After His Sweetheart Moved In, He Came Home Every Night-Chapter 190: Taking Alice York Home

"Did you get the blood sample?"

Chase Jennings put out his cigarette and turned to ask.

Dr. Ziegler shook his head. "If we’d been a step earlier, drawing her blood before she was hospitalized would’ve been much easier to do unnoticed. Now, it’s too obvious. She’s already suspicious, so she’s refusing to cooperate."

Chase Jennings scratched the back of his head. "She’s so damn cautious."

Dr. Ziegler suddenly smiled.

Chase Jennings eyed him.

Then, Dr. Ziegler mysteriously pulled a plastic-sealed bag from his pocket. "Luckily, I had the foresight for this," he said to Chase Jennings. "This is a saliva sample from when I examined her throat."

As a doctor, he knew exactly which samples could be used for a DNA test, so he had prepared a backup plan.

Chase Jennings took the plastic bag and gave Dr. Ziegler a look full of meaning. "Not bad. It seems the Vice President position really is a good fit for you."

Dr. Ziegler’s face flushed with excitement. The truth was, he hadn’t thought of this backup plan on his own. It was Chase Jennings who had mentioned that Miss York was also a doctor.

Since they were in the same profession, she could anticipate his moves. The objective of a blood draw was too obvious; working around the circumstances of her hospitalization was the key to success.

"Go on, get back to your work." Chase Jennings pulled out his phone and dialed a number.

Dr. Ziegler turned and left.

The call connected.

His eyes on Dr. Ziegler’s retreating back, Chase Jennings raised the phone to his ear. "Young Master."

Felix Hawthorne: "Did you get it?"

Chase Jennings: "We couldn’t get a blood sample, only a saliva sample. But it’ll work just the same for the test."

After a few seconds of silence, the voice on the other end asked, "Is there any news from Rhovan?"

Chase Jennings said, "No news on those two for now."

The Young Master had ordered him to investigate Alice York again, so he’d dispatched men overnight. But this morning, he learned that the two people in Rhovan had been moved. The little house in the small town was completely empty.

It was all rather strange. The moment the Young Master wanted to look into Alice York’s background again, the elderly pair suddenly vanished...

Felix Hawthorne’s tone grew heavy. "Bring me the sample first. And I want you to go to Rhovan personally. You must find them."

Chase Jennings replied, "Yes, sir."

The line didn’t disconnect. Guessing the Young Master had more to say, Chase Jennings waited quietly. A moment later, he heard him ask, "How is Alice York?" 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

Chase Jennings: "She’s doing much better."

Felix Hawthorne fell silent again for a few seconds. "Leak the news of Alice York’s hospitalization to Finn. Make sure he gets the address."

Chase Jennings didn’t ask why. He simply went to carry out the order.

...

The hospital room was silent.

Alice York had just ended her call with Owen Sterling.

She hadn’t managed to escape, but hearing that the elderly couple had been moved to safety made her even happier than if she had gotten away herself.

However, the moment Owen Sterling learned she hadn’t made her flight, he immediately booked a ticket from Rhovan to Arden.

BZZZT.

The phone’s notification pulled Alice York from her thoughts. She looked down and unlocked the screen.

A WeChat message from Wyatt Sterling popped up: [Are you awake?]

Alice York replied: [Yeah.]

Wyatt Sterling sent another: [Mason Cheney is on his way.]

Alice York replied: [?]

Wyatt Sterling: [He’s bringing you lunch.]

Alice York rubbed her stomach. She’d been woken up by hunger, but dealing with one person after another had made her almost forget about it.

While Mason Cheney wasn’t there yet, she picked up her phone and typed: [Your mother was just here. She knows you were at the hospital with me for a long time, and she asked me a few things.]

This time, Wyatt Sterling didn’t reply instantly.

Over a minute passed before his reply came: [What did she ask?]

Alice York typed back: [I think she’s suspicious of us.]

Wyatt Sterling: [Let her guess.]

Alice York: ...

’Easy for him to say—he wasn’t the one who had to deal with her. My heart was pounding in my throat the entire time. I couldn’t have been more flustered.’

She bent over her phone again, intending to tell him about the doctor who had come to draw her blood. She had only typed a few words when a knock came at the door, followed by Mason Cheney’s voice—

"Miss Alice York, it’s me, Mason Cheney."

Alice York put down her phone. "Come in."

’I can just tell Mason Cheney,’ she thought. ’He’ll pass it on to Wyatt Sterling.’

Mason Cheney entered, carrying a large insulated food container. "My apologies, Miss Alice York. I’m a little late. You must be starving, aren’t you?"

Alice York: "It’s fine. I’m not that hungry."

She got out of bed, shuffled over in her slippers, and watched as Mason Cheney unpacked four or five dishes and a soup from the container. Everything looked quite bland.

"Miss Alice York, your throat is inflamed, so you can’t eat anything with strong flavors. For now, I’m afraid you’ll have to make do with something bland." Mason Cheney arranged the bowl and chopsticks, then pulled over a chair for her. His every move was thoughtful.

"It’s no problem."

Alice York sat down and picked up her chopsticks. Before she started eating, she looked up and asked, "Can I really not be discharged today?"

Mason Cheney relayed Wyatt Sterling’s message. "Officially, you’re not being discharged. After you finish eating, the Third Master will come get you. He’s tied up with something at the moment, so he couldn’t join you for the meal."

Alice York murmured an "oh," understanding Wyatt Sterling’s intention.

Not being officially discharged gave her the perfect excuse not to return to the Sawyer Family. He had planned everything so thoughtfully, and she truly had no desire to go there.

"Oh, right, there’s something..." Alice York called out as Mason Cheney turned to leave.

Mason Cheney stopped and turned back. "Yes, Miss Alice York?"

Alice York put down her chopsticks to address the matter first. "A doctor came to draw my blood a little while ago. He insisted he had already cleared it with Third Uncle."

Mason Cheney’s expression changed. "Did they manage to draw your blood?" he asked nervously.

Knowing what he was worried about, Alice York smiled and shook her head. "I was on my guard. I didn’t let them, and they left."

Mason Cheney: "Did they say anything else?"

"No."

Alice York shook her head.

Mason Cheney’s expression turned grave. "I need to report this to the Third Master immediately. Miss Alice York, please take your time with your meal."

Alice York: "Okay."

Once Mason Cheney had left, Alice York looked at the food before her and suddenly lost her appetite. She rested her chin on her hand, replaying every one of Dr. Ziegler’s actions in her mind. Just then, the door was thrown open with such force that it made her jump.

She turned her head and, seeing who it was, stared in astonishment. "Finn Hawthorne?"

Finn Hawthorne looked anxious as he strode toward her. Without a word, he pulled Alice York to her feet and looked her up and down.

Seeing no obvious injuries, he cupped her face in his hands. "Why were you suddenly hospitalized?"

Alice York pried his hands away. "I should be the one asking questions. How did you know I was hospitalized, and how did you find my room so easily?"

"Because this is Arden. It’s Hawthorne Family territory," Finn Hawthorne said, frank and open. "Even this hospital belongs to my family."

Alice York was speechless.

Noticing a bruise on the back of her hand, Finn Hawthorne nervously picked it up. "Why is your hand bruised like this? Is it... from the injury yesterday?"

"No, it’s just some subcutaneous bleeding from when they removed the IV needle. It’ll go away if I put a warm compress on it at home." Alice York pulled her hand back and sat down.

"Oh, good." Finn Hawthorne walked over to the table and glanced at the dishes. "This is all you’re eating?"

Alice York ladled a bowl of soup. "I have a cold. I have to eat bland food."

"So you’re in the hospital for a cold." Finn Hawthorne leaned down, planting his hands on the table. "But how did you catch a cold as soon as you got to Arden? Is it not comfortable at the Sawyer residence? Hey, how about this? Why don’t you come stay with the Hawthorne Family? I’ll take care of you."

"COUGH, COUGH..." Alice York choked on her soup.

She put down her soup bowl, coughing as she spoke. "Take me to your house? What are you plotting?"

Finn Hawthorne looked aggrieved. "I’m not plotting anything! I just want to be a good host."

His tone grew more urgent. "Why don’t you come stay at my house tonight? Tonight... my sister is coming home. It would be the perfect time for you to meet her."