The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 36

Standing there as a group of four, I suddenly felt like we were crossing paths way too often lately.

Especially with Dr. Sterling—the husband listed on my marriage certificate.

The last time we saw each other was barely an hour ago.

This level of frequency was just asking for trouble.

I wasn't the only one feeling awkward; Leon, standing right beside me, looked like he was about to combust from the sheer tension.

But Zoey, completely oblivious, just stared at the burn ointment in my hand. "Are you hurt, Selena? Did Dr. Lennox bring that just for you?"

I wished she hadn't said anything. Thanks to her, everyone's attention locked straight onto the tube in my hand.

Leon immediately scrambled to explain. "I just had an extra tube, so I gave it to her. She got burned."

He stuttered through the explanation, stealing a nervous glance at Ferris.

Ferris's expression remained completely unreadable. Zoey, on the other hand, scanned me from head to toe before asking, "Where did you get burned?"

I tugged at my collar and downplayed it. "It's nothing. Just a minor scratch."

She was sharper than I gave her credit for. Catching my subtle movement, she pinpointed the burn's location and sighed dramatically. "Dr. Lennox really is so attentive to you."

Leon froze. He threw me a frantic look before turning to Ferris. "Say something, man."

He sounded desperate.

It was painfully obvious he was terrified of Ferris getting the wrong idea.

Yet Ferris maintained his flawless stoicism. After a suffocating silence, he finally drawled, "What is there to say about you and Dr. Hayes?"

Me and Leon?

My eyes darted up. I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing.

I stared at the man who had spoken, looking every inch the composed, perfect gentleman.

Wow. This was my legal husband, the man I was supposed to share my life and interests with. Yet here he was, actively pushing his wife toward another man just to prove his unwavering loyalty to the young woman by his side.

Talk about true love.

I balled my hands into tight fists, feeling equal parts exhausted and unsurprised. I was just about to snap back when Leon suddenly raised his voice. "Is that right? Nothing to say? Fine. You look busy anyway, so why don't you just take Zoey home?"

He was practically kicking them out.

And his tone was shockingly sharp.

I hadn't noticed, and none of my colleagues had cared. Even my own husband had turned a blind eye.

The only person who had spotted it was Leon.

Not the man who shared my bed.

At that thought, I stared down at the tube of ointment and let out a heavy sigh.

But in the next second, a set of long, elegant fingers materialized out of nowhere and snatched the ointment right out of my hand.

I stumbled back in shock. I looked up and realized Ferris had silently slipped into the bathroom and was standing right next to me.

He was wearing nothing but a white button-down, the top unfastened to reveal a tantalizing stretch of collarbone and skin. His dark, piercing eyes were fixed squarely on the small tube in his hand.

His gaze was lazy, like a lion that had just woken up—lethargic, but radiating danger.

He was obviously here to start a fight.

I didn't want to engage. I reached out to grab the ointment back, but he easily dodged my hand.

I shot him a glare just as he met my eyes. Holding my gaze, Ferris casually shook the tube and said in a voice made of ice, "You're so eager to catch me slipping, Dr. Hayes. Aren't you afraid of handing me the evidence first?"