In the hospital's garden, a fountain shimmered in the sunlight, casting a halo of light. Harper stared at it intently, feeling slightly lightheaded. Joseph stood alone, casually tucking his hands into the pockets of his white coat, which made him dashing. The man's appearance was naturally impeccable, with chiseled features, handsome skin, and perfect angles, but his indifferent gaze seemed to distance him from everything.
He stood nonchalantly, gazing down at her from above. "Who asked you to do the gynecological examination?" His questioning voice was resonant, with a cold and magnetic intensity, which made Harper tense. She met his gaze briefly to suppress her emotions. After casting a fleeting glance at him, she diverted her gaze and chose not to response. Joseph glanced at her tresses with displeasure and inquired, "Is this the kind of examination you can do?" He furrowed his eyebrows slightly and looked impatient.
"I know." Harper nibbled at her lip, evading his icy gaze as she murmured softly, "I am not a child. I’m already 23 years old." Joseph's manner of speaking to her always carries a tone as if she were a naive and uninformed simpleton. At this realization, Harper felt a wave of sadness washing over her, a sudden heaviness clouding her spirits, and she added, "It's your mother who thinks there's something wrong with me physically." Ava believed Harper was too young to care for her son and had been critical of her for not conceiving. She had no choice but to come here today.
Upon hearing this, Joseph's countenance stiffened, a sudden clarity washing over him. He raised a hand to pinch his brow, closed his eyes, and spoke icily, "I will make it clear to her that we have been sleeping in separate rooms all along." His words, though seemingly casual, implied that there was nothing wrong with a couple living apart. Harper shook her head, growing increasingly exasperated, and she somehow blurted out, "Joseph, why can't we truly have a child?"
The room fell silent, with only the faint whisper of the breeze in Harper's ears. Joseph turned his head, and his gaze locking directly onto Harper's face with surprise. The sunlight illuminated her face, revealing the fine fuzz on her skin. Innocence sparkled in her eyes, delicate and pure. She appeared just as he had first seen her a decade ago, a young girl full of innocence, yet now boldly stating her desire to have a child with him. Joseph's lips tightened, his brows furrowing slightly, his dark eyes clouded with uncertainty. Harper's courage wavered. She immediately thought that he must not want a child. After all, there was only a sense of duty between them, nothing more. They were two people without love. How could they have a child?
Harper opened her mouth and said, "I... " But before she could speak, a gentle voice interrupted her. "Dr. Lucas"
At the sound of the voice, she turned, her lashes fluttering gently, and unable to make even the slightest sound in her throat. The speech of those nurses were indeed veracious. Olivia Smith had returned. Olivia, with her slender figure and elegant face, approached them, her presence seemingly lightening the atmosphere. Joseph's demeanor softened, and he asked, "What brings you here?" Seeing Joseph's transformation, Harper felt a pang of disappointment, and quickly masked it. It was clear that Joseph treated Olivia differently.
"I was looking for you!" Olivia said with a smile, her voice filled with warmth. "I came to ask where we should go after work. You said you'd welcome me, remember?"
The two of them, in their white coats, looked like a perfect couple, just as they did in the past. Harper sighed softly, concealing her emotions, and no longer looked at them. Olivia noticed Harper's presence and exclaimed, "Harper? It's been a while! What are you doing here? Joseph will take me out for dinner later. Would you like to join us?" Harper didn't know how to respond. Olivia's tone was too intimate, making her feel like an outsider. She was well aware of how happy these two had been when they were in a relationship. Although Olivia had left, it was normal for them to reconcile. It was just that out of it came the unexpected. It was her. She married Joseph.
Harper smiled politely and said, "I have plans for the evening, so I won't go. Welcome back." Saying that, she didn't look at the expression on the man's face again, fearing it might be too piercing. Joseph felt a little angry as he looked at the smiling girl.
Olivia's face fell. "I see." Then she nudged Joseph with her arm and said, "Harper has become so beautiful over the years. I remember Benjamin Taylor used to bring her to the medical school for our classes. She used to admire you a little, didn't she?"
Thinking of her father, Harper felt a surge of indescribable bitterness. If it weren't for her father, she wouldn't have met Joseph, let alone married him. Harper remembered the rainy day her father passed away, and Joseph was the "support" her father had found for her before he died. In gratitude for his father's help, this man had taken care of her dutifully for the past three years, doing everything he should in life, except loving her.