“What about her condition?”

“She’s well enough to recover at home,” the nurse replied without elaborating. She turned to continue her work.

“Uhm…” Yarrick hesitated, stunned. He couldn’t believe Hailey left just like that. He didn’t even get her phone number, nor did he know where she lived. Perhaps she didn’t trust him, or maybe she didn’t know how to face him.

All he wanted was to hold her, kiss her, and be close to her. If she wasn’t ready, he’d never push it.

Besides, Hailey hadn’t fully recovered yet. It wouldn’t be appropriate for him to take things further.

Yarrick frowned, pulled out his phone, and dialed Selena’s number without hesitation. The call connected quickly.

“Selena, Hailey hasn’t fully recovered yet. Why was she discharged so suddenly?”

Selena chuckled softly on the other end. “What’s the matter? Are you worried about her?”

“Yeah,” Yarrick admitted, not bothering to hide it. He really was worried.

Back at the hospital, Hailey had doctors and nurses around. If anything went wrong, she would receive immediate treatment. Recovering at home just didn’t feel as safe.

“It was Hailey’s decision, but don’t worry, she has a private doctor and a full-time caregiver at home. She’s in good hands. This might even be better than if she were to stay in the hospital,” Selena explained.

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

Yarrick let out a breath of relief. He didn’t have to worry if that was the case. However, he didn’t understand why Hailey would leave without telling him anything.

“Yarrick, have you made up your mind yet? When are you going to visit Hailey?”

“I’ve made up my mind. If Hailey wants to be with me, I’ll take care of her for the rest of my life,” Yarrick didn’t hesitate since he had already thought it through.

“Have you really thought it through? Even considering her age?”

“Yes, I have. I truly want to be with her. Honestly, aside from knowing her name and her age, I barely know anything else about her. But we’re already married. And we’ve spent time together. No matter what brought us together, I believe this is fate.”

Yarrick was serious about this. He truly wanted to give their relationship a chance. After all, they were bound by this marriage. It was only right to try and work it out. As for the ten million dollars, he had to give it up. Sure, it stung a little, but he had no choice.

“Alright then, if that’s how you feel, I’ll support you both giving it a shot. But there’s something I need you to understand.” Selena was overjoyed to hear Yarrick’s decision. “Hailey ended up in the hospital because of emotional trauma. That’s why I need you to treat her well. Don’t break her heart, Yarrick. She can’t take another blow.”

Still, Selena’s words left Yarrick confused.

He thought Hailey had never had a boyfriend, so what kind of heartbreak could she have suffered? What kind of relationship was Selena referring to? But he didn’t pry. In time, Hailey would tell him herself.

“Yarrick, I spoke to Hailey today. She’s open to spending some time with you,” Selena said.

It seemed like Hailey was finally warming up to him. Perhaps it was the way he had held her so tenderly, or it could have been his experienced kiss that made her feel different…

“But she just needs a little time to adjust. She’s still young. Once she’s ready, she’ll reach out to you,” Selena said with a soft laugh.

“Okay.” Hailey was really something. Could it be that she was too shy to face her own husband? However, it seemed like she enjoyed it when Yarrick was kissing her. Her soft body had relaxed to his touch, and her heavy breathing and parted lips were evidence that she had already accepted him.

At this point, there was nothing for her to be embarrassed about.

“It’s alright, Yarrick. Just focus on work for now. I have a feeling she’ll be calling you soon. From what I can see, she really does like you. Maybe it’s the age difference that has her hesitating. But she told me herself that she wants to give this a real shot.”

With that, the call ended.

Leaving the hospital, Yarrick suddenly felt a strange emptiness settle over him. He used to take time out of his day to visit Hailey. But now, she had been discharged.

He sent Michael a text as he got on the bus.

If Michael was free, maybe they could grab a few beers this weekend, since there was no work tomorrow. It was the perfect time to unwind.

A moment later, Michael replied, “Nah, man. Isabelle’s staying in tonight. So much for that date.”

“Come on! I just left the hospital. Wanna grab some barbecue and drinks?”

Michael’s mood lifted instantly.

The washing machine and a few drinks couldn’t fix Isabelle’s mood.

“Alright! Meet me at the entrance of my apartment complex. I’ll be there soon.”

“Alright! I’m on my way!!”

Barbecue and beer were absolutely the perfect pair.

They met up just outside the apartment complex and then found a restaurant nearby. They ordered some barbecued ribs and six bottles of beer.

“Yarrick, how come you’re back early today?” Michael asked.

“Oh, I was just helping my folks for a bit. Now that they’re here in person, I’m free,” he lied. He raised his glass and clicked it against Michael’s before downing it in one go.

“Nice. You were running around like crazy every day. It must’ve been exhausting.”

“It’s fine. They’re family, it’s what you do,” Yarrick chuckled. He wasn’t about to tell the truth now.

His relationship with Hailey was still a secret; it wasn’t appropriate to make it public.

Aside from knowing her name and her age, he couldn’t answer a single question about her. Anyone who heard the full story would think he had lost his mind.

“So, how are things going with Isabelle? You’ve been back at work for a week now. No dates? No hotel meetups or anything?”