The Coldest Man in the Room Melted Only for Me novel Chapter 215

Dr. Grosse most likely saw her as a massive threat to her promotion.

Her sudden change in attitude and unexpected warmth meant she had definitely heard from the director that Riley had zero interest in administration. Since Riley was no longer a threat, she was trying to mend fences.

Lila's stunt with Jenna had undoubtedly been done with Dr. Grosse's tacit approval, if not direct orders. However, when the situation exploded on the roof, Dr. Grosse hadn't maliciously thrown Riley under the bus; instead, she had handled the crisis methodically and called the police. This proved that while she was highly ambitious, she wasn't inherently evil and genuinely possessed administrative competence.

Since Dr. Grosse was extending an olive branch and they still had to work together, the smart move would be to let bygones be bygones. Still, Riley couldn't shake the distaste in her mouth, so she settled for a diplomatic rejection. "I appreciate the gesture, Dr. Grosse, but as you know, I'm injured and it's really not convenient for me. Let's do it another time?"

Dr. Grosse's smile stiffened for a fraction of a second before returning to normal. "That was thoughtless of me. We'll definitely get together another time."

Riley smiled and nodded.

Not long after Dr. Grosse left, a man carrying two boxes of fruit approached Riley's desk. "Hello, Dr. Vance. I'm Jayden Joyce, Jenna's husband. I came to thank you for saving my wife's life." He placed the fruit down beside her desk.

Riley replied, "It was my duty. Please take the fruit back, I can't accept it."

"It's not a bribe, it's just a thank-you gift. If you don't take it, I won't be able to face my wife when I get home."

Riley sighed softly. "Alright, I'll accept it."

"Dr. Vance, can you really cure my wife?" Jayden asked, his eyes desperate and filled with fragile hope.

Riley glanced around the bustling office. It wasn't the right environment for a consultation. "Let's talk in the consultation room."

Jayden nodded. "Okay."

"Your wife said you're disgusted by her. She said you won't even stay in the same room with her. Is that true?"

Jayden shook his head emphatically. "I'm not disgusted by her! Her emotions are totally unstable, and every time we're in the same room, we end up fighting. Every time we fight, she cries. I don't want to fight with her, and I don't want our relationship to get even worse, so I just avoid being in the same room."

"You weren't there when she gave birth. She was severely lacking a sense of security, which led to her depression. Later, the side effects of her medication caused her to gain a massive amount of weight, making her extremely insecure and sensitive. This only aggravated her illness. Under these circumstances, your avoidance only confirms her worst fear—that you're repulsed by her!"

Jayden was completely rendered speechless.

"You might not be disgusted by her, but you're definitely losing your patience, which is why you're running away. Am I wrong?" Riley's words were sharp as glass.

"I..." Jayden instinctively wanted to deny it, but meeting Riley's piercing, serious gaze, he faltered. His shoulders slumped in defeat. "It's been a year. Ever since she gave birth, she hasn't been right, and it's only gotten worse. I have to work to support the family, I have to take care of our daughter, and I have to take her to the hospital. And on top of all that, she's constantly picking fights with me. I'm just a man, not a god."