she suddenly heard Harvey's voice. "Should I take you?"

Alina quickly refused. "No, no, you've had a long day at work. You need to rest. I'm heading home anyway, and I'll stop by the hospital on the way. He should be fine, so don't worry."

With that, she quickly pushed open the door and left, completely unaware of the sudden coldness in Harvey's gaze.

...

At the Oakdale Hospital, Skylar had just finished paying the fees.

She had been working overtime until about half an hour ago. As she was about to wrap up for the day, Caleb suddenly complained of severe stomach pain.

She quickly drove him to the hospital since they were the only two in the office working on a project.

Oakdale Hospital was the closest to their office, just a 20-minute drive away. After dropping Caleb off at the emergency room, she went to settle the payment.

The doctor had given a preliminary diagnosis of acute appendicitis, and surgery was required.

Caleb's parents were out of the country, and since Alexander was too old to come to the hospital, Skylar paid for the treatment and informed Alexander, who was on his way with the maid.