Chapter 16

"But something feels off. That old lady didn't really seem like one of our company's top executives. I heard this morning that the head of the company is seriously ill. Maybe she's a friend or relative," Michael said thoughtfully, shaking his head. Even he couldn't figure out what was going on. "Either way, it doesn't really concern us right now. We're part of a big corporation. It's not going to go under just like that," he added with a shrug. After hearing what Amanda said earlier, Yarrick felt a bit more reassured. Since she mentioned that there wouldn't be any problems for the time being, it was probably true. As a mid-level executive, she definitely had more inside knowledge than most. "Yeah, that makes sense. Let's just go with the flow." As the two of them chatted, they noticed Ethan walking toward the elevators with a laptop in hand. "He's probably heading into a meeting. I bet he knows what's going on with the executives. But we just started working here, so it's best not to ask too much." "Right. It's better to stay out of it and just see how things play out." They went back to reviewing the documents Ethan had handed them earlier, occasionally exchanging a few words. Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was 4:00 pm. Ethan returned, his expression calm. It was impossible to tell if he was in a good or bad mood. After a short chat, they didn't manage to glean anything useful from him. Soon, it was time to clock out. "Yarrick, are you heading to the hospital again?" asked Michael. "Yeah," Yarrick said with a smile as he started packing up his things. "Alright, I'm gonna reach out to that woman I talked to earlier. Maybe I'll even catch a movie with her tonight." "Nice move, man!" Yarrick laughed and gave Michael a thumbs-up before heading out. He needed to grab something to eat. He had skipped lunch, and now, he was really hungry. After leaving the office, Yarrick found a nearby fast food joint and wolfed down a quick meal. Then, he hopped on a bus and made his way to the hospital. The ride was smooth, and he arrived at the ICU in no time. He stepped into Hailey's room. "Yarrick, you're here?" He walked in just as a nurse was about to leave. "Hey there!" Yarrick greeted her with a smile, then glanced over at the bed. "Did my wife eat anything this afternoon?" "She did. Quite a bit, actually. She's been asleep for a while. You two lovebirds have some time to yourselves." "Thanks!" Yarrick pulled up a chair beside Hailey's bed and gently took her small hand in his. It was warm and soft. The door closed quietly behind them. "Honey, I just got off work. I grabbed a quick bite and came straight here. Did you miss me?" Now that it was just the two of them in the room, Yarrick got a little bolder. He reached out and gently caressed Hailey's cheek, but there was no response this time. After a moment, Hailey grasped his hand in return, her face turning a soft shade of pink. Her body even trembled slightly. "Sweetheart, are you getting better? ICU care is really expensive. Let's work on getting you into a regular room soon." Even though Yarrick didn't have to pay her hospital bills, he knew how costly the ICU was. A standard room would be way cheaper. As he spoke, he softly ran his fingers along her neck and collarbone—then stopped himself. He really wanted to keep going, but he managed to hold back. Hailey's complexion had improved so much lately. Her once pale face had gained a healthy flush, and she looked more radiant than ever. Not only was she beautiful, but there was something deeply captivating about her now. Hailey let out a soft moan from Yarrick's touch, louder than usual this time. Her breathing grew more rapid. "Sweetheart..." Yarrick's heart fluttered. Hailey was clearly awake. She was just pretending to sleep. He leaned down and kissed her gently on the cheek. "Honey, let's go home once you get better, alright? I really want to hold you right now." He kissed her cheek again and wrapped his arms gently around her slender and soft shoulders. As he held her, another quiet moan slipped from her lips, her breathing now shallow and quick. "Honey, will you still want me once you're fully recovered?" His voice was soft as he hugged her a little tighter. Hailey's breath hitched again, but still, she didn't open her eyes. "Hails..." Yarrick kissed her again. After a short while, he gently let her go. Time passed quietly as he sat beside her, holding her hand. Before he knew it, it was 10:00 pm. "Honey, it's getting late. It's 10:00 pm now. I should head home. I'll come back to see you tomorrow, alright?" He gave her one last kiss goodbye. … Time flew by like this for a few days. Each time Yarrick visited, the nurses would tell him that Hailey had been awake and eating well, but whenever he was there, she just wouldn't open her eyes. Then came Saturday. Yarrick got up early in the morning, had a quick breakfast, and rushed to the hospital. But when he stepped into ICU Room 6, the bed was empty. "What?" His heart skipped a beat. No way! Did Hailey go to the bathroom by herself? Yarrick felt excited by the thought. But then, a mix of emotions surged through him. If Hailey was truly recovering, then he'd soon have to face the reality of their possible divorce. "Yarrick, your wife's been moved to a regular room—Room 203. You can go see her there." As he was spiraling in thought, a nurse walked in. "She... She can walk and talk now?" The nurse couldn't help but laugh. "She was already walking around two days ago. And of course, she can talk! We moved her to a regular room this morning. Go take a look. You two are such a funny couple." With a giggle, the nurse turned back to her work, still smiling to herself.