Chapter 73: Take It or Leave It

After what happened last night, she was happy to greet him with a smile, no matter how grumpy he seemed. "Morning," she said cheerfully.

Sipping his coffee, he glanced at her indifferently. "From now on, drive yourself to work. I don't want any more trouble from you."

Bella was momentarily taken aback. Only when she saw him toss the car keys onto the coffee table did she realize he had gotten her a car.

Seeing the logo on the keys, she timidly suggested, "Maybe we could exchange them for a less expensive option?"

He replied impatiently, "No, take it or leave it."

Speechless, she took the keys and drove off. She was extremely cautious, afraid of even the slightest scratch. All she needed was a reliable, inexpensive car; she didn't want to draw attention to herself.

When she arrived at the hospital, her colleagues stared at her car as she parked, giving her judgmental looks. She simply smiled and hurried inside.

After changing into her white coat, she went straight to Simon's ward. He was awake, and she had brought him breakfast. She gently helped him sit up to eat.

Simon looked pale but smiled happily. "I thought you wouldn't care about me."

Bella remained indifferent. "You saved me, so I can't be that heartless."

Her words hinted at more, making Simon feel a little awkward. "I was in Joville on a business trip and wasn't feeling well, so I came to your hospital for a checkup. I didn't expect to run into you, but I'm really glad to see you're okay."

Bella spoke bluntly, "Let's keep things separate. I appreciate you saving me, and I'll take care of you while you're in the hospital. But don't expect this to change anything else. Your injuries aren't serious, so you should be able to go home in a few days. You should probably call your family to come and look after you. I have to get back to work now."

When Bella wasn't busy, she would drop by to check on Simon, purely as a doctor, making routine inquiries about his condition and examining his wounds.

Since Bella visited so often, someone was bound to notice. As the nurse helped him with his IV drip, she joked, "Mr. Kennedy, are you close with Dr. Jones? She visits you several times a day. Most patients don't get that kind of attention." Bella frowned, but before she could respond, Simon said, "She's my daughter."

Daughter

Bella's body stiffened. She had always assumed Simon wouldn't acknowledge her in public. After all, he was a prominent figure, and he preferred to keep her existence hidden. Even at the Sawyer family gathering, he hadn't approached her. The nurse looked surprised. "Really? You're Dr. Jones's father? She's never mentioned you before."

Simon smiled, his eyes filled with tender affection. "It was my fault. I wasn't there to raise her."

Bella's old wounds were inadvertently reopened. Her face hardened as she turned and left without a word. Still, she couldn't deny that when Simon risked his life to save her, she felt a long-lost paternal love, similar to the love she had once felt from Richard.

If the attacker's knife had pierced Simon's lung, his life would have been in danger. The fact that he risked his life to save her was beyond her expectations.

On the fifth day of his hospitalization, Simon's family finally arrived.

When Bella visited again, she heard noises from inside and paused at the door. Entering now would likely seem inappropriate.

Just as she was about to leave, she heard a woman's voice shout, "How much longer do we have to wait? You can wait, but our daughter can't!" Daughter? Did Simon have another daughter? Bella bit her lip, and despite her better judgment, she found herself