The Man Who Waited vs. The Man Who Wasted novel Chapter 163

"Jo, you've been through so much," Marcus managed to say.

Diana habitually snapped, "He's been in a coma for three days. How does he know you've been through so much? Your brother and I have had it ten times worse than you."

Even after knocking on death's door, Marcus hadn't forgotten the argument that put him there in the first place.

So, he completely ignored Diana.

Furious, Diana threw the cotton swab into the trash can.

"Anyone watching would think you two are the real flesh and blood, and your son and I are the strangers off the street!"

Jeremy Evans was slouched on the sofa with his legs crossed, eyes glued to his phone as he played a video game.

All traces of his previous panic and desperation were entirely gone.

"Mom, the doctor literally just said Dad needs to rest. Can you just drop it? If you make him pass out again, we might not get this lucky a second time."

Jocelyn took two steps over and smacked him hard on the shoulder.

"Shut your mouth."

Jeremy didn't even get mad. He just kept swinging his leg and muttered, "I was defending you, you ungrateful jerk."

Before he could finish, he got smacked again.

This time, it was Diana.

"Always taking someone else's side against your own family!"

As Diana stormed past Jocelyn, she lowered her voice and hissed, "Don't forget what you promised me."

Diana had barely walked out the door, and Jocelyn hadn't even had a chance to speak to Marcus, when Adrian walked in.

He was carrying a massive, expensive fruit basket.

Adrian set the basket on the coffee table and approached the bed.

"Dad."

Even Marcus looked surprised by the title.

It had been years since his son-in-law had addressed him with any kind of familial respect.

"Jo and I were worried sick while you were unconscious these past few days. Thank God you woke up. We wouldn't have known what to do otherwise."

Jocelyn rolled her eyes internally. "You weren't worried. You were probably praying he wouldn't wake up at all."

Marcus's attitude toward Adrian was completely different from how he treated Diana.

He simply offered a polite, distant reply. "Thank you for taking the time to visit."

With him sitting there, father and daughter couldn't have a private conversation.

Jocelyn finally decided to push him out.

"Aren't you going back downstairs?"

Adrian replied coolly, "My mother and Claire are down there. It's not good to crowd the room with too many people."

"Oh, so that's why he decided to grace his father-in-law with his presence. He had nowhere else to sit."

Jocelyn gave up. She grabbed a few apples and went to the bathroom to wash them.

When she came back, Adrian was gone.

"He got a phone call just now," Marcus explained. "Sounded like some kind of emergency. He left without even saying goodbye. Should you call and make sure everything is okay?"

"No need," Jocelyn said flatly.

There was only one thing that could make Adrian Lowell rush off in a panic.

His precious Audrey.

That woman must have stirred up another dramatic crisis.