The Hidden Empress Stripping Her Secrets After Divorce novel Chapter 219

But someone like Sebastian Thorne—standing there in a custom-tailored suit, offering a bouquet of rare roses worth tens of thousands of dollars, and stating "I am going to pursue you" with the tone of an executive delivering a quarterly report...

That was an absolute first.

From the corner of the room came the sound of a desperately stifled gasp.

Evelyn glanced over to see Lance fiercely clapping a hand over his mouth, his face purple, his shoulders violently shaking like a leaf in a hurricane.

Sebastian turned his head as well, shooting his assistant an icy glare.

Lance instantly snapped to attention, though his mouth continued its frantic twitching.

Evelyn brought her gaze back to Sebastian. Drawing a deep breath, she spoke in her most professional, utterly composed tone.

"Mr. Thorne, firstly, thank you for your... honesty. Secondly, as your doctor, I must remind you that the symptoms you're describing are highly likely a form of temporary emotional projection. Because I saved your grandfather during a critical moment, you've formed an erroneous emotional attachment built on a foundation of gratitude."

"It's not erroneous," Sebastian stated firmly.

"Medically speaking, this is known as 'Transference,'" Evelyn pressed on. "It is a very common phenomenon for patients or their relatives to develop feelings for a doctor that exceed the bounds of a normal doctor-patient relationship. Typically, with time and rational reflection, these feelings naturally fade."

"Mine won't," Sebastian countered.

"Mr. Thorne," Evelyn stood up and gestured gracefully toward the door. "Our consultation ends here for today. Regarding the 'symptoms' you brought up, my recommendations are: first, maintain distance and limit contact; second, if these thoughts persist, consult a professional therapist; and third..."

She cast a glance at the flowers on the desk. "These are far too valuable for me to accept. It's against hospital policy."

Sebastian didn't move an inch. He simply stared at her. "Evelyn, do you think I'm joking?"

"I think you are experiencing a temporary emotional fluctuation," Evelyn replied smoothly, leaving no room for argument. "And such fluctuations should not be allowed to impair your judgment."

Their eyes locked.

A subtle, tense standoff filled the air.

After a long while, Sebastian suddenly smiled. It wasn't a joyful smile, but one edged with a touch of helplessness and self-deprecation.

"Fine," he said. "We'll leave it at this for today."

He turned and strode toward the door. Halfway there, he paused and looked back. "You can dispose of the flowers however you want. But let me make one thing absolutely clear—Evelyn, I'm not joking, and this isn't some 'Transference.' I am completely serious."

With that, he pulled the door open and walked out.

Lance scrambled to follow. Just before shutting the door, he couldn't resist casting one last glance back at Evelyn. She was standing behind her desk, staring down at the flowers with a slight frown. Her expression was one of rare... helplessness.

The door clicked shut.

Out in the hallway, Sebastian marched toward the elevators.

Lance jogged to keep up, asking tentatively, "Boss, what do we do now..."

"Back to the company," Sebastian pressed the call button.

"But Dr. Sullivan..."

"She needs time," Sebastian replied, his tone unreadable. "But I've made my intentions clear."

"Hahahaha! Evelyn! Is it Sebastian? Tell me it's him! My boss mentioned today that he air-freighted 'Queen of the Night' roses! You have to tell me, did he actually go through with it?"

Evelyn rubbed her temples. "So, you're saying this is normal?"

"Normal? Of course it's not normal!" Madeline was still cackling. "But it is so very Sebastian Thorne! The guy is practically a robot. Did you really expect him to whisper sweet romantic nothings? The fact that he actually spit the words out is a miracle! But seriously, Evelyn, did he really say he's going to pursue you?"

"Yeah."

"And? What do you think?"

Evelyn looked down at the flowers, falling silent for a few seconds before answering. "I don't know."

She honestly didn't know.

Sebastian Thorne was... too complex, yet too painfully straightforward. His affection had struck suddenly and fiercely, like a torrential downpour with zero warning.

And she was entirely unprepared to brave that storm.

Her pager suddenly beeped, signaling an emergency from the ER.

Evelyn immediately snapped back into focus. "Maddy, I have to go. Emergency surgery."

"Go, go! But you better keep me updated!"

Hanging up the phone, Evelyn gave the bouquet one last glance, snatched her white coat off the back of her chair, and sprinted out of the office.