The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 379

I was frozen to the core.

Yet, in that freezing clarity, I finally had my answer.

Ferris forbidding me from dating and demanding I stay away from other men had absolutely nothing to do with him caring about me.

It was all about his darling Zoey.

He couldn't let me be with Leon because it might somehow threaten his future with her. He was eliminating the risk.

He hadn't lost control today. He had been intentionally degrading me.

He had purposely taken me right here, under these exact circumstances, just to prove a point.

He wanted to show me that my resistance was entirely futile. I couldn't fight him; he had endless ways to force me into submission.

Numbly, I got up, dressed, and sat with my father for a while before finally leaving the Greenwood Care Center around nine that night.

Ferris didn't come home that night.

I wasn't surprised.

I didn't know why Zoey had suddenly decided to go on a drinking binge with Zelda, but I knew that since Ferris had gone to her, he would undoubtedly spend the night nursing her back to health in their little love nest.

He had always been incredibly tender and endlessly patient when it came to his precious favorite.

The next morning, I had just woken up and was washing my face when Lucille called. "Selena, have you talked to Ferris yet?"

The moment I ended the call, my phone buzzed again. This time it was Leon. "Dr. Hayes, are you ready? Should I pick you up at the usual spot?"

"Ready for what?" I asked, completely confused.

"The weekend trip to Westmont Hot Springs! Let me guess, you just woke up and have no idea what's going on, do you?" Leon laughed, his voice warm and teasing.

I quickly opened my messages and saw that the department group chat had blasted a notification last night about the weekend team-building retreat. Leon had even sent me a private text offering me a ride.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, Dr. Lennox. I fell asleep early last night and missed the messages," I apologized frantically.

I hadn't packed a single thing, and I was definitely going to hold everyone up.

"It's fine, you've got time. I already told the others I was handling your transport. Take your time, Dr. Hayes; I'm in no rush," Leon chuckled easily.