Chapter 10
Ashton, who had been watching the entire exchange, strode into the room with measured steps. His sharp gaze flickered toward Rebecca before he asked, “Why are you still awake?”
Rebecca’s expression softened into one of pleasant surprise. Pouting slightly, she tugged at his hand, coaxing him to sit at the edge of her bed before wrapping her arms around him. “I slept too much during the day, and now I can’t fall asleep. Why are you here?”
“To visit you,” Ashton replied, his voice calm, almost indifferent. Then, his gaze landed on me. His eyes darkened, his brows knitting together in displeasure. “Take care of that now!” he ordered coldly.
I flinched at his detached tone, but Rebecca merely sighed, her expression tinged with mock regret. “I was careless and accidentally hurt Scarlett.”
Ashton said nothing. Instead, he reached out and gently stroked her hair in a silent act of comfort.
Pain coiled in my chest, sharp and suffocating. It was as if I had been thrust to the edge of a precipice, forced to watch the man I loved devote his concern to someone else. Wordlessly, I turned and made my way out of the room, dragging my feet through the sterile hospital corridors.
I had known I would lose the bet. But a small, foolish part of me had still hoped—hoped that Ashton would ask, even in the briefest of words, if I was hurt. If he had, perhaps that would have been enough for me.
But he hadn’t. Not even a glance.
In the dimly lit hallway, a tall figure stepped into my path. Startled, I lifted my gaze and met Jared Crest’s solemn eyes.
“Dr. Crest,” I greeted, my voice barely above a whisper.
He studied me for a moment before asking quietly, “Does it hurt?”
The simple question sent a wave of sorrow crashing over me. I hadn’t realized just how much I had been holding back until my eyes began to blur with unshed tears. One by one, they fell, splattering onto the cold tile floor. A shiver coursed through me as the sterile hospital air wrapped around my trembling frame.
Even an acquaintance—someone who had no real reason to care—had asked if I was in pain. And yet, the man I had been married to for two years had looked right past me, as if I were nothing.
Jared reached for my injured hand, but instinctively, I tried to pull away. His grip tightened slightly, firm yet gentle.
“I’m a doctor,” he reminded me, his tone leaving no room for protest.
Of course. He wasn’t being kind; he was simply fulfilling his duty. That thought alone should have tempered my emotions, but it didn’t.
Wordlessly, I followed him into a treatment room. He exchanged a few words with the nurse on duty before turning to me. “She’ll take care of your wound.”
I nodded. “Thank you.”
As Jared disappeared down the corridor, the nurse took my hand, inspecting the burn with a critical eye. Her brows furrowed as she noted the forming blisters. “This is pretty severe. It might leave a scar.”
I managed a faint smile. “It’s fine.”
Some wounds were meant to leave scars—ones that would serve as a painful reminder.
The nurse hesitated before warning, “I’ll need to lance the blisters. It’ll hurt. Try to bear with it.”
“Mm.” I nodded. Compared to the aching void in my chest, this pain was nothing.
After tending to the burn, she gave me a few brief instructions before sending me on my way. As I made my way back to Rebecca’s ward, the murmur of voices from the stairwell caught my attention. I hesitated for a moment before curiosity got the better of me, drawing me closer.
“George is gone now. When will you divorce her?” Jared’s voice was low yet firm.
A familiar voice responded coolly, “Her? You mean Scarlett?”
I held my breath, inching forward to get a clearer view. Ashton stood at the railing, hands tucked into his pockets, his posture relaxed but his expression unreadable. Jared, leaning against the wall, held a cigarette between his fingers, its faint ember glowing in the dim light.
He tapped the cigarette against the railing before leveling Ashton with a serious gaze. “You know she’s innocent. You know she loves you.”
Ashton’s eyes darkened. “I wasn’t aware you were so concerned about her.”
Jared exhaled a long breath, shaking his head. “Don’t twist my words. I’m only reminding you because I don’t want you to regret this in the future. Love isn’t unconditional. Even if she loves you now, one day, she might walk away.”
Ashton let out a low, mocking laugh. “I’ve never wanted her love.”
The rest of his words blurred into a dull hum in my ears. I couldn’t bear to listen anymore.
Some things were better left unheard. Otherwise, I’d be nothing but a fool for holding on.