Chapter 295

Danielle hadn’t expected Ross to come. She steadied her breathing, refusing to let her emotions show. She thought, ‘After all those rejections, did he really think I’d melt just because he showed up now?’

With flights grounded due to the earthquake, Ross had considered a helicopter, but it was too flashy, too likely to spark gossip for Danielle.

His assistant had pushed for it. After all, it was faster and more comfortable. If they took a car instead, it would probably take over ten hours, and for a man used to luxury, that kind of travel wasn’t exactly ideal.

Ross had set off from Basterel at 5 a.m. At first, the road had been smooth, but as they neared Lightspring City, part of the road turned out to be extremely bumpy. In the end, the trip took more than ten hours.

When Ross stepped out of the car, he felt terrible – dizzy, weak, with a dull pain in his stomach from not having eaten all day.

The assistant, aside from a stiff butt, seemed fine. “Mr. Jean, maybe you should call Dr. Shelly and let her check on you.”

“Yeah,” Ross nodded. He had come here specifically to see Danielle. If he needed medical help, he wanted her to be the one to treat him. But he was worried that she was too busy to spare him any attention.

Ross dialed her number, and a few seconds later, the ringtone came from somewhere nearby. He immediately recognized the sound – he had heard it countless times before. He turned around and saw Danielle standing near a blue tent, wearing her white coat, looking almost sacred.

Ross ended the call and strode toward her.

Danielle studied him. Usually dressed in a sharp suit, this time his shirt was wrinkled from over ten hours in the car. He looked pale, clearly exhausted, and his lips were almost colorless.

A man so used to comfort had chosen to endure a long, bumpy drive instead of taking a helicopter.

“Ross, what brings you here?” Danielle asked, even though she already knew the answer.

Ross said, “For you.”

Hearing exactly what she expected, Danielle tried to suppress a smile. “You’re being reckless.”

His gaze remained measured, careful not to scorch. “Can I have a glass of water?”

“Come in,” Danielle said, turning around.

Ross followed her into the tent. It was packed with medical supplies, leaving little room to sit. The small table where she ate wasn’t much bigger than a cutting board.

Besides, there was a cot. Danielle had brought it for quick naps between shifts. She had planned to rest there after dinner.

Finding no disposable cups, Danielle handed him her own mug. “No cups. You’ll have to use mine.”

Ross took it. “Yours?”

She gave him a flat look. “Got a problem?”

Ross took it, smiling, “I’ve tasted far more of you than this, like your saliva.”

The usually composed beauty flushed instantly, making her look incredibly tempting. Danielle thought, ‘Since when did he start talking like this?’

She watched his lips press where hers had been, his Adam’s apple moving as he drank. The once distant, unapproachable man now had no airs about him at all.