Chapter 6

Miranda's injuries were far from severe, yet they were still significant enough for a hospital stay. Her shoulder and neck had abrasions and a slight misalignment, and the concerned Yovanna insisted she be hospitalized. Pestered by Yovanna, Miranda watched as she tugged on her sleeve and cried, "You got hurt because you tried to save me, Ms. Jennings. I don't know what I'd do if anything had happened to you." Her glistening eyes showed hints of unease. The thick disinfectant scent filled Miranda's nose, urging her to refuse Yovanna's suggestion. She hated the hospital growing up. After all, life and death, sickness and aging—most separations and the robbery of happiness in this world—would happen in this place. However, Yovanna's eager gaze made her swallow her words. Miranda stayed silent briefly and spoke delicately. "It was my mother who tried to hurt you, so it was only right that I protected you. With that said, I only suffered minor injuries. So, don't take it to heart, Ms. Yates." As usual, the one who caused the mess disappeared without a trace. Meryl had always been like this—creating trouble for Miranda and leaving the mess the next second. Some people were meant to be a support system in another's life, but for Miranda, her mother was nothing but a burden. As if reading her mind, Yovanna smiled gently. "I understand that you and Madam Snowe are different individuals. If you keep refusing me, I'll get mad, okay?" She glared fiercely at Xavier beside her and pinched him, asking, "Right, Xavier?" His large palm grabbed her dainty hand, and he looked at Miranda for a second before flatly saying, "I've handled the inpatient registration. She won't be relieved until you agree to stay." Xavier didn't care about her injuries; he was simply reluctant to see his sweetheart in distress. On the side, Yovanna's cheeks flushed with a rosy hue, and her eyes were filled with sweetness and a playful reproach. What a match made in heaven. Miranda couldn't be a nuisance to them, right? Pausing momentarily, she lowered her gaze and affirmed, "Alright, Mr. Schneider." During that time, Yovanna received a call and had to return to campus. Meanwhile, after finishing a meeting, Xavier called her and was told to wait for her in the hospital ward as she would return soon. At that moment, the nurse came in to change Miranda's dressings. The nurse was still an intern, so her movements were somewhat inexperienced. As Miranda's wounds were being dressed, she couldn't help but wince in pain, her pale lips frequently urging the nurse to be gentler. Once that was done, the nurse left the ward. Xavier lit a cigarette and stared at Miranda mockingly. "You've turned soft, Ms. Jennings." "Wow, Mr. Schneider…" Miranda lowered her gaze. "I'm a human who's bound to feel pain." She simply endured her pain without voicing it most of the time. There was one time when an accident happened when she first started working with Xavier. Despite running a high fever, she pushed through, attending three back-to-back meetings and working for over 24 hours straight. Had someone not noticed her poor complexion, she wouldn't have realized she was sick. At that time, Xavier got mad—which was rare—and locked her in the room, insisting she rested for three days. He cuddled her in his arms with a grim expression. While showering her with kisses, he fed her medicine and lectured her through gritted teeth, "Were you trying to drive me crazy so I'd die for you?" Back in the ward, Xavier flicked the ash off his cigarette and remained as aloof as ever. "Yovi is very soft-hearted. Try not to let her see you like this." His words were like a paper cut on Miranda's heart, painful yet itchy. She replied, "I understand that Ms. Yates is your precious sweetheart, but I'm a human too, Mr. Schneider; I wince when I'm in pain. If you care so much about her, tell her not to come. Otherwise, I might hurt her angel-like heart." The light in the hospital room was dim. Her tone was calm and even, yet as she leaned against the bed, her brows and eyes unexpectedly revealed a hint of fragility. Suddenly, Xavier recalled when Miranda begged him to marry her. Despite her misery, she remained resilient—the look of vitality and strength forged through countless hardships. Even in bed, she had never once yielded to him or shown the slightest hint of vulnerability. Now, she seemed to have lost weight and appeared pale. Regardless, the look of defiance lingered between her brows, but her genuine pain seemed almost unmissable. A wave of inexplicable annoyance surged within Xavier, and he coldly said, "I thought you were invincible." Miranda stayed quiet. She was barely 20 when she was with him; she was young and innocent. No matter how tough she acted, she was incredibly delicate in private. The so-called resilience was nothing more than a facade. Despite noticing it, he never truly took it to heart. The ward plunged into an abrupt silence. At last, a voice message notification from Xavier's phone pierced the air, after which he played it on speaker mode. "I'll be there in a minute. Remember to get Ms. Jennings some fruits. It'll help her to recover." Yovanna's vibrant and caring voice sounded through the speaker. When Miranda glanced over, she saw Xavier lowering his head and texting back Yovanna. The indifference in his eyes transformed into gentleness. Miranda regained her composure and no longer focused on her love affairs. In just a few days, she would have to seal the deal with Shanridge Group. What made it even more ironic was that, despite being injured, she had to spend time in the hospital just to ease Yovanna's guilt. She extended her hand toward the bedside table to reach for her laptop, yet Xavier's figure appeared before her the next second, pressing his hand against hers. Since her body was stretching forward, she immediately lost her balance and fell into his embrace. "Don't move." He frowned at her sudden movement, his voice cold. "Are you trying to tear open your wound?" With a calm voice, Miranda reminded him, "The meeting with Shanridge Group is in a few days, and I wanna go over the details again. "Don't worry, Mr. Schneider. I won't delay any work progress even if something happens to me, and I definitely will keep Ms. Yates in the dark." "You're giving your everything to the company, Ms. Jennings." Xavier paused, frowned, and cast an indifferent glance at her face. At that moment, the door swung open and revealed Yovanna with a man behind her. The man was none other than Xavier's friend, Chadwick Grant, who openly proclaimed he wanted to pursue Miranda the other night. The sight of Miranda in Xavier's arms put Yovanna in a trance, and her countenance turned upset. Miranda quickly detached herself from his embrace, took the laptop, and explained, "I asked Mr. Schneider to grab me the laptop earlier." At that, Yovanna's expression relaxed slightly. She arrived beside Xavier, wrapped her arm around his, and introduced Chadwick to Miranda with a smile. "Chadwick heard you got hurt and insisted on visiting you. Why don't you two get to know each other, Ms. Jennings?" Chadwick quietly observed the situation, thinking, "Man, what was Vee up to?" Truth be told, he sincerely fancied Miranda, who was not only stunning but also resilient. He approached Miranda with a straight face, and upon sensing her awkwardness, he smiled politely. "You're joking, Anna. I simply tagged along. Hey, Miranda. It's okay that I drop by and see you, right? We knew each other for so long, after all." His smile complemented his beautiful eyes, making him look charming and handsome. In reality, Miranda barely knew Xavier's circle of privileged friends. However, she remembered Chadwick as good-tempered and friendly. Thus, she politely greeted him. "Thank you, Mr. Grant." "Hey, Chadwick. Aren't you here to visit a patient? It's not too much to peel an apple for Ms. Jennings, right?" Yovanna passed the apple and fruit knife to Chadwick with a smile while blinking, a coy and suggestive look. Miranda and Xavier, on the other hand, were taken aback by the situation. Chadwick wasn't shy and took the apple and knife with a grin. "Sure. I've never done this for anyone." "I don't like apples. Besides, I'm still going on blind dates. So, thank you for your interest, Mr. Grant." Miranda genuinely disliked when others meddled in her private matters. However, not everyone was good at reading social cues. Yovanna, an innocent and clueless university student, naturally failed to understand Miranda's underlying meaning. Instead, she smiled and advised her, "Ms. Jennings, Chadwick is genuinely into you. If you don't like apples, we can switch to pears. Marriage is an important event in our lives, and it's always good if we look at more options. "Sure, the lawyer you previously went on a date with was nice, but Chadwick is decent as well…" Miranda looked down, her countenance showing barely any hint of emotion. Just like that, the atmosphere grew tense. After a momentary silence, Xavier, sitting on the side, glanced at Chadwick and stood up. He casually remarked, "Yesterday, Mrs. Grant came to visit my mom. She told her that the girl from the Fords had returned and that it was time to prepare for your engagement. You're no longer young; it's time you get on the right track. "Anyway, I'm sending Yovi home first. Call me if you need anything." "So, Chadwick has a fiancée. What a relief," Miranda thought. Since he had an arranged marriage, he would never do anything out of line, no matter how much he was into her. At that moment, Yovanna's demeanor shifted dramatically. Her eyes welled up, and she shook Xavier's hand off before storming out of the ward. Despite his frown, he followed her. Meanwhile, Chadwick was satisfied to have witnessed a drama unfold. He raised his brows at Miranda and teased, "Are you scared I'd pester you?" "You've misunderstood, Mr. Grant," Miranda answered calmly. However, that only piqued his interest even more. He inched closer to her with a sardonic smile, uttering, "I'll be honest with you, Ms. Jennings. I'm very into your looks. "Why don't you consider me instead? I'm way more loyal than Vee."