The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 187

Ferris's blunt "Where are you?" completely threw me off.

If I remembered correctly, this was the very first time since we got married that he had actively checked on my whereabouts.

And of all times, it was now.

At a time like this, when I was hiding from the world.

"Are you deaf?"

His deep voice pulled me back to reality. "I'm not at Eden Gardens," I admitted.

Before he could speak, I added, "And I won't be back for the next few days."

"You won't be back?"

"No. The situation is completely out of control. If reporters track me down, it'll be a massive disaster." Keeping Vivian's brutal warning in mind, I laid it all out. "I won't implicate the Sterlings, and I'll do my best to keep you out of this, Dr. Sterling."

The moment the words left my mouth, he let out a dark chuckle. "So, should I be thanking you, Dr. Hayes?"

I heard the biting sarcasm, but I couldn't even muster the energy to be angry. "You're too kind, Dr. Sterling," I replied flatly.

The line suddenly went dead silent.

I thought Ferris had hung up, but when I checked the screen, the call was still connected.

After two seconds of hesitation, I asked, "Is there anything else, Dr. Sterling?"

"Like you said, you'd better not bring any trouble to my door."

With that, Ferris ended the call.

I stared at the darkened screen and quietly locked my phone.

Right. We were just bound by a contract. What was I even expecting?

Helping me was a favor; ignoring me was his right.

"You're too smart for your own good, Dr. Hayes," Leon's warm voice drifted through the phone—a stark contrast to the freezing temperature of Ferris's tone. "I figured since you rushed out of the hospital, you wouldn't have any of your stuff. So I ordered some basics from a nearby supermarket. Check if I missed anything, and I'll have a courier drop it off."

"No, no, no, you shouldn't have," I refused immediately. "I'll order whatever else I need myself. I'll wire you the money for this right now."

"You're treating me like a stranger, Dr. Hayes. Besides..." Leon paused, his tone shifting to utter seriousness. "You know every media outlet in the city is trying to interview you. Your personal information is at a massive risk of being leaked. If some sleazy reporter tracks you down through your phone number via delivery apps, who is going to protect you?"

Leon's warning sent a cold shiver down my spine. Then he added, "So from this moment on, unless it's family, absolutely do not answer any unknown numbers. If you need anything, tell me. We're in this trench together, understand?"

Hearing him say we were in this together immediately brought my mind back to the truck driver lying in the ICU. "Has the administration announced how they're handling this?"

"There's a press conference scheduled for ten tomorrow morning," Leon answered patiently. "But you don't need to attend, Dr. Hayes. The hospital will release the basic facts about the driver. Also, the police have officially launched an investigation. If you ask me, there's more to this than meets the eye."

I was mildly shocked. "You mean there's a hidden element to the crash?"

"It's just a theory," Leon analyzed rationally. "From what I found out, this truck driver has a solid work ethic. He's got a bit of a temper, but he gets along well with his colleagues. Plus, he has a six-year-old daughter at home. He had zero reason to become suicidal."

"So that means there's more to the story," I recalled the moment we brought him to the operating room. "When the crowd surged forward, his will to live was incredibly strong."