Chapter 51: Strong Desire to Possess

Livia was sleeping fitfully when the persistent vibration of her phone unsettled her.

She reached for it and answered groggily, "Hello?"

"Sleeping well?" The voice on the phone had a slightly sinister edge.

Livia furrowed her brows, "Who is it?"

She felt something was off and struggled to open her eyes to peer at the screen. Recognizing the string of digits gave her a jolt, and she snapped halfway out of her sleepiness.

"What do you want?" Livia continued with her eyes closed, her mind now fully alert.

Angelo was calling her in the dead of night.

"I’ll give you ten minutes. Get to the hospital now," ordered Angelo.

"I'm not sick. Why should I go to the hospital? I'm not going," she retorted.

"Livia!" Angelo's voice carried a hint of anger now.

Livia scoffed. "Yell all you want, it's no use. What, the lights at the hospital aren't bright enough? Want me to come and watch you and Valentia's lovey-dovey act?"

Angelo was infuriated.

'How can this woman be so clueless? She used to be so concerned about me meeting Valentia, and now she doesn't care even if we’re together at the hospital in the middle of the night?'

"Can't you act a bit more like a girlfriend is supposed to? Aren't you jealous?" Angelo was grateful for his youth and good health. Otherwise, she would have driven him to a stroke.

Livia's eyes opened again, glowing with light.

She pursed her lips, deciphering his words, then cleared her throat and said more levelly, "Girlfriend?"

"I'm giving you one more chance, ten minutes, now, immediately!" With that, Angelo hung up.

Livia stared at the phone screen and laughed.

The halls of Saint Mary Hospital had finally regained a semblance of normalcy in the late hours, fewer people, less crowding.

Perked up, Livia made her way to the VIP ward and knocked on the door.

It was Angelo who answered.

Livia raised an eyebrow while Angelo glared at her, annoyed by her tardiness.

"Who is it?" Valentia's voice came from inside, this time tinged with weakness.

Livia, bearing flowers and fruit—a commendable feat to find at this hour—bumped Angelo's shoulder as she entered. "Valentia, it's me."

Upon seeing Livia, Valentia's face turned sour instantly. Her gaze shifted to Angelo standing behind Livia, her heart aching.

'He couldn't leave, so he brought Livia here on purpose to embarrass and trouble me?'

"You didn't have to come all this way so late," Valentia managed to maintain her manners, though she sounded terse.

Livia placed the flowers and fruit basket on the table. "I was planning to visit you when daylight broke, but Angelo insisted I come now. Sorry to disturb your rest."

Valentia understood what Angelo meant. He just didn't want to be alone with her.

"I'm fine here. You should go back," suggested Valentia. "It's enough to have Angelo here."

Livia admired Valentia's persistence. Even in these circumstances, she was still fixated on having Angelo all to herself.

Without beating around the bush, Livia said, "You get some rest then. I'll be on my way."

"Okay," Valentia replied.

As soon as Valentia finished speaking, Angelo chimed in, "I'll take you home."

"No need. You should stay here and take good care of Valentia. It's pretty sad for her to be all alone," Livia said generously. "I can just take a cab."

Angelo glared at her. "I said I'm taking you home!"

The more he insisted, the happier Livia felt.

She had realized that a lot of the trouble comes from within. This is particularly true in relationships, where the more you care, the more it hurts.

She had recently had this epiphany, which made her feel much lighter.

"Really, it's not necessary," Livia said, looking into his somewhat fierce eyes with a gracious smile, the picture of understanding. "I can manage on my own."

She was refusing him.

Angelo squinted his eyes and drew Livia out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Valentia stared at the door, feeling lost. 'Does he really not want to be with me that badly?'

"What are you doing?" Livia protested as he pulled her into the emergency stairwell, where the lights turned on at their arrival and the heavy door closed behind, shrouding them in silence.

Angelo pressed her against the wall. "What's your deal?"

"What did I do now?" Livia replied in frustration. "Giving you some time and space—isn't that what you want?"

"You seem to care less and less about me now."

Angelo finally understood that feeling of indifference.

She used to call or text him whenever he didn't come home or had social engagements outside. Lately, she really didn't seem to care about him at all.

Whie he was at the hospital with Valentia, she was still able to sleep at home. Now she was leaving so casually, as generous as if she was just giving away a toy to Valentia.

Is she really that magnanimous?

"Isn't this what you wanted?" Livia, slightly confused by his sudden outburst, said, "I can't always be on your case. Even married men don't like their women to be too controlling."

"Don't give me that talk," Angelo said tightly, his hand gripping her waist, glaring fiercely at Livia.

Livia paused, then pursed her lips, trying to hold back a smile.

Angelo frowned. "What are you laughing at?"

Livia reached up to touch his face. "You shouldn't act like this."

Angelo caught her hand. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to."

"What am I up to?"

"You just want to distance yourself from me to get cozy with that other guy," Angelo said as he pinched her chin, lifting it slightly, enunciating each word. "Don't even think about it."

Livia felt Angelo was jealous.

She leaned back against the wall, looking at him with a mock smile. "Your current mood seems awfully similar to someone who's fallen for me."

The hand on her chin stiffened momentarily, and when his gaze flickered with panic, Livia chuckled.

Angelo let her go, saying defensively. "Yes, I've fallen for you."

Her face flushed, and Livia pounded on his chest with force.

"I'm telling you, cut the act," Angelo held her hand firmly. "Be a little possessive for once and walk out with me."

"So, you can't stand being alone with your ex? Valentia is injured," Livia tried to shake off his grip, but he was holding on too tightly.

Angelo's grip tightened even more. "Cut the sarcasm. Let's go home."

Livia was dragged out through the emergency exit by him. He released her, then pushed open Valentia's room door, approached her, and said coldly, "Rest well, I'm leaving."

"Aren't you staying with me?" Valentia glanced outside the door.

Angelo replied indifferently, "You're a woman. You know how petty a woman's heart can be. If I don't return by midnight, I fear I won't even be able to enter my own house."

Livia was silent outside the door.

'Angelo actually used her as an excuse.'

Valentia gave an awkward smile. "Miss Ashcroft keeps a tight leash on you."

He said, "She's a bit possessive."

Livia was even more speechless.