The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 382

The mountain air was brisk, but Ferris's gaze made me feel completely frozen, a deep chill settling into my bones as I stood silently under his oppressive stare.

Just then, a tall figure shifted over, placing himself directly between me and Ferris.

It was Leon.

He looked down, gently helping me pull on my gloves. "It's cold. Keep your hands warm."

Leon stood like a solid shield, blocking out not only Ferris's razor-sharp glare but also the heavy threat that came with it.

I felt a sudden wave of safety and protection radiating from him. It steadied my aching heart. Meeting Zoey's smiling eyes, I lifted my chin slightly. "There's no rush for us to buy drinks. Shouldn't you be the one buying the celebratory rounds, Zoey?"

"Huh? Me and Ferris?" The young woman clearly hadn't expected me to flip the script. Flustered, a deep blush painted her cheeks.

"So Dr. Sterling and Dr. Zeller really are together? That's wonderful news! We definitely need a celebration for that," the head nurse said, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

Amber didn't look surprised in the slightest. "They should've bought us drinks ages ago. Dr. Sterling brought Zoey onto the team himself. They've always been close."

The group's attention smoothly shifted away from me and Leon, landing squarely on Ferris and Zoey.

Compared to my supposed romance, the crowd was far more invested in those two. Ferris was notoriously aloof, but ever since Zoey joined Capital General, he had treated her entirely differently. The recent scandal that got him temporarily suspended had only pushed everyone's curiosity to the absolute limit.

Their dynamic had always been frustratingly vague. Ferris never abused his authority to give Zoey an unfair advantage, yet they were undeniably intimate. Naturally, everyone was dying to know if they were officially a couple.

Ferris had tormented me, letting his favorite girl publicly pry into my private life.

His behavior made it crystal clear that he didn't care about my feelings, nor did he respect me.

If that was how he wanted to play, I needed to show him that Selena Hayes wasn't some pushover he could walk all over. Whatever Zoey tried to do to me, I was going to throw right back at her.

Just as I expected, the moment the words left my mouth, the whispers erupted.

"Wow, Dr. Sterling is so sweet to her, picking her up when she's drunk."