The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 115

Zoey's sudden interruption broke my conversation with the Thornes.

As three pairs of eyes simultaneously darted to the door, the young woman realized she had spoken out of turn. She looked flustered and stammered timidly, "I-I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt, I..."

She trailed off, shooting a desperate, pleading look at Ferris.

The usually stern man stepped into the room with steady strides. His gaze fell on the patient as he asked, "How is Beatrice feeling tonight?"

Terrence quickly stood at attention and answered honestly, "She didn't have much of an appetite for dinner, but the incision is healing well. Wait a second, Dr. Sterling, didn't you just do your rounds two hours ago? Are you on rounds again?"

Ferris shot him a sharp look. "What, does my work schedule require your approval now, Mr. Thorne?" he asked, displeased.

Terrence looked startled and waved his hands defensively. "Dr. Sterling, don't tease me. My bad, I talked too much. Everyone at Capital General knows you're the most dedicated doctor here..."

By the end of his sentence, Terrence's voice was as small as a mosquito's, a hilarious contrast to his massive six-foot frame.

Thinking back to the chaos in the ward that morning, Terrence had been ready to throw punches. Yet, the moment he saw Ferris, he acted like a chick in front of a hawk. Considering the Thorne Family's deep background according to the head nurse, I doubted Terrence was actually terrified of Ferris; he just didn't want to clash with the chief surgeon operating on his wife.

As for Ferris, after putting Terrence in his place, he patiently examined Beatrice's condition without a hint of perfunctoriness.

Once the checkup was done, he offered a few extra instructions regarding her diet and rest—an unusually chatty moment for him.

Terrence carefully jotted everything down in a small notebook. Once finished, he asked, "Is there anything else we need to know, Dr. Sterling?"

Ferris glanced at him without saying a word, but he remained rooted to the spot, showing no intention of leaving.

If I guessed correctly, he had more to say.

But his silence caused the previously conversational room to plunge into a sudden quiet.

The atmosphere grew inexplicably awkward.

Beatrice seemed to realize Ferris had unfinished business and proactively asked, "Is there something else on your mind, Dr. Sterling?"

And just like that, the crisis was perfectly resolved.

Ten minutes later, Ferris, Zoey, and I prepared to leave the room. I glanced back at Beatrice's shaved head, then at Terrence standing next to her, trying to make her laugh. An inexplicable sadness washed over me.

This wasn't Beatrice's first brain tumor surgery.

Because the malignant tumor continued to spread, even with an optimistic outlook, she probably didn't have many years left.

That was why Terrence cared so deeply about the qualifications of even a lowly anesthesiologist.

A couple like that—they were a true married couple.

Not like Ferris and me. Shrouded in the facade of marriage, we were nothing more than strangers who knew each other's faces.

Was this kind of marriage really what I wanted?