The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 289

Ferris delivered the rejection with overt mockery.

After finishing his sentence, he cast a deeply affectionate look at Zoey, his eyes flashing with unabashed desire.

It was a look I knew all too intimately—it was the exact gaze Ferris wore when he was consumed by lust.

The young doctor clearly picked up on it too. A brief flutter of surprise crossed her beautiful eyes before she shyly averted her gaze, hiding from his predatory stare. A delicate smile curved her lips, perfectly capturing the essence of an innocent girl falling in love. Finally, she slid her gaze toward me, and I distinctly caught the vicious triumph glittering in her eyes.

Whether intentional or not, Zoey lightly tugged on Ferris's sleeve, subtly flashing the massive diamond ring sparkling on her middle finger. "Selena has been working so hard," she murmured sweetly. "Maybe you two should discuss your business first?"

"What business could possibly be more important than yours?" Ferris scoffed, casting a contemptuous glance my way. "Dr. Hayes has always been incredibly accommodating. I'm sure she knows how to handle herself."

Ferris was dead set on getting rid of me.

After I had trailed behind them like a pack mule through a mall for hours.

If he claimed this wasn't intentional torture, even I wouldn't believe him.

Still, beggars couldn't be choosers.

Knowing I had no other options, I nodded, offering him the highest degree of submissive understanding. "Alright. Please go ahead and attend to your plans, Dr. Sterling. We can discuss this tomorrow morning."

Perhaps he hadn't expected me to be so compliant. A flash of shock rippled through his dark eyes, but it vanished instantly. He turned back around, and the two of them walked side-by-side into the luxury building.

Right before they disappeared from view, I saw Ferris lean down and whisper something into Zoey's ear. She covered her mouth in a fit of giggles, the absolute picture of a wildly in-love couple.

The night air was freezing. Standing beside Ferris's abandoned G-Wagon in a thin jacket, I tilted my head back and stared up at the towering high-rise, counting the illuminated windows floor by floor until my gaze locked onto the specific level of Zoey's apartment.

By now, the two of them were definitely inside.

It was true. The man who was still legally my husband was sharing an apartment with his new lover right under my nose.

I didn't need to guess what was happening next.

Even though I had mentally prepared myself for this agonizing reality, standing directly beneath their love nest and staring up at the warm light glowing from their window was too much. I clutched my chest and stumbled backward. It felt like a brutal hand had plunged into my ribcage and was violently twisting my heart. Every breath I dragged into my lungs felt like inhaling crushed glass, the agonizing chill stabbing straight into my marrow.

An invisible noose tightened around my throat, trapping all my silent screams beneath a suffocating wave of despair. Even the act of crying felt like an impossible luxury. Only in that devastating silence did I realize that the most extreme agony makes absolutely no sound.

I genuinely believed my heart was already dead.

I genuinely believed it couldn't be broken any further.

But the universe was proving me wrong, showing me that my emotional armor was nothing but a fragile lie.

The bone-deep cold had frozen my jaw, making it impossible to string a sentence together.

Just then, another voice echoed through the torrential rain. "The owner is here. Let him handle it."

I looked up through the deluge and saw Ferris striding toward us, his brow locked in a fierce scowl.

When our eyes finally met, his frown deepened even further. "Dr. Sterling..." I choked out. "Please... explain to them..."

Ferris shot me a glare of profound irritation. "Why are you still here?"

I immediately turned to the guards, desperation clawing at my throat. "We... we know each other. This is all a misunderstanding."

The guard glared at me in disgust before turning to Ferris. "Mr. Sterling, do you actually know this... this woman?"

Ferris locked his predatory gaze onto my soaked, shivering frame. He didn't say a single word.

I tried again to clear my name. "He's my boss. I have an urgent matter to discuss with him, I swear."

Seeing my frantic sincerity, the guard eased his aggressive stance but kept his eyes locked on Ferris, waiting for confirmation.

But Ferris just stood silently in the rain, refusing to clear my name.