Chapter 35
Nathan strolled out of the suits store, sporting a fresh suit, completely unaware that his phone was nowhere to be found. The Rolls–Royce Phantom cruised steadily along the road, with Nathan settled in the back seat, his wet hair still dripping. With a delicate touch, he held a glistening diamond engagement ring between his fingertips, a challenging retrieval from the fountain earlier on.
The midday sun streamed through the trees, filtering dappled light into the car, illuminating the diamond’s brilliance. Nathan gazed at the ring, pursed his lips, and then tightly clasped it in his hand.
Logan laid a blanket on his knees, expressing concern. “Mr. Howell, how about heading home for a good rest? You might catch. a cold if you continue like this…”
“Back to the office, Nathan said.
Observing Nathan’s damp bandages, Logan hesitated. “You haven’t rested properly in a while. You should re–wrap the wound on your hand to prevent infection. It won’t be good if it gets worse. Head home early…
“Back to the office,” Nathan reiterated, his tone turning cold.
Sensing Nathan’s resolve, Logan didn’t press further. He instructed the driver to steer towards Cypress Corporation.
Nathan shut his eyes, leaning wearily against the leather seat, the weariness evident on his face. Having another sleepless night under his belt, he had been toiling tirelessly of late. Besides that fleeting moment when he dozed off with Cassidy in his arms, he was practically working non–stop. Struggling with severe insomnia, he only found solace when Cassidy was in his embrace.
Now, fatigue crashed over him. Nathan shivered as a blanket of exhaustion enveloped him, prompting him to instinctively wrap it around himself.
The car arrived at the building of Cypress Corporation in the central business district, its imposing figure loomed large, covering over 50 acres and soaring 755 feet into the sky.
Logan got out of the car and opened the back seat door. He saw Nathan covered with a thin blanket, eyes closed. After hesitating for a while, he finally mustered the courage to call Nathan. Getting no response, he raised his voice a little higher. “Mr. Howell..”
Nathan opened his eyes slightly and looked at him, but he didn’t move.
Logan reached out to support him, but as he touched Nathan’s wrist, he felt a sudden burn. He exclaimed in his heart and put his hand on Nathan’s forehead. It’s so hot! Does Mr. Howell have a fever? Could it be because he hasn’t slept well these days? [ heard he got caught in the rain last night, he thought. Nervous, he closed the door and said to the driver, “Go to the hospital!”
“What’s going on?” the driver asked.
“Mr. Howell has a fever,” Logan replied.
Meredith and Brian hurriedly arrived at the hospital.
In the afternoon, as soon as Meredith arrived at the Howell residence, she saw that David was in a hurry to the hospital. Only then did she learn from David that Nathan was in the hospital with a high fever of 104 degrees Fahrenheit and was
unconscious.
The doctor said that Nathan hadn’t had a good rest for several days. In addition, his wound was infected. He got caught in the rain and was immersed in cold water from the fountain for a long time, which caused him to suddenly develop a high fever,
The doctor had just come out as they reached the ward. David stopped the doctor to ask about his condition. Through the window, Meredith saw Nathan lying on the bed with a pale face. Regardless of her reservation, she rushed into the ward.
Upon seeing her, Logan greeted politely, “Ms. Jensen…”
Meredith didn’t even look at him. “Nathan…” She came to the bed and gently put her hand on his forehead. His fever had yet
to subside.
Nathan appeared frail, a stark departure from his usual ironclad demeanor, often perceived as invincible, akin to a god–like figure by many. Meredith pondered what could have triggered such a severe fever in him.
Chapter 33
Seated by his bedside, she observed an IV drip attached to the back of Nathan’s hand, with the tubes entangled. His injured hand was carefully bandaged, while the hand receiving the IV remained clenched into a tight fist. Even in his unconscious state and battling a high fever, he held onto his fist so firmly that Meredith feared the IV needle might puncture his skin if he exerted more pressure.
Gently prying open his hand, a diamond ring tumbled to the ground. Meredith furrowed her brow, picking
g up the ring and examining it closely. This diamond ring- It’s the one Cassidy used to wear,‘ she surmised.
When Nathan was searching through Cassidy’s belongings, he had tasked the staff with locating it. However, both residences, Howell and Jensen, failed to find the ring. It had also been absent from the accident scene.
How did it abruptly end up… with him? Meredith mused. She turned to Logan and inquired, “How did he come across this ring”
Logan hesitated, unsure if he should disclose the information.
Meredith said, “What? What can’t you say?”
“This ring was thrown into the fountain by Ms. Cassidy Jensen. Mr. Howell waded into the fountain and painstakingly retrieved it after a prolonged search.” Logan disclosed.
Meredith frowned. Even if she kept calm, jealousy was quickly simmering in her heart. She thought, ‘How could a nobleman like Nathan step into such a cold fountain just to retrieve a ring?”
She tightly gripped the ring and heard Logan say distressingly, “Mr. Howell already had a cold. The water in the fountain was dirty, and with his injured hand, the wound suddenly got infected, and it wasn’t treated in time…
Meredith erupted. You just stood there and watched? Couldn’t you have helped him out?”
Logan said aggrievedly, “We also want to… But this ring is very important to Mr. Howell, and he probably doesn’t want others to touch it.”
Meredith was stunned, thinking. Important? How important could it be to risk infection to retrieve it?‘ She gritted her teeth and sneered. “Did Cassidy give it back to Nathan‘
“I don’t know,” Logan replied
Meredith looked at the sparkling diamond and said coldly, “Nathan must have asked her to return it. After all, I am his fiancée now. This ring is just returning to its rightful owner! With that, she gently placed the diamond ring on her ring finger.
After seeing the doctor off, David pushed open the door and entered the ward. He saw Meredith hold Nathan’s hand with a gentle gaze.
He walked over and said, “The doctor said he’s been given a fever–reducing injection and started on antibiotics. If all goes well, his fever should go down by tomorrow morning. With that, he glanced at Nathan and sighed. “Well, let him have a good rest. Logan said that he hadn’t slept for several nights.”
Meredith nodded. ‘Grandpa David, I’ll accompany Nathan tonight. You go back and rest early.”
David hesitated for a moment. He felt relieved to let Meredith guard Nathan. It was a rare opportunity for the two of them to stay together. “I’ll have Logan drop me off. Thanks for tonight!” he expressed warmly.
“No problem!” Meredith responded.
