Chapter 73 Take It or Leave It After what happened last night, she was happy to greet him with a smile, no matter how grumpy he was. âMorning,â she said cheerfully.
Sipping his coffee, he glanced at her with indifference. âFrom now on, drive yourself to work. I donât want any more trouble from you.â
Bella was momentarily taken aback. It wasnât until she saw him toss the car keys onto the coffee table that she realized he had gotten her a car.
Seeing the logo on the keys, she suggested timidly, âMaybe we could exchange them for a less expensive option?â
He replied impatiently, âNo, take it or leave it.â
Speechless, she took the keys and drove out. She was extremely cautious, afraid of even the slightest scratch. All she needed was a little runâdown car. She didnât want to draw attention to herself.
When she arrived at the hospital, her colleagues couldnât help but stare at her car as she parked, giving her judgmental looks.
She just smiled and hurried inside.
After changing into her white coat, she went straight to Simonâs ward. He was awake, and she had brought him breakfast. She gently helped him sit up to eat.
Simon looked pale but smiled happily. âI thought you wouldnât care about me.â
Bella remained indifferent. âYou saved me, so I canât be that heartless.â
Her words carried a hint of something more, and Simon felt a little awkward. âI was in Joville on a business trip and wasnât feeling well, so I came to your hospital for a checkup. I didnât expect to run into you, but Iâm really glad to see youâre okay.â
Bella spoke bluntly, âLetâs keep things separate. I appreciate that you saved me, and Iâll take care of you while youâre in the hospital. But donât expect this to make everything else disappear.
âYour injuries arenât serious, so you should be able to go home in a few days. You should probably call your family to come look after you. I have to get back to work now.â When Bella wasnât busy at work, she would drop by to check on Simon, simply as a doctor, making routine inquiries about his condition and examining his wounds.
Since Bella came to visit so often, it was inevitable that someone would notice. As the nurse helped him with the IV drip, she joked, âMr. Kennedy, are you close with Dr. Jones? She visits you several times a day. Most patients donât get that kind of attention.â
Bella frowned, but before she could respond, Simon said, âSheâs my daughter.â
Daughter...
Bellaâs body stiffened slightly. She had always assumed Simon wouldnât dare acknowledge her in public. After all, he was a prominent figure now, and he preferred to keep her existence hidden. Even at the Sawyer family gathering, he hadnât approached her.
The nurse looked surprised. âReally? Youâre Dr. Jonesâs father? Sheâs never mentioned you before.â
Simon smiled, his eyes filled with tender affection as he looked at Bella. âIt was my fault. I wasnât there to raise her.â
Bellaâs old wound was inadvertently reopened. Her face hardened as she turned and left without a word. Still, she couldnât deny that when Simon risked his life to save her, she felt a longâlost paternal love, a love she had once felt from Richard.
If the attackerâs knife had pierced Simonâs lung, his life would have been in danger. The fact that he risked his life to save her was beyond her expectations.
On the fifth day of his hospitalization, Simon was about to be discharged when his family member finally arrived.
When Bella went to visit again, she heard noises from inside and stopped at the door. If she went in now, she would probably seem out of place.
Just as she was about to turn away, she heard a womanâs voice inside shout, âHow much longer do we have to wait? You can wait, but our daughter canât!â Daughter? Did Simon have another daughter? Bella bit her lip, and despite her better judgment, she found herself wanting to hear more.