The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 109

A momentary hush fell over the hospital room.

Time seemed to freeze for a split second. In the dead silence, I could swear I heard my own racing heartbeat.

Standing in the doorway holding takeout containers, Zoey's smile stiffened on her face. She stared quietly at Ferris and me, her doe-like eyes filled with shock and panic.

As for Ferris in his casual clothes? He stood right beside me, looking perfectly unfazed, as if this incredibly awkward and absurd situation had absolutely nothing to do with him.

And then there was me. I hadn't even done anything wrong, but my heart was pounding like a war drum, making my palms sweat with nerves.

After a brief, loaded silence, the young woman at the door finally spoke. "Ferris? What are you doing here?"

"Discussing work with Dr. Hayes."

Ferris delivered the lie smoothly, not batting an eyelash, looking as effortlessly collected as ever.

I suppose that was technically true; he had been discussing the HR investigation with me. But what about Zoey?

"Oh, I see," the young woman murmured, lowering her eyes. The bright, eager excitement in her voice had already plummeted into deep disappointment. "What a coincidence."

Sensing her shift in mood, Ferris closed the distance in three long strides. Glancing at the takeout in her hands, he asked, "What brings you here?"

Zoey shot him a pitiful look before turning to me and whispering, "Selena was on an IV all night. I was worried her stomach might be empty, so I specifically brought her some breakfast."

She walked toward me and opened the containers right in front of us.

Savory oatmeal, breakfast sandwiches, and a side of hash browns.

Oddly enough, she had brought enough for two.

Catching my confused look, Zoey glanced back at Ferris and explained, "I didn't know you'd be here, Ferris, so I didn't get a portion for you."

I stared at the offered oatmeal, just about to decline, when Ferris interjected, "She doesn't have a sweet tooth for breakfast. Put those away."

Zoey's hand froze in midair. When she looked up at Ferris, her eyes instantly welled with tears.

This girl really didn't understand that walls have ears, did she?

"Admire? Do I?"

"Can't you even hear yourself?" Zoey sounded like a jealous girlfriend rattling off his crimes. "Yesterday, when Selena was brought to the room, your voice completely changed from panic. And just now? How did you even know she doesn't eat sweet breakfasts? I stood in line for half an hour to buy that for her!"

I glanced back at the takeout bags; it really was a famous, old-school bakery.

But was it true that his voice had completely changed from panic?

"You two caused a massive scene yesterday, and a colleague literally collapsed on the floor. Am I supposed to just stand there and ignore it?" His deep, magnetic voice drifted into my ears. "If something actually happened to her and the hospital administration investigated, what would happen to you?"

My hand clenched around the door handle, freezing me in place as if I had been struck by lightning. In an instant, my heart plunged into an icy abyss.

"So that's why you came to see Selena so early in the morning?"

"The incident blew up, and all levels of management are watching closely. The best solution is to keep both of you out of the public eye for a while," Ferris explained patiently. "I just wanted to convince her to take two days off until the scandal blows over."