Next Man, Better Plan novel Chapter 281

Quennel caught the faint, pleasant scent on Stephanie.

It used to be his favorite.

Now, with Stephanie so close, his heart began to race uncontrollably.

He still had feelings for her.

Especially after she had drawn a clear line between them, the feeling of wanting what he couldn't have was magnified infinitely.

He was desperate to fix their relationship.

If he could just get Stephanie to stay with him for the night, Quennel was confident he could win her back.

Stephanie tried to pull her wrist away.

But Quennel held on tight, his voice earnest and laced with a sense of grievance. “Stephanie! Stay with me!”

He suddenly felt something hard pressing into his palm from her finger, causing a slight ache.

Quennel glanced down and his eyes landed on the enormous diamond ring on her ring finger.

The pink diamond sparkled under the hospital room's lights, exuding a high-end brilliance that screamed of its immense value.

Quennel was stunned for a few seconds.

He asked, “Is this from Jonathan?”

Stephanie looked down at it, then her lips curved into a smile. “Yes, it’s beautiful, isn’t it? It’s brand new, too. My husband brought it back for me personally from a business trip. It’s a diamond no one else has ever worn.”

Quennel froze, realizing she was mocking him for the engagement ring he had given her, which he had taken from another woman's hand.

He pressed his lips together, feeling a pang of injustice. “I didn't know Victoria had secretly taken it out and worn it,” he explained.

He’d only found out later by going through Victoria's phone and seeing a Facebook post she’d made. She had hidden the post from him, so he’d never seen it.

Stephanie just smiled, looking completely unbothered. “It’s fine. You’re just an innocent boy, after all. The most blameless person in the whole world.”

Quennel flinched.

Just then, the door to the hospital room was kicked open from the outside.

It was Jonathan, radiating an icy chill as he stood in the doorway.

His eyes were cold, and his overcoat was dripping with water. It seemed the rain was pouring, and he had come through it without protection. Even the tips of his hair were damp.

Stephanie wasn't sure if Jonathan had seen what just happened, or if he would misunderstand and be upset…

Quennel frowned in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

Seizing the moment of his distraction, Stephanie quickly wrenched her hand free. She hurried to Jonathan's side and linked her arm through his. “I called him.”

She smiled brightly. “You said you were in pain and needed company, right? It’s not appropriate for us to be alone. My husband is a man, and you two run in the same circles. I called him to keep you company. I’m sure you’ll have plenty to talk about.”

Quennel's frown deepened.

The way she said “my husband” made his chest tighten.

No wonder she had been staring at her phone when he first came out of surgery.