The Cold Surgeon's Contract Bride novel Chapter 434

This was exactly why you should never dwell on the past, nor hold out hope—not even the slightest shred.

Last night, my resolve had melted just from Ferris's gentle, intimate coaxing. Not only did I let him hold me as I fell asleep, but lying in his arms made me reminisce about our past, desperately craving a future.

I had hoped Ferris still cherished the warmth of our early days, hoping there was still a lingering spark of affection for me.

But reality was brutally cold.

There was no lingering spark. For Ferris, whatever warmth we once shared was nothing more than a fleeting novelty.

How could it possibly compare to his cherished favorite?

I was absolutely certain now—when he whispered those sweet nothings last night, he wasn't talking to me. He was thinking of Zoey. After all, he was already planning a future with her; it was only natural he saw himself as her man.

He had truly mistaken me for Zoey last night. That was the only reason he had been so tender and loving.

Forget it. It was what it was.

I completely let go of the tension keeping me upright, allowing myself to fall into the abyss.

I was just so tired.

And my body ached so badly.

As I collapsed, I vaguely registered a few gasps of shock. I couldn't make out much else, but I recognized the head nurse's panicked scream. "Selena!"

I didn't remember anything after that.

It felt as though I was floating in a hazy, chaotic void, lying there peacefully as the sky crashed down around me, burying me completely.

When I regained consciousness, the first thing I heard was Lucille's wailing. "My poor, foolish daughter! My sweet Selena, how did you work yourself to the point of collapsing? It's been a whole night, why hasn't she woken up yet?"

But today... she had genuinely improved. She even managed real tears.

"What kind of nonsense is that? I'm your mother, of course I genuinely care about you," Lucille gritted her teeth and gave my shoulder a smack. She raised her hand high for dramatic effect, but the actual impact was surprisingly light.

She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye and quickly added, "And I'm not the only one. Ferris has been worried sick about you too. He's been standing guard here for hours. We were both terrified."

The tear-wiping motion looked incredibly natural. Lucille's acting skills had definitely leveled up. Not bad.

However, I had no idea what her very important VIP audience member thought of the performance.

I lifted my gaze to the man standing right beside Lucille.

Unsurprisingly, the audience was none other than Ferris—the exact same man who had relentlessly pressured me into apologizing just hours ago.

He had turned around the moment I first woke up and spoke, but now, as I finally freed myself from Lucille's grasp, he stepped back toward the bed holding a glass of water.