Alanna nodded with a smile.Chelsey placed the candles on the cake for Alanna before lighting them."Come, make a wish to keep yourself safe and sound for the rest of your life. Let's hope ordeals like this will never happen ever again."Alanna stared at the candles' flickering light. She wished that she could regain her freedom in the future.After that, she blew out the candles, but she wasn't in the mood for cake. Chelsey, being a wonderful friend, didn't force her to try the cake. "It's hard for you to digest buttercream anyway. I'll get you something that's easier on your stomach later."Alanna looked down at her lap. "Chelsey, help me buy a phone. Please swing by my apartment to grab a contract too. After that, I need you to prepare some medicine for me."Chelsey frowned immediately. "What kind of medicine?""The kind that'll make me unable to stomach anything. Even if I'm forced to eat something, I'll throw everything up right away," Alanna explained with a smile.Bu
Melanie's breath hitched in her throat when she heard Alanna's words. She never expected her to say such things without beating around the bush.But her expression soon fell, for she noticed Hades' expression turning frosty as soon as Alanna was done speaking.It was evident that Hades didn't like hearing Alanna saying such things.He didn't want to break up with that bitch at all."Melanie, you should go back first," Hades stated in an icy voice.Melanie's expression fell even more. She ignored Hades' order and chose to stare at Alanna instead."Ms. Jacinto, that's not what I meant. I—""Get the fuck out!"Alanna couldn't be bothered to listen to Melanie's pretentious words. She continued bluntly, "Or do you want me to call security? Ms. Smith, you should be aware that it'll be humiliating for a public figure like you to be thrown out of the ward."Melanie froze immediately. Tears began welling up in her eyes soon enough.She turned to look at Hades. She clearly felt aggriev
Chelsey's expression was very thunderous at the moment."I put in a request to be transferred to the VIP floor for my shift because you're here. But that Melanie bitch kept making so many demands."First, she wanted me to pour her a glass of water. Then, she demanded that I peel an apple for her. I'm a doctor, not her fucking nurse!"All I did was chew her out! She has the gall to lodge a complaint about me instead! My boss gave me a good scolding just now! Ugh, I'm so pissed right now!"Chelsey continued angrily, "Also, Hades really is an asshole! He was the one who dragged you into this mess, yet he was still in the mood to celebrate Melanie's birthday with her! Seriously, I feel like smashing the entire cake onto his head right now! Did he fucking celebrate your birthday with you, huh?"Alanna just chuckled bitterly without replying to Chelsey's question."I'm sorry for implicating you, Chelsey.""What do you mean you implicated me? Melanie's the bitchy one! At first, I thoug
Alanna gazed downward in response."Can you leave the ward for the time being, Mr. Florentine? I'd like to have a private word with Mr. Simmons."Hades chuckled coldly in return. "Oh? Can't you two chat while I'm around?"Jeff started shuffling the papers in his hands into a neat stack. "Of course, Mr. Florentine. But I hope you can stay quiet throughout the conversation."Whenever Jeff snapped into his work mode, his gentle demeanor would be replaced by his decisive personality. Even his gaze would turn razor-sharp.Alanna fell silent for a moment."Let's talk outside, Mr. Simmons."Jeff shot Hades a look. "I'm fine with that."Hades' expression became increasingly thunderous. Before Alanna could get out of bed, he finally relented by standing up immediately.Upon reaching the doorway, he added, "Eat your meal first before talking business with him."After that, he left the ward right away, making sure to slam the door behind him.Alanna pursed her lips firmly. As for Jef
"You've been waiting here for two hours?" Jeff remarked.Glancing at Jeff, Hades questioned, "You sure you want to help her?"Jeff raised a brow and asked, "Why shouldn't I?""Don't say I didn't warn you—she can't afford to pay you," Hades retorted with a sneer.A majority of the cases Jeff took on involved significant economic disputes or high-profile divorces among the wealthy elites.His fee for a single case was at least nine figures.Chuckling, Jeff declared, "I take on pro bono cases too sometimes."Hades' expression soured. "Are you sure you don't have any feelings for her, Jeff? Why do I find that hard to believe?"Jeff's expression wasn't all that pleasant either."Hades, do you realize you're acting like a cornered beast that's frantically lashing out? If you don't want her to leave you, you should focus on figuring out why she's adamant about doing so instead of taking your anger out on others!" Jeff rebuked.Hades narrowed his eyes. After a long silence, he finall
As she leaned weakly against the door, Alanna chuckled and said, "It's not because of you. The problem lies with me."Then, she looked at Hades, who was standing there with a stormy expression. The vein in his forehead started twitching."Go ahead, Alanna. Let's see if you can keep up with this stubbornness of yours for the rest of your life!" Hades snarled.Alanna simply laughed in response.At last, Margaret realized the two were fighting.Once Hades left, Margaret couldn't resist attempting to talk some sense into Alanna."You can't keep depriving your body of food like this, Ms. Jacinto," Margaret said.Alanna smiled weakly and said, "Don't worry about me. There's a reason why I'm doing this."Margaret frowned, but she didn't know what else to say.Alanna persisted for three days, and Hades' expression soured even more with each passing day.They seemed to be engaged in a cold war.Alanna was obstinately using her health to protest against Hades' domineering ways, but Ha
Alanna was dazed as she listened to him. Though she kept quiet, a tear silently rolled down her cheek. She got what she wanted, but she felt no joy.Their relationship left her with a heart covered with scars alongside several insignificant delightful moments.She had never expected them to end things this way. She thought they would part ways on a friendly note or that perhaps Hades would soon grow bored of her someday. This was the only outcome she had never foreseen.Hades' gaze fell on her tear, and he instinctively wanted to help her wipe it off. However, Alanna dodged him the moment he raised his hand. His fingers froze in mid-air.After several moments, he withdrew his hand. "I asked Margaret to cook you some chicken soup. You should at least take a sip."After a short pause, he continued, "You can stop taking that medicine. I won't pressure you to take it anymore."Then, he got up to serve her the soup. He wrapped his slender fingers around the bowl so tightly that his kn
Alanna's expression was taut. Truth be told, she was curious about Jeff's intentions as well.However, she could very well differentiate whether or not someone harbored ill intentions toward her. At least, she didn't sense anything of that sort from Jeff."And you think you're a gentleman, huh?" she retorted.Hades' eyes narrowed. "I'm far from being one, that I admit. But at least I don't have a fiancée or a girlfriend. I've only been intimate with you alone."Alanna, since the beginning, you're the only woman I've been in a relationship with. I've never even touched Melanie. I'm never one to show my affection to more than one woman."Alanna pursed her lips. She didn't know how to describe her feelings upon listening to his sudden confession.However, she refused to continue this topic. No matter who Hades would go to bed with or how many women he'd have in the future, it would no longer concern her."I'll follow through with the proper resignation procedures, and hopefully, yo