Chapter 7

A filthy bitch? “You—” Aurora’s face twisted with fury, and the composed, graceful woman she usually was vanished in an instant. With a sharp, quick motion, she raised her hand and slapped me across the face. I wasn’t prepared for it. Even though I tried to dodge, her nails still scraped my cheek, leaving two bright red streaks. “Arabella, who do you think you are?” Aurora pointed a trembling finger at me, her words dripping with venom. “One day, I’ll take Jasper back, and when I do, you’ll be nothing more than a discarded, second-hand toy!” I reached up to touch the blood on my face, my eyes turning cold. I stood up and, with more force than before, slapped her back. Aurora didn’t react fast enough, and the slap landed solidly on her face. Her beautiful, delicate features immediately swelled and reddened. Her eyes widened in disbelief, as if she couldn’t comprehend that I had dared strike her. “Once you actually manage to take Jasper from me, then you can throw your tantrums. Until then, every time I see you, I’ll slap you again!” I said coldly, pushing her shoulder and forcefully shoving her out of the room. I slammed the door behind her so hard that it almost hit her nose. Aurora, holding her reddened face, seemed to finally come to her senses. Without caring about her image, she kicked the door furiously and was about to yell at me. But then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a nurse passing by. Her expression immediately softened. She adopted a pitiful, wounded look, tears brimming in her eyes as she turned and left, looking fragile and delicate. Once she was in her car, Aurora dropped the act. She kicked the seat in frustration, cursing me—Arabella, that worthless woman—over and over again. Her mind raced with thoughts of how to get revenge on me. A dangerous glint flashed in her eyes as she pulled out her phone and dialed a number. “Hunter, get me that voice actor we talked about last time. I need him for something urgent…” The sun had climbed higher, and it was already noon. The thought of Jasper lying just next door made me uneasy. I couldn’t stop myself from wanting to check on his injuries. But that man… he probably didn’t want to see me right now. I felt conflicted and restless, lying on the hospital bed in silence, battling my inner turmoil. Suddenly, my phone rang—it was Isabella. “Arabella, when are you coming to work? CEO Caldwell needs to see you urgently.” I suddenly remembered that I had promised to catch up on my work the day after I was admitted to the hospital. But with everything that had happened with Jasper, my mind had been in chaos, and I had completely forgotten. “I’ll be right there,” I said, then paused, glancing at the hospital room’s walls. Jasper was just a wall away, recovering from his injuries. Biting my lip, I changed my mind. “Actually, I’m still not feeling well. Can you please ask CEO Caldwell for some time off for me? I might need a few more days before I can come back to work.” Isabella agreed and hung up. I sat there holding my phone, still unable to resist the urge to check on Jasper. After all, he saved me yesterday, and no matter what, I should at least thank him. Determined, I gathered my courage and was about to leave the room when my phone rang again. This time, it was none other than the CEO, William Caldwell. I quickly answered the call. “BOSS?” “You’re sick?” William’s voice sounded hoarse, tinged with concern. I quickly replied, “Yes, I’ve been a bit under the weather. I’ll rest for a few days and be fine. Don’t worry, I’ll catch up on the work I missed…” “Which hospital are you at?” William interrupted. I was caught off guard. “Huh?” William’s voice was patient. “I’m asking you, which hospital are you at? I’m coming to see you.” “No, no, it’s fine…” I instinctively refused. I’ve always been a bit afraid of William. He’s always so serious, never showing any emotion, and his expectations for work are extremely strict. Whenever any employee makes a mistake, he punishes them without mercy. Every time I speak to him, I’m a bundle of nerves, terrified that I might say something wrong and face his reprimand. William’s voice betrayed no emotion. He simply said, “Do I need to ask you a third time?” I immediately caved. How could I let my superior ask me the same question three times? I couldn’t afford to jeopardize my job. I had no choice but to tell him the hospital’s location and room number. His interruption caused the courage I had barely mustered to deflate like a balloon. I was holding the doorknob, but I couldn’t bring myself to turn it right away. In the end, I was still afraid—afraid that when I saw Jasper, he would turn his back on me, his face cold and indifferent. I paced the room for a while, indecisive, before finally clenching my teeth and making up my mind to leave. Let it be what it is. I really… wanted to know how Jasper’s arm was doing. Our rooms were separated by just one wall, only a few steps away. I hesitated, dragging my feet, but just as I reached for the door handle, the sound of footsteps echoed behind me. I turned around to see Aurora, holding a thermos. Aurora had changed into a light blue dress, standing tall with an elegant figure. She looked every bit the star—beautiful, with an air of sophistication. In her high heels, Aurora walked closer and glanced at me with a sharp, unapologetic look. “You’re looking for Jasper? Want to see him?” she asked loudly, her voice carrying through the door. Jasper must have heard her. My ears burned with shame, and I awkwardly withdrew my hand from the door handle. Aurora smirked coldly, pushing me aside as she opened the door and turned toward Jasper. Her smile instantly shifted back to a sweet, innocent expression. “Jasper, Arabella is here to see you…” She smiled, gracefully stepping inside, her demeanor now completely different from the sharp, dismissive attitude she’d shown me just moments before. Jasper turned his head, his expression indifferent as he stared at me, not saying a word. I stood frozen in the doorway, unsure whether to enter or leave, caught in an awkward limbo. Jasper waited for half a minute, his patience wearing thin. His brows furrowed, and his voice turned icy as he spoke. “Arabella, you…” “Arabella, you should come in,” Aurora quickly interrupted, setting the thermos down. She seemed warm, almost overly so, as she pulled me into the room without waiting for me to respond. If Jasper sent me away, her plan would fall apart. All she needed was for me to stay here. I was led to the side of the bed, only about a foot away from Jasper. The atmosphere in the room felt strange, thick with tension. Aurora turned her back to us, busy with the thermos, and I could see the hint of a sly smile playing on her lips. After a moment of silence, I spoke softly, my voice barely above a whisper. “Your arm… is it alright?” Jasper lifted his gaze, his eyes dark and unreadable, hiding something I couldn’t quite grasp. “Is that so, Arabella? Are you concerned about me?”