He Lost Me to His Best Friend novel Chapter 170

It happened in a flash.

By the time Scarlett registered the movement, Yardley was already crumpled on the floor, completely unresponsive. Pure instinct took over, and she darted forward to check on him.

"What just happened? Did he pass out?"

Talia let out a shocked gasp.

Scarlett checked his breathing, her hands steady, and immediately pulled out her phone to call Nathan.

Thankfully, Nathan had been waiting right outside the restaurant. The moment he heard what happened, he sprinted upstairs. Together, the three of them dragged Yardley off the floor and rushed him to the nearest hospital.

After Yardley was wheeled into the ER, Scarlett wiped a bead of cold sweat from her forehead and turned to Nathan.

"What's wrong with him? His health was always perfect."

Nathan looked at Scarlett and let out a heavy sigh.

"Ever since you and the baby moved out, Mr. Flynn has suffered from crippling insomnia every single night. He's been dealing with an insane workload during the day, and with all the massive crises happening... he caught a bad cold a few days ago and just refused to stop working. I think his body finally just gave out."

Scarlett stared at him in disbelief.

"He has insomnia? That's impossible. He's always been militant about getting exactly seven hours of sleep."

Yardley was the absolute definition of a disciplined corporate elite. His diet, his reading schedules, his sleep—everything was timed down to the second.

He was religiously disciplined, especially about his rest, forcing himself to get exactly seven hours of sleep a night. In their five years of marriage, she had never known him to struggle with sleep.

Nathan shook his head. "Mr. Flynn had severe insomnia long before he met you. He saw countless doctors, but nothing worked."

Glancing around to make sure no one was listening, Nathan decided to reveal a massive secret.

"Do you want to know the real reason he was so absolutely determined to marry you back then? It was because he realized that holding you was the only thing that cured him. When you were beside him, he could fall asleep instantly. Ms. Langley... Mr. Flynn didn't marry you out of cold obligation. He just doesn't know how to express his feelings."

The ER doors swung open, and Yardley was wheeled out. The doctor approached them with a grim expression.

"Are you the patient's family? His physical condition is deteriorating rapidly due to extreme, prolonged sleep deprivation. If he continues like this, it's going to trigger major organ failure."

"I've administered a strong sedative to force him under, but medication is a band-aid, not a cure. The absolute priority right now is ensuring the patient gets natural, uninterrupted rest."

The doctor's diagnosis perfectly mirrored everything Nathan had just said.

Scarlett frowned, looking down at Yardley unconscious on the hospital bed. It was only now that she truly noticed the damage. His usually striking, flawless face was severely hollowed out. His eyes were deeply sunken, framed by bruised, blackened skin, and his complexion was the color of ash.

Furthermore, the man who was historically obsessed with immaculate grooming now had a scruffy, dark five-o'clock shadow covering his jawline. He looked completely broken.

"I read somewhere that extreme, prolonged sleep deprivation can literally cause sudden death. Scarlett... Yardley isn't going to die, is he?"

Talia leaned in and whispered nervously into Scarlett's ear.