Vincent Hawthorne had a cleanliness obsession, and having blood stains on him made him very uncomfortable.
He booked an hourly room at the nearest five-star hotel and had clean clothes delivered. After showering, he changed his clothes, tossing the old set directly into the trash can.
When Vincent had finished tidying up and returned to the hospital room, Cindy Lynn was already awake. Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on Nov3lFɪre.ɴet
"President Hawthorne..." Her face was extremely pale, looking pitiful.
Vincent didn’t speak, walked forward, and raised the bed half an inch.
"Is Ms. Tanya okay?" Cindy’s eyes were glued to Vincent’s unreadable handsome face, and just as Vincent was retracting his hand, she reached out and grabbed his sleeve, "Vincent, believe me..."
Tears rolled down her pale face.
Cindy sniffled and said, "I really didn’t lock Ms. Tanya in the bathroom; I don’t know that crazy woman..."
Vincent looked at her silently, reaching out to wipe the tears off her face.
"Cindy, how long have we known each other?" he asked, his voice as gentle as always.
Cindy looked up with tear-filled eyes, and although she didn’t know why he was asking, she answered anyway.
"Ten years... When I was a freshman, you were the officer in charge of our military training."
"Hmm." Vincent pulled up a chair and sat by the bedside, his gray-blue shirt matching him well, making him look particularly handsome and charming.
It’s understandable that she fell for Vincent at first sight back then. Even ten years later, Vincent only added a touch of mature masculinity to his university look.
However, Cindy didn’t stay lost in her thoughts for long before hearing Vincent speak in a low voice, "I’ve known Tanya Sinclair for fifteen years."
What he implied was that compared to her, he knew Tanya better...
Cindy’s face stiffened slightly, her hands silently clutching the sheets under the blanket.
Vincent looked calmly at the woman in front of him, ultimately unable to bear saying anything harsh.
"Cindy, you’ve indeed made me feel comfortable these past few years by my side. You sometimes have a little scheming, which I can tolerate... but Tanya, after all, is my wife, the biological mother of my two children."
Cindy lowered her eyes, big tears silently falling onto the blanket, spreading, looking pitifully aggrieved.
"After all, you still don’t believe me..."
Words were useless, Vincent got up, took out the Amulet she gave him that night from his pocket, and placed it beside Cindy’s pillow.
"Have a good rest, I’ll handle today’s incident for you. But this is not to happen again!"
After saying that, Vincent turned to leave. Cindy, not knowing where she got the strength, suddenly clung tightly to his slender waist from behind.
Vincent frowned, "Cindy..."
"Ms. Tanya targeted me because she knew this diamond bracelet was a gift from you!" Cindy pressed her face against his back, tears soaking through the shirt, Vincent’s back stiffened, and he tried to break free, but Cindy only held on tighter.
Avoiding touching her wound, Vincent didn’t exert more force in the end.
He took a gentle breath and said slowly, "Tanya wouldn’t do such a thing..."
"Then why do you think I would?" Cindy cried, "Vincent, people’s hearts can change! Ms. Tanya has been a vegetable for five years, what if her mind’s already twisted! Didn’t you also notice that after she woke up, she’s become very different from before?"
"..." Vincent was at a loss for words.
Tanya’s changes after waking up were indeed significant. He just assumed she lacked a sense of security and was acting out against him... Could it be that her mind was twisted enough to frame Cindy?
He said out loud, "I know her."
But in his heart, he was somewhat hesitant.
Vincent thought of the man who appeared with Tanya, and the big hand placed on her lower back when she almost fell... He could guess the young man’s identity.
Appearing at Westgard Pharmaceuticals on a Saturday with an undeniable aura of authority, accompanied by a few well-trained bodyguards.
He was Declan Pierce.
Vincent shut his eyes tightly.
Suddenly, he remembered that extravagant gesture in The Dissonance, where the second young master of The Pierce Family spent three billion and three hundred million to gift Tanya roses...
Vincent’s face immediately looked unpleasant, the suppressed agitation rekindled, burning from his chest to his stomach.
He slightly exerted force and pried apart Cindy’s hands clinging to his waist.
"I have things to do, I’m leaving now, have a good rest. As for the Westgard Pharmaceuticals contract, signing this project is yours." Vincent didn’t look back and simply said, "When the project begins to advance, let me know if you need anything."
As he pulled open the door to the hospital room, he ran into Cody Crawford and Rhys Lucas, who got the news to visit. Whether they had just arrived or eavesdropped at the door for a while was unclear.
Cody awkwardly scratched his head and smiled, "Vincent, we came to see... our little sister-in-law!"
Under Vincent’s piercing gaze, Cody quickly bit his tongue and corrected himself.
Rhys looked over Vincent’s shoulder and saw Cindy on the sickbed wiping her tears with her back turned. He frowned with compassion and said to Cody, "You go in first."
He then turned quickly and caught up with Vincent, who was leaving.
Rhys had been there for a while, standing at the door listening to bits and pieces of the conversation between Vincent and Cindy.
Frowning, he said, "You were too harsh on Cindy... You’d rather believe that scheming Tanya Sinclair than Cindy? Tanya would do anything to get your attention!"
Vincent recalled Tanya’s recent behavior, his frown deepening.
Quite contrary, he felt like Tanya was increasingly unwilling to be noticed by him lately?
This thought surfaced, and the unease in Vincent’s heart intensified.
He took out his phone to call Tanya Sinclair, but after dialling the initial few digits, the rest of the number slipped his mind momentarily. Finally, he simply dialed from the contact list below.
"Sorry, the number you dialed is currently on another call..."
Who is she on the phone with?
Vincent became more agitated.
From the moment he left with Cindy until now, it’s been four hours! Tanya hasn’t sent a single text or called!
How could she leave him hanging ?!
Vincent’s handsome face was dark and his jaw tight, pounding the screen with intensity to send Tanya a message.
[What are you doing? Call me back!]
Rhys observed Vincent making the call to Tanya and then sending her a WeChat message, his eyes on Vincent growing unfamiliar.
Always Tanya eagerly keeping up with him, when had Vincent ever cared this much about Tanya?
Rhys couldn’t help but grab him.
"What are you doing? Chasing after Tanya?" Rhys frowned at him incredulously, "Vincent, you wouldn’t have really fallen for Tanya, right?"
At Vincent and Tanya’s pre-wedding bachelor party, Rhys had asked Vincent why he would want to marry Tanya Sinclair. Did he really fall for Cinderella?
Initially, he thought Vincent agreed to date Tanya just for a fresh experience.
Vincent had toasted the beautiful woman blowing a kiss in the corner while lazily saying: ’Does marriage have to be for love?’
The elevator before them had already opened.
Vincent stepped in, turned to face Rhys standing outside the elevator, his tightened face spitting out words one by one through clenched teeth, "Don’t love her, but Tanya Sinclair can only be mine!"
From twelve, she had been a fixture in his world.
He didn’t love her, but he even gave her the position of Mrs. Hawthorne!
Indeed, he was wrong in Cindy’s matter, but it’s not like he wasn’t compensating for her!
The elevator doors closed heavily before him.
Vincent slowly exhaled, pressing a hand against his silently aching stomach.
He closed his eyes patiently.
He thought back to those years when Tanya stayed day and night, caring for him.
His throat inexplicably felt a twinge; he wanted that mint candy...