"What's gotten into you today, Shane? What's with the sarcasm?" Sage couldn't help but ask."What about you?" Shane scoffed. "I thought you divorced Ian already. Yet, you're in such a rush to find him. It's almost as if you're afraid that others won't know about your unfinished business!" Sage was at a loss for words. "Am I supposed to ignore the person who got injured while attempting to save me and just go back to sleep?"What's it to you anyway?" She eyed him suspiciously. "Are you acting like this because you've fallen for me?"Shane smirked when he heard that. He then responded, "That's right. I'm deeply in love with you, and I won't marry anyone else." His voice was low and deep, with a mischievous twang at the end. Sage got goosebumps all over her arms as she listened. She stroked her arms and said, "Don't you think you're overdoing it, Mr. Morrison?"He glanced at her and said disdainfully, "I'd have to be blind to fall for a foolish woman like you!"Sage was rendere
After what felt like an eternity, the doors to the emergency room swung open, and Ian walked out. He was tall, athletic, and had long, muscular legs. He had taken his suit jacket off, leaving him in a white shirt with bloodstains around his shoulder. Even in such a disheveled state, he still looked elegant. His sharp features were highlighted by the corridor lights. His aloof and indifferent demeanor gave off an air of superiority. His eyes briefly flickered when he spotted Sage, but it dimmed in the blink of an eye when he noticed the white jacket she was wearing."Well? Is your shoulder alright?" she asked, rising to her feet. Ian had no intention of answering her and walked away with a stoic face."Are you the patient's family? He had quite a deep cut on his shoulder blade. We've stitched it up. Fortunately, his bones weren't affected. But he'll have to stay in the hospital for a couple of days to prevent inflammation and swelling," said the doctor, who had also walked out o
His tone was still far from pleasant, but it had softened a bit. Sage calmly averted her gaze, deftly concealing her embarrassment. It wasn't her fault. After all, who wouldn't stare at such a flawless body?As she approached Ian's bedside, she noticed that his shirt wasn't completely off. It was simply bunched up near his right arm, where his IV drip had been inserted."Why have you taken your shirt off already? You can't change into clean clothes since your IV hasn't finished yet," she asked.He averted his gaze and frowned, responding coldly, "It reeks of blood. How could I wear it?" Ian had always been particular about his clothes, food, and living standards. Sage didn't press further and handed him the shirt. "Do you want to put this on first?"He didn't object and extended his muscular arm, which wasn't hooked to the IV. "What's the meaning of this?" she asked as she looked at him. "How am I supposed to put it on if you don't help me?" he asked. Sage retorted, "Why
"People change, Ian," Sage said. "I used to put your safety above my own, and seeing you hurt me more than seeing myself hurt. "But I'm more concerned about my own well-being now, and I just don't dare to jump in front of danger for you anymore. So please don't attempt to test me like this again."She clearly warned Ian when the scrawny man whipped out his switchblade. Ian could've dodged it, but he still ended up getting injured. Sage figured that he was testing her based on his reaction after being injured and the words he had just said. "What you're doing is pointless," she said. Ian's chest felt stuffy when he looked at her stoic face and unwavering eyes. He hadn't dodged the man's attack on purpose because he wanted to see if Sage would grow anxious and rush over to him like she did in the past.Of course, he wouldn't let anything happen to Sage. He would've pushed her away if she had come running. He just wanted to know if he still mattered to her. However, Sage didn'
Sage was so tired that, initially, she decided to ignore the sensation. But then it hit her—she wasn't sleeping in her hotel bed! She jolted awake, and she realized she was still seated in the chair in the ward. However, she had slumped over near the edge of Ian's hospital bed due to fatigue. Sage sat up straight. The IV hooked to Ian's right hand had been removed at some point, and he was resting with his eyes closed in the same position as before. His breathing was labored, and his brows were knitted as if the pain from his injury was causing him discomfort. Sage touched her cheeks and lips but felt nothing out of the ordinary. There was a pull-out bed in the ward. She was so exhausted that she crawled into it and went back to sleep. She didn't notice that Ian had turned his gaze to the adjacent bed after she fell asleep. His dark eyes burned with an undiminished desire. …When she awoke again, she heard Terry's soft voice from the corridor outside. Ian was nowhere to be
Delilah had caused her a lot of trouble. Sage couldn't believe that she would hire people to kidnap her this time. She wanted to confront Delilah and get to the bottom of this. Terry glanced at Ian and then nodded. "Of course, Mrs. Holcomb. You're the victim after all. You have the right to know the whole story."Sage responded, "Let's go then.""I'll come with you." Ian rose from the bed.Sage refused. "No way. Your injury hasn't healed yet. Just stay put.""Are you worried that you'll have to take care of me for a few more days if my condition worsens?" he asked with a sneer.She did have that thought in mind and was a bit embarrassed to be called out on it. "This doesn't concern you. There's no need for you to come with me."Ian pointed to his wound and said, "I'm also one of the victims. Why wouldn't I need to go?"That was true. Sage couldn't argue with that logic. She picked up his jacket and was about to leave when a phone rang inside the ward. The unfamiliar ringtone m
"I'll shut up, then," she brooded. Sage responded, "I'm just worried that you'll overwork yourself and blame it on me." Ian was rendered speechless.…The group arrived at the police station. Someone must've heard Ian was coming because a senior police officer came out to greet him. He and Ian exchanged pleasantries in the hall while Sage gave her statement. On her way out, she spotted Delilah in the room across the corridor looking defiant. "I refuse to answer any of your questions until my lawyer arrives! Y'all can forget about tricking me into confessing!"After she said that, she spotted Sage and stormed over, her face contorted in rage. "Sage Joyner, how dare you show your face here you wretch! All I ever asked you to do was buy me a few things and lend me your clothes. Did you really have to go to such lengths to ruin me?"Sage found the whole situation ridiculous. "Have you lost your mind, Delilah Stromberg? You're the one who's been out to get me! "Not only did you co
"Even though you used a different number to contact them and didn't meet them in person to pay them, the police have gotten the location of where the cash was handed over to them." Sage continued, "Wearing a mask and a hat was a pretty weak attempt to hide. The police have experts who can identify you through various methods. You won't be able to get away from this!"She had learned all of this from Terry. It was just a matter of time before the police came to a definitive conclusion. Delilah wouldn't be able to turn the tables on her then. It was a done deal.Sure enough, the blood drained from Delilah's face when she heard that. "I have no idea what you're on about! Don't you dare accuse me without proof!" she insisted. "If you come clean now, you might get a lighter sentence, Ms. Stromberg. But if you keep denying it, I'm afraid you may spend the rest of your life behind bars," Terry chimed in. Delilah was aware that Terry wasn't bluffing. If Ian decided to press charges, sh