Chapter 5

The hospital room fell deathly silent.

Cordelia stood frozen, tears streaming down her face.

"Dad, I know I was wrong... Not a single day in these three years went by when I didn't miss home, when I didn't miss you both."

Her voice fractured, barely holding together. "I was afraid to come back. Afraid you were still angry. Afraid you wouldn't forgive me..."

She'd been so terribly wrong.

The hospital room door quietly opened. Cordelia was too distraught to notice.

Ellington stood in the doorway, his gaze settling on Cordelia's tear-streaked face. His expression darkened.

When Jasper saw him, his face turned black with fury. "Mr. Carnegie is here too? What an honor. Standing on your own two feet now, I see? Looks like my daughter took excellent care of you."

Ellington froze mid-step, his throat working. He couldn't find the words to argue.

He knew better than anyone what Cordelia had done for him these three years. Those late nights by his bedside. Those bloodshot eyes. Those nutritious meals she'd endlessly varied. The meticulous care. All of it was burned into his memory.

Cordelia kept her head down, wringing her hands together, wishing she could disappear into the floor.

"Mr. Sinclair." Ellington's voice was low. "These past three years, Cordelia worked incredibly hard. I owe her far more than gratitude."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Cordelia's bowed profile. "I failed her."

Jasper snorted coldly, his eyes reddening. "My daughter was perfectly fine before she spent three years unable to come home because of you. The Carnegie family's standards are too high for us. Please leave."

Ellington didn't move. He looked at Cordelia. "Cordelia."

Cordelia lifted her head, her eyes red and swollen. "You should go. I'm staying."

Jasper's temper flared again. "When I tell you to leave, you—"

"Let her stay." Ellington cut him off, his tone calm. "She's worried about Mrs. Sinclair. I'll go."

With that, he turned and walked out.

The room fell silent again.

Jasper stood there, chest heaving, but he didn't say another word about making her leave.

Xanthe said softly, "Cordelia, come here."

Just as Cordelia took a step forward, Jasper huffed and dropped into the visitor's chair, his back to her.

"Don't mind him. He's all bark..." Xanthe shook her head helplessly, nearly making Jasper jump out of his seat.

"I heard that!" Jasper snapped without turning around, his voice gruff. "Your mother hasn't eaten dinner. There's soup in the thermos."

Cordelia froze for a moment, then quickly nodded, wiping her tears as she went to pour the soup.

Outside in the hallway, Ellington stood watching the scene through the doorway. He took a deep breath.

He was about to head toward the elevator when a doctor approached him.

"Excuse me, are you a family member of Xanthe's? We need to complete some admission paperwork."

Ellington glanced back at Cordelia, who was carefully feeding soup to her mother. Remembering her mother's name, he nodded. "I'll handle it."

Inside the room, after Cordelia finished feeding her mother, Jasper suddenly turned around and pulled out several bills with a stern expression. "Downstairs at the payment counter. Go settle the fees."

Cordelia looked at the money, her eyes welling up again.

She understood what her father meant.

He'd told her to leave, but this was his way of making her stay.

"Dad, I have money..."

"When I tell you to go, you go." Jasper pressed the bills into her hand.

Cordelia clutched the money, nodded, and left the room.

The elevator took her down to the first floor. The payment counter had a moderate line.

Cordelia stood in the queue, her mind a mess, replaying everything that had just happened.

"Ms. Sinclair?"

A familiar voice suddenly came from behind her.

Cordelia turned around and froze.

Ondine stood a short distance away, wearing a light gray trench coat, holding a medical form. She looked radiant—completely out of place in this hospital full of sickness.

"What a coincidence, running into you again." Ondine walked over, her gaze sweeping across Cordelia's face. "Ms. Sinclair, are you not feeling well?"

Cordelia lowered her eyes. "No, my family member is hospitalized."

"I see." Ondine nodded, her tone gentle. "What a coincidence—I'm here for a checkup too. Ellington insisted I get a full physical. He was worried I might not adjust well after just getting back to the country. That's just how he is, always worrying unnecessarily."

A sweet smile touched her lips.

Cordelia's grip on the payment slip tightened slightly.

"Are you here alone, Ms. Sinclair?" Ondine seemed to suddenly remember. "Where's Ellington? Didn't he come with you?"

"He had something to do," Cordelia said flatly.

"Of course." Ondine sighed, her tone helpless. "He was supposed to come with me to the after-party for tonight's show. I told him it wasn't necessary, but he insisted on canceling his plans. He just texted me asking which floor I'm on. I told him not to bother, that I could handle it myself, but he wouldn't listen..."

She waved her phone with a tender smile.

Cordelia looked at that smiling face and felt something twist in her chest.

She thought about Ellington driving her to the hospital tonight. About that complicated look in his eyes when he stood at the hospital room door. About how he'd defended her in front of her father.

All of it had just been incidental.

The woman he truly cared about was someone else.

"I'm up." Cordelia heard the counter call her number. She said quietly, "Excuse me," and walked toward the payment window.

Ondine stood in place, watching Cordelia's retreating figure. The smile slowly faded from her lips.

After paying, Cordelia didn't look back.

On the elevator ride up, she leaned against the wall and closed her eyes.

It's fine.

She told herself.

Soon they wouldn't be married anymore. Who he cared about was his business.

But that dull ache in her chest wouldn't go away.

When she reached the hospital room floor and turned down the hallway, she saw Ellington standing outside the door.

He held a stack of documents, looking through the small glass window into the room.

Cordelia's footsteps made him turn around.

"All set?" he asked.

Cordelia nodded and reached for the documents in his hand.

Ellington didn't give them to her. "Where are you staying tonight?"

Cordelia paused, then said, "I'll figure something out."

Ellington frowned. "It's this late. What exactly are you going to figure out?"

"That's not Mr. Carnegie's concern." Cordelia didn't answer, reaching again for the documents.

This time Ellington released them.

Cordelia took the papers and turned to push open the door.

"Cordelia."

Ellington called after her.

Cordelia stopped but didn't turn around.

Ellington was silent for several seconds before speaking. "Tonight... let me stay. I can help if anything comes up."

Cordelia's hand froze on the door handle.

She turned to face Ellington. "Mr. Carnegie."

Her eyes were unreadable. "You were the one who said we should divorce."

Ellington's expression shifted for just a moment.

"This is a hospital. My family's hospital room. In what capacity would you be staying?"

Ellington opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"Ms. Lawson is waiting for you on the first floor." Cordelia's gaze was calm. "Don't keep her waiting."

With that, she pushed open the hospital room door and walked inside.

The door closed softly behind her.

Ellington stood in place, staring at that closed door for a long time, lost in thought.

Only when a passing nurse glanced at him curiously did he finally turn and head toward the elevator.