Private Marriage, Secret Love-Chapter 168: Don’t Want to See
Gwen Sharp wanted to speak but hesitated. Cameron Fairchild knew for a fact that she wouldn’t say a word. After all, once you have something, who would be willing to lose it so easily?
The car sped forward, and the security guard at the gate saluted when he saw Ethan Lancaster’s car.
「The Verdant Garden.」
Raina Reddington didn’t know how long she had been lying on the floor. She only remembered walking when a wave of dizziness sent her collapsing to the ground. She wasn’t unconscious, but she lay there, lacking the strength to get up.
Fortunately, the house had floor heating, so she didn’t feel too cold. Raina tried to move her fingers, but they were stiff. Her hair had fallen across her face, blocking her vision. She casually brushed it aside, only to pull out a whole strand.
Raina didn’t panic. ’I’ll just lie here a bit longer,’ she thought. ’I’ll be able to get up once I have my strength back.’
Ethan Lancaster’s car stopped at the entrance to The Verdant Garden. He looked at the familiar villa. It wasn’t brilliantly lit as it used to be; only one room had a light on.
He hesitated—not because he was afraid to take that step, but because he wouldn’t know what to say to Raina Reddington if he saw her.
Ethan Lancaster had moved all his things out. He couldn’t even find an excuse to come home.
"Fourth Master, the Old Master has been asking about you again these past few days. You really should come back to The Verdant Garden to check on things," Seth Sinclair said, turning to face him.
Seeing this, the driver reached out and honked the horn.
After two or three short honks, he pressed down on the horn and held it. The sound pierced through the spacious courtyard, racing all the way into Raina Reddington’s ears.
She rolled onto her back. ’Am I imagining things?’ The sound seemed to be right outside her door. Raina Reddington tried to push herself up with her arms, but her strength gave out, and all she could do was lie there.
Ethan Lancaster frowned, glancing at the driver. "What are you doing?"
"There was a cat in the road just now, blocking the way." The driver pulled his hand back from the horn.
’Raina must have heard that racket. She should at least come out for a look, right?’
Ethan Lancaster’s fingers traced lines on his leg, his expression grave. No one could tell what he was thinking.
Gwen Sharp, leaning against the adjacent car window, made a barely audible sound. He turned his head to look at her. Her hand was pressed against her abdomen, and she appeared to be in great pain. Ethan Lancaster glanced at her. "What’s wrong?"
"My stomach hurts so much. I don’t know why."
Ethan Lancaster’s brow furrowed slightly. "But you were fine just a moment ago."
Gwen Sharp doubled over in pain, her face nearly buried between her knees. She reached out and gave Ethan Lancaster’s arm a little push. "You should go on in. Just have the driver take me to the hospital."
Seth Sinclair sat silently, his gaze fixed on Ethan Lancaster, just waiting for him to get out of the car.
Ethan Lancaster shifted his leg. Gwen Sharp seemed to urge him on, grabbing his hand tightly. "Go on, hurry. She’ll be overjoyed to see you’re back."
But Ethan Lancaster remained seated, not moving. ’Would Raina be happy to see him? She’d probably look at him as if she’d seen a ghost.’
"Hurry and go," Gwen Sharp said, glancing at the empty courtyard. "She must have heard the horn. She should be out any second. It wouldn’t be good for her to see me here..."
’If Raina had wanted to come out, she would have done so already. She wouldn’t have waited this long.’
’She clearly still doesn’t want to see me. Isn’t it obvious?’
"Drive," Ethan Lancaster ordered, his face expressionless.
The driver glanced at the man in the passenger seat. Seth Sinclair said nothing, merely giving a slight nod, signaling him to leave.
The anxiety in Gwen Sharp’s heart finally subsided. She had been so afraid. She couldn’t bear to watch something slip through her fingers before she even had a firm grasp on it. She just couldn’t do it.
By the time Raina Reddington managed to sit up, the horn had long since fallen silent, and the car was gone. She coughed uncontrollably as she struggled back to her feet.
As Ethan Lancaster’s car left The Verdant Garden, Seth Sinclair told the driver to go straight to the hospital. Gwen Sharp hurriedly said, "There’s no need. I’ll be fine if I just go home and lie down."
"Take me home first."
"Yes, sir." Following Ethan Lancaster’s order, the driver headed to Northbay first. As Ethan got out of the car, he instructed Seth Sinclair, "Take her to the hospital for a proper check-up. A stomach ache for no reason is not a good sign."
"Yes, sir."
Gwen Sharp was taken to the hospital. The moment they arrived, she claimed the pain was gone and was anxious to go home.
Seth Sinclair got out of the car first. "Miss Sharp, this on-and-off pain is even more concerning. You should get a full check-up."
Gwen Sharp imagined they would need to draw blood for tests and grew even more frightened. "I... I really don’t need to. Look, I’m all better."
"These are the Fourth Master’s orders. Please."
Gwen Sharp didn’t dare to disobey and could only get out of the car slowly.
She watched as the long, thin needle pierced her vein, drawing several vials of blood. She couldn’t even bring herself to look and could only grit her teeth and bear it.
Seth Sinclair stood by, watching her intently the entire time, his expression unmoved. After the blood draw, he didn’t even let her rest. "Alright, let’s go to the ultrasound room now."
Though reluctant, Gwen Sharp could only follow obediently.
These days, Raina Reddington was practically running back and forth between the hospital and home. Annabelle Spencer had called her many times to suggest they get together for a meal, but Raina had refused every time.
Annabelle Spencer assumed she still hadn’t moved on from Miles Hawthorne’s death, so she didn’t think much of it.
Raina Reddington picked up her prescription and prepared to leave the hospital. She glanced at the crowded waiting room. ’The new year is almost here,’ she thought, ’but how many of these people won’t live to see it?’
A car pulled up to the hospital entrance. Seth Sinclair got out first and took several gift boxes from the trunk.
When Ethan Lancaster got out of the car, Gwen Sharp tried to follow, but he said without turning around, "Wait in the car."
She was along for the ride; she had to pick up her test results from another hospital, and this one was on the way.
Seth Sinclair handed a sealed red envelope to Ethan Lancaster. "Mr. Walker is in the inpatient department, Block A, room 1045."
"Mm."
Some of the family’s elders had been hospitalized due to poor health, and Ethan Lancaster naturally couldn’t neglect his courtesies. He carried the gifts and walked briskly inside.
Gwen Sharp grabbed her bag and also got out of the car. "I’m just going inside to use the restroom."
"Miss Sharp, please don’t wander off. It will be a problem if we can’t find you later."
"Okay," Gwen Sharp replied softly, hurrying inside.
Ethan Lancaster walked to the elevators, where a few nurses stood chatting while they waited.
"I mean, why do women even need men these days? It’s only when you have a brush with death that you find out whether you married a man or a monster."
"What’s with all the deep thoughts today?"
The young nurse’s voice was tinged with sympathy. "That lady came by again, all by herself. From what I overheard, she doesn’t want to continue chemotherapy. How can she just stop?"
"Maybe she figures she’s going to die even with chemo, so she doesn’t want to put herself through all that suffering."
"But..."
The elevator doors opened with a DING. It was packed with people, who all scrambled to get out. One of them bumped into Ethan Lancaster.
The gift box in his hand fell at his feet. He bent down to pick it up.
Ethan Lancaster was the last to step into the elevator. Just as the doors were closing, he saw a group of people exit the adjacent elevator. One of them, wearing a hat, looked very much like Raina Reddington from behind.
He reached out and pressed the button. The doors, which had just started to close, slowly slid open again. Ethan Lancaster quickly stepped out.
