Chapter 272

Rowena Clare was about to refuse. The old woman smiled and said, “How can you visit a friend in the hospital without bringing flowers? This is the last bunch, and I’ll give it to you for just ten bucks.”

Rowena paused, thinking, ‘I don’t have any friends. I’m just here to see my toughest rival, Vivian Hart, who’s in the hospital because of Sylvie Grant.’

Rowena ended up buying the flowers and heading into the hospital. She could already hear the commotion inside from a distance.

“Amber Hart, I told you you’re dumb, but you still won’t admit it! I told you to be careful, but you just had to bump into my laptop and now it’s totally crashed! Do you even realize how much important stuff I had on there!"

Amber felt both wronged and embarrassed. She shot back, “Vivian, you’re such a cheapskate! I already told you it wasn’t on purpose, and I’ll get it fixed for you, okay? Do you have to go off on me like this? You think I actually wanted to come here?"

“Did I ask you to come? Just get lost, I don’t want to see you.”

Vivian looked down at her laptop, thinking about all the data she’d worked so hard on, now ruined. Even though she knew Amber hadn’t done it on purpose, she just couldn’t stop herself from lashing out.

Amber burst into tears. "I’m never coming back! Vivian, I hate you so much!” She snatched up her things and bolted out of the room.

Vivian hurried after her, blocking her way. “Wait! I know you didn’t do it on purpose, but the stuff on my laptop really matters to me. I’ve told you again and again to be careful, but you just act like I’m talking to a wall. Amber, stop always making trouble for others, okay!”

Tears welled in Amber’s eyes, yet she stubbornly held them back, refusing to let a single drop fall. She didn’t want to lose face in front of Vivian.

“Yeah, I’m immature, and I love making trouble for others, so what? It’s just a laptop! I already said I’d pay you back. Four grand? Eight? Will that shut you up? Vivian, you seriously need to see a psychiatrist. I swear, you have some kind of persecution complex. Let me tell you, I’m not that bored. If Sienna hadn’t told me to come to the hospital, I wouldn’t have come even if you begged me. From now on, don’t ever talk to me again.”

Vivian was at a loss for words as Amber ran straight out of the room, bumping right into Rowena.

Amber looked up at Rowena, her eyes brimming with tears. Rowena's violin was probably broken, but she didn’t seem to care. "I’m so sorry. Did you get hurt?”

Rowena gazed at Amber, who was still in her school uniform, her eyes red, and her body still shaking with sobs.

“I’m fine, sorry, I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Amber dashed out of the hospital.

Rowena made her way toward Vivian. When she got there, she found Vivian crouched on the floor, fiddling with her broken laptop, while the table nearby was littered with empty snack wrappers.

All of a sudden, Rowena realized she shouldn’t be here–they were strangers. Would her abrupt appearance strike them as another attempt to curry favor with the powerful? she wondered to herself.

She left the flowers by the door and left. Outside the hospital, she spotted Amber wiping away her tears. Rowena approached her and handed her a tissue.

“Hey, are you okay? You’re Vivian’s sister, right?”

Amber Hart looked at her. “Who are you?”

Rowena hesitated for a moment before answering. “I’m her classmate. Did you have a falling-out with her?”

Amber Hart nodded. “Vivian’s such a cheapskate…”

Now that she had someone to vent to, Amber started ranting about Vivian. Rowena listened patiently. Before Amber even realized it, all that frustration had melted away.

“My name’s Rowena Clare. At the last competition, I met your sister. She came in first, and I was second. Take this violin–it’s not really worth much anyway.”

Rowena looked down at the violin, noticing that a bit of the finish was damaged.

Amber could tell the violin was quite valuable, and there was no way she could just accept something like that. “Thank you, but this gift is too valuable. I can’t take it. Thank you for listening to all my nonsense. I’m heading home now, and you should get home early too.”

Rowena wondered, ‘Was it really just nonsense? Honestly, I didn’t think so at all.’

Thorn Noir opened his eyes, expecting to see Sienna, but instead, he found Finn Eaton sitting by him, holding a bowl in his hands.

“I made this herbal medicine especially for you–it’ll help you recover faster. Mr. Noir, I’m truly grateful you saved my life. If you have any requests, just say the word. As long as it’s within my power, I won’t refuse.”

Finn gazed at him gently, his voice calm and polite.

Thorn pushed himself up. When he realized Sienna wasn’t there, his expression hardened. “I’m not drinking that. Finn, I do have one request–and only you can actually do it. Stay away from Sienna. In fact, I want you to never show yourself in front of her again. Can you promise me that?”

Finn didn’t look the least bit surprised. In his eyes, Thorn was kind of immature, but he could see why Thorn would feel that way. Still, there was no way he could agree to that.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that for you.”

Thorn’s temper snapped. He hadn’t expected any favors, but Finn was the one who brought it up. Wasn’t that just pointless?

“Didn’t you just say I could ask for anything? Does your whole family know how hypocritical you are!”

Finn looked at him seriously and replied, “Thorn, we’re not kids. Even if you and Sienna are spouses, you have no right to restrict my contact with her. We’re classmates and friends, so I can’t agree with your request. Everyone has the right to make friends. And after what happened–she saved my life–if anything, I’ll only feel even more grateful to her.”

Thorn suddenly felt like a junior in front of this guy. He was so open and forthright. Besides, he expressed his thoughts calmly, leaving no room for rebuttal.

So Thorn just blurted out, “You like her!”