The CEO's Hidden Love: Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires novel Chapter 476

"Well, you're still the sucker for Heather!" Karen spat the words out, her voice tinged with a mix of anger and jest. Despite her heated exchange with him, she made no move to go back and disturb the two of them.

She had been too hasty earlier, focused solely on Dorothy's well-being, forgetting everything else in her concern.

Jeffrey, tired of the bickering, spun on his heel to leave.

Suddenly, a distinct rumbling noise echoed at the quiet hospital entrance.

The space was so vast, it amplified every sound.

Jeffrey paused mid-step and turned to glance at her, one eyebrow arching inquisitively. "What was that noise?"

Karen clutched her stomach, her face a mask of embarrassment while her voice feigned ignorance, "You heard nothing, there was no noise at all!"

"Oh, well I'm off to eat then!" Jeffrey declared, a smirk playing on his lips. "Jonathan said he's prepared a feast, with all the fixings—BBQ ribs, stuffed mushrooms... He said I need a good meal to recover."

Karen's stomach churned. She hadn't eaten since she disembarked the plane, rushing here without a moment's delay, and then she'd spent ages arguing with Jeffrey. She was starved.

And there was Jeffrey, cruelly taunting her with his tempting talk of food!

"Did you hear that Jonathan brought over a chef from back home, just for Everett? From that fancy National Tripod Hotel in Eldorria City?"

At that moment, Karen felt like she could shoot daggers from her eyes, slicing off Jeffrey's taunting tongue.

"Will you just get lost?" she snapped.

Feigning innocence, Jeffrey shrugged. "Aren't you coming? I thought you might be hungry too. Besides, sitting around here waiting, who knows how long it'll be."

"I'm. Not. Going."

"Are you sure you’re not coming?"

Her answer was another betraying grumble from her stomach.

"Let's go, I won't stoop to arguing with a lady. Wouldn't want you to starve—that'd be on me for not looking after Everett's guest."

"What's wrong?"

Everett, lying in the hospital bed, saw her frozen at the door and worried something was amiss.

"It's nothing," Dorothy hurried to his side, offering a reassuring smile. "Does your wound still hurt?"

She'd seen the deep cut while changing his dressing—a long, sutured incision that was truly alarming.

"It doesn't hurt." Everett's handsome face was still pale from weakness, but his eyes softened with tenderness when they met Dorothy's. "Don't worry about me."

"You should have been more careful!" Dorothy recalled the moment she noticed Heather's knife move.

"I told you, I'd protect you."

That had been Everett's sole thought at that critical moment. He needed Dorothy to be safe.

Dorothy lowered her gaze, silent for a long moment before whispering, "Did you know about the kids... from the beginning?"