All of a sudden, Sage became wary. "No more than three times a day."Shane retorted, "That's not enough. Make it five.""Four. No more than that. That's the limit," she said firmly.He was at a loss for words.Just then, Tiana walked in and witnessed them haggling over the number of phone calls permitted per day. She tried her best to contain her laughter and said, "Come out for a second, Sage. I need to talk to you."Sage stepped outside, and the two of them found a quiet spot to sit down."I hope I'm not interrupting you guys," Tiana said as she batted her eyelashes.Sage was aware of what she was getting at. She rolled her eyes at her friend and said, "Nurse Tiana, if you're that free, why don't you consider becoming the leader of a gossip squad."Tiana responded, "Sure, do you know any good squads?"Sage was at a loss for words. She rolled her eyes again. "Alright, spill it. Why did you drag me out here?"Tiana explained, "I heard that Ian is coming to our hospital for tr
As the two of them chatted, Sage noticed a man in a white coat walking down the corridor. He was tall and handsome, and he had a pair of silver-rimmed glasses on his nose. It was none other than Wilson.Tiana noticed him as well. "Let's continue our conversation inside the ward," she told Sage."Tiana," Wilson called out to her."I'll head inside and give you guys some space," Sage said."Ms. Joyner," Wilson called out to her as well.Sage was slightly surprised. She couldn't believe that Wilson, a man who usually avoided small talk, had actually taken the initiative to greet her. "I heard from one of Tiana's colleagues that your friend got injured. If there's anything I can do to help, please let me know," he said.Sage was even more surprised, but she maintained her composure and nodded politely. "Thanks." Then, she headed toward Shane's ward. Tiana looked at Wilson apathetically. "What do you want with me?""I was checking on a patient in the cardiology department and hea
Wilson hurriedly stopped his mother. "What are you doing?"Wendy responded, "I'm going to find her boss and give them a piece of my mind. How could she be so disrespectful?""Please don't do that, Mom!" Wilson raised his voice slightly.Wendy snapped, "Is that any way to talk to your mother, Wilson? How much longer are you going to go against me for that woman? "Have you forgotten how she threatened us? She said such awful things about us and demanded to get a divorce. Why the hell are you still chasing after her so desperately?"Frustrated, he responded, "She's not wrong. We didn't treat her well.""Why are you speaking up for her?" She was livid. "How have we treated her poorly? As your wife, isn't it her job to take care of you and your parents? If others can do it, then why can't she? "Besides, with her level of education and job, she should be grateful to marry into our family! How dare she be so temperamental? She talked back and threw things just because we criticized h
"Your mother is downstairs. The video is proof that I did not lay a finger on her. Whatever happens to her has nothing to do with me." With that, Tiana hung up before Wilson could even respond.Wilson's mailbox chimed. He opened the compressed file and played the video. He felt numb as he listened to his mother's words. But when Tiana said she'd rather stay single for the rest of her life than marry him again, his heart ached.…Sage was furious when she learned about the commotion Wendy caused. "How dare she show her face here and cause a scene? Next time, just call the cops on her!"Tiana was over it and couldn't be bothered to be upset again. "Mhm. I'll definitely call the cops next time."Sage looked at her. "Are you alright?"Tiana rolled her eyes at her. "Who do you think I am? I see people like her all the time, and I'm not afraid of people who are worse than her. "I used to let it slide because she was my mother-in-law. I wanted to respect her and spare Wilson the heada
Sage shook her head and politely declined. "You should go ahead without me."Abby smiled sweetly and said, "But I think Mr. Holcomb would prefer to see you. Come with me and save me from the awkwardness." She then linked her arm with Sage's and dragged her toward the ward. Her assistant knocked on the door and pushed it open for them. And just like that, Sage showed up in Ian's ward with Abby.Ian's VIP suite was equipped with a living room, an open-plan kitchen, a small rehabilitation room, and a sickbed. At the moment, he was seated on his bed, listening to Terry's progress report on work. When he heard footsteps approaching, Ian looked up. His eyes widened in surprise when he spotted Sage. He didn't expect her to come here."Mrs. Holcomb, Ms. Sutton," Terry greeted them calmly before stepping aside.Sage didn't respond. Abby, on the other hand, responded sweetly, "You're here as well, Mr. Zane!" She then turned to Ian and said, "I heard you were injured, Mr. Holcomb. My fa
"If only I could be like Ms. Joyner, who's skilled in both perfumery and financial investments. Then, my father wouldn't have to worry as much!"Ian's gaze darkened slightly when he heard Abby mention Sage.…Meanwhile, Sage arrived at Shane's ward and found him on the phone. When he noticed her, he ended the call and told her that his men had found out that Leo had a private shareholding in the hospital that had issued the mental health assessment report for Ivy."I've had someone send the relevant evidence to the police. Once Ivy returns to Haldon, I'll apply for her to be re-examined," he said. "The autopsy report from Toledon on Henry's cause of death shows that his throat was cut with a military knife. However, it's impossible to determine whether it was intentional or accidental."While it's true that Ivy wouldn't have had the strength to kill an adult man in normal circumstances, people can tap into unexpected reserves of strength and survival instincts when faced with li
Ian was dressed in his own clothes, and it was hard to tell if he was just getting some fresh air or had somewhere to go. A flicker of pain crossed his usually cold and indifferent dark eyes when he saw her pushing Shane's wheelchair."What a coincidence, Mr. Holcomb. I didn't know you were staying in this hospital as well," Shane greeted him.Ian ignored him. His gaze returned to its usual state as he looked at Sage as if he had something to say. "Do you need something?" Sage asked.He pursed his lips. "Can I take a few minutes of your time? Let's talk in my ward.""No. We can talk right here," she responded apathetically.Ian looked at Shane and then back at Sage. "It's personal. It's not something for outsiders to hear.""Oh, I'm sorry then," she said. "I'm not free right now. We can talk about this when I'm free."Ian felt a dull ache in his chest when he heard that. Sage wasn't even willing to spare him a few minutes of her time now. "Please step aside. We need to get
Sage couldn't help but chuckle at his anxious expression. "I'm just messing with you."I'm not doing this for Ian. Grandma Holcomb and Madam Matilda have always been kind to me, so I want to help them however I can," she explained.When he heard that, his handsome face broke into a devilish, yet affectionate, smile. "You're truly beautiful inside and out, Sage.""No, stop that." Sage rubbed her arms. "Please just behave like you usually do, Mr. Morrison. Don't smile or say things like that. It makes me feel like you're up to something."Shane sighed inwardly, as he couldn't escape the consequences of his own actions. It seemed like his roguish image was here to stay.…Initially, Sage thought Shane would take her somewhere fun or scenic. However, he brought her to a cemetery. Following his directions, she wheeled him to a gravestone. The photo on the tombstone showed a graceful middle-aged woman who had a warm smile."This is my mom," Shane said. "This whole area is the cemete
Ian said calmly, "I just got back from a business trip and came by to check on Sage."Giselle didn't ask more questions. She explained to Sage, "I just saw Selena over there. I went to her and clarified that this was my idea. Selena said it was okay."Seeing Selena's calm and relaxed demeanor, Sage didn't have the energy to pretend to be friendly with her.She said to Giselle, "I'm going back to the ward," and then headed to the elevator.Ian was at her heels. "Sage, if you're too tired, just lean on me."Sage stayed silent and didn't respond to Ian, just staring blankly at the numbers on the elevator panel.In the hospital room, Tiana had been waiting for Sage for a while.Seeing Ian, Tiana was equally surprised and asked, "What are you doing at the hospital? Weren't you on a business trip away from town?"Ian succinctly said, "I came back once the task was done."Tiana looked at Sage. "How did it go?"Sage nodded numbly. "Pretty good."Tiana could tell from Sage's expressi
Sage paused slightly in her steps and turned to look at Shane. Her voice was slightly hoarse as she asked, "Is there anything else?"Shane felt an indescribable discomfort as he watched Sage's unsteady appearance.But he didn't know why he had to call out to Sage, especially since he didn't remember anything about her."Since you say we are good friends, and I got hurt because of you, why can't you visit me more often?" Shane questioned, finding a reason.“Sorry, she won't be available.”As soon as Shane finished speaking, the door to the hospital room was suddenly pushed open.Sage turned her head and saw Ian's tall, upright figure.He was wearing a custom-tailored black suit, looking like he had rushed over from somewhere, carrying an air of exhaustion.Ian had been on a business trip for the past two days. Why did he suddenly show up now?Sage glanced toward the doorway but didn't see any signs of Giselle.Sage had a faint guess about who was behind this. She gave a self-d
Shane's thought process was quite logical.Sage calmly replied, "You were worried that she was only momentarily taking a step back, so you couldn't fully trust her and wanted to observe for a while."Shane also mentioned that when Sage came to the hospital room two days ago, the way she spoke to him was very familiar. It wasn't like how typical business partners would interact.Sage admitted that they were not just business partners but had become good friends through their interactions."But I wouldn't take a good friend to my mother's grave," Shane suddenly said.Sage was taken aback upon hearing this. Had Giselle told Shane about this, too?Seeing Shane looking at her, Sage calmed herself. "You were deceiving Giselle."It's not just this, but also some of our daily interactions. You embellished the details and even went out of your way to act nice to me in front of her."Shane indeed did that before. Sage wasn't at all diffident to talk about it.Shane could see it, too. "S
Taking a deep breath, Sage knocked on the hospital room door.Giselle walked over, glanced down the hallway, and asked with a puzzled expression, "What took you so long? Where did you go?"Sage forced a smile. "There were a lot of people waiting for the elevator."Giselle saw how broken and fragile Sage looked. Thinking she was worried about meeting Shane alone, she couldn't help but gently pat her on the shoulder."It's okay. Take your time talking with Shane. If Selena returns, I'll tell her that everything was my idea."Sage didn't have the energy to explain further to Giselle. She simply said thank you and then walked into the hospital room.Shane sat upright at the head of his bed, dressed in a hospital gown, with bandages still on his head.His handsome face looked a bit thinner than before. Under the hospital room's lighting, he had the delicate appearance of a frail young nobleman.Shane was also quietly observing Sage as she walked over.She had a slender and delicate
Selena nodded. "It's understandable, Ms. Joyner. However, before you go to see Shane, could you take a moment to hear me out?"Sage was aware that Selena had been deliberately waiting for her.Sage sent a message to Giselle saying she would be a few minutes late, and then followed Selena to the stairwell beyond the emergency exit.The stairwell was brightly lit, with gleaming floors and an overall quietness that inexplicably added a sense of oppression.Sage asked, "Ms. Morrison, what do you want to talk to me about?"As soon as she finished speaking, Selena suddenly knelt down in front of her."Ms. Morrison, what are you doing?"Sage hurriedly went to help Selena, but the injuries on her back hadn’t fully healed yet. The movement caused her wounds to hurt, and she winced in pain, furrowing her brow."Ms. Joyner, please don't help me up. Let me finish speaking."Selena's face showed determination, and her almond-shaped eyes, similar to Shane's, had a hint of tears."I know Sh
Since Giselle already knew, Sage didn't deny it. She asked directly, "So what do you think? Are you planning to go abroad with Shane?""Do you even need to ask? Of course I'm not going!"Giselle was somewhat annoyed. "Nothing's going on between Shane and me! Why would they suddenly want me to go abroad with him?""But your brother thinks this is a good opportunity for Shane to develop feelings for you," Tiana said.Sage also shared Marcus' analysis with Giselle. "Your brother hopes that you and Shane will end up together in the end. If you still have some feelings for Shane, this could be a good opportunity.""I couldn't care less about such an opportunity!" Giselle said. "No matter how much I liked Shane, that's all in the past now."I'm not a martyr. I would never degrade myself just to win a man's affection. Besides, even if I gave him everything, what I might get in return could be resentment, not love.""Giselle, you are truly wise and perceptive!" Tiana couldn't help but s
"However, Elle has become more thoughtful and no longer acts willfully now. I believe that Shane will change his opinion of her."With them spending so much time together, there's a high chance that Shane will develop feelings for Elle."Sage fell silent. People were naturally fragile when they were alone and were easily moved by the care and warmth shown by others, especially considering they would be in a foreign country.Therefore, it seemed highly likely that what Marcus mentioned could happen."Even though my parents agreed to dissolve Elle's engagement, they are quite satisfied with Shane. They watched Shane grow up and know him well."If our two families could be united through marriage, it would be a joyous occasion for everyone."Ms. Joyner, I know that Shane likes you, but he has currently forgotten you. You also understand that it is very difficult for the two of you to be together."Even if Elle didn't accompany him for the treatment abroad, Mr. Morrison Senior would
Marcus put down the gift he was holding and said tactfully, "I've heard about your situation from Elle. I just visited Shane, and I thought I'd drop by to see you as well."Sage thanked Marcus and invited him to sit down. Then, unable to hold back, Sage asked, "How is Shane doing? Is he okay?"Because Shane didn't remember her, and the Morrison family wouldn't allow her to visit, Sage hadn't been able to see Shane in person for the past couple of days.Marcus said, "He's doing okay, more or less. He has multiple injuries, and his hand and leg are not very functional. On top of that, he frequently gets headaches, and his mood is quite unstable.""He probably remembered you, right?" Sage asked intentionally.She could definitely guess that Shane remembered Marcus. However, she wanted to know if Shane still harbored the same hostility toward Marcus.Instead of asking directly because it didn't seem appropriate, she decided to ask a different question instead.Marcus knew what Sage
George acknowledged her with a slight nod, while Simon asked bluntly, "What are you here for?""I heard Shane has woken up and came to check on him," Sage said honestly.Simon's tone was stern as he said, "Ms. Joyner, you should be aware of the current situation with Shane.""We won't hold what happened between you and Shane against you anymore, but we hope you'll stop bothering him in the future and completely cut ties with him."Before Sage could speak, Giselle's voice rang out. "Mr. George, Simon!"Seeing Giselle, Simon's attitude softened a bit.George also had a kind smile on his face. "Have you come to see Shane, Elle?"You see, even though Shane has forgotten so many things, he remembers everything about you very clearly. That shows he still cares about you," joked George.Giselle glanced at Sage and replied with a hint of playfulness, "Mr. George, you really shouldn't joke with me like this."Shane hasn't completely lost his memory, so it's perfectly normal for him to