Chapter 39 How Could He Regret It?
Alaric gazed at her for a few seconds, his narrow eyes slightly narrowing.
"Did you get used to staying at your sister's place last night?"
Cordelia hesitated for a moment, then replied with a blank expression.
"Why wouldn't I?"
Alaric didn't respond immediately. His gaze lingered on Cordelia's plain face, a hint of mockery in his deep voice.
"Staying at your sister's, you don't need your usual sleep environment?"
Cordelia pressed her lips together. "It's a minor issue, and I can manage."
Alaric gave a cold smile. "I heard your sister doesn't have any help. Do you want to take Saskia over there?"
Cordelia refused. "No, my sister doesn't like unfamiliar people in her home."
Alaric snorted, taking a step closer. "How long do you plan to stay?"
Cordelia's heart skipped a beat, and she avoided his gaze. "Depends."
Alaric didn't ask any more questions. He looked away from her. "Alright, I'm heading back to the office. Janet can handle her own matters."
Cordelia didn't respond.
Alaric glanced at her one last time before turning and leaving her office.
Cordelia sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. She sat down, opened her computer, and began drafting a resignation letter.
Before the end of the day, Cordelia handed her resignation to the hospital director.
The department immediately buzzed with gossip.
The director's face was full of disbelief as he read Cordelia's resignation letter.
Everyone knew Cordelia was Ruth's friend. Despite her youth, she was highly skilled and practically the backbone of the department. She was certainly on track for a management position at the hospital.
Her sudden resignation caught everyone off guard.
The department head, Joe, hurriedly ended his meeting and rushed to Cordelia's office.
"Dr. Stone, you're resigning without giving me any notice? Is it because the surgery schedule has been too demanding? If that's the case, you could have told me. You can take a break if you need to."
Cordelia had a great reputation in the department, and Joe genuinely didn't want her to leave.
Cordelia smiled gently, her demeanor calm. "Dr. Watson, it's not about the workload. It's a personal decision."
"I want to go abroad for further studies, so I decided to resign."
Joe quickly responded, "Going abroad for further studies is great! The hospital can fund your training, and you can come back afterward."
But seeing Cordelia's determined expression, Joe stopped mid-sentence.
"Are you planning to start your own practice after you return?"
Cordelia hadn't planned that far, but she didn't deny it. One reason for her decision was to avoid Alaric and also to enhance her skills and knowledge.
Joe sighed. He didn't know how to persuade Cordelia to stay, knowing she had better prospects outside Sunrise Valley Hospital.
"Dr. Stone, you were always so low-key. We had no idea about your background."
No one had known about Cordelia's connection to Ruth. Recently, they also learned that Cordelia was the heir to a century-old family business, Shadowpine.
Cordelia smiled faintly. "Regardless of my background, at the hospital, I'm just a doctor here to serve patients."
Joe didn't know what to say. He just waved his hand. "Alright, you can leave now. Spend the next two weeks transitioning your duties to Dr. Lewis."
Cordelia nodded. "Okay."
Hannah had just finished a surgery when she heard about Cordelia's resignation. She immediately headed to Cordelia's office.
Seeing Cordelia talking to Joe, Hannah walked over and sighed. " That's a shame. You had a good shot at being promoted later this year."
Cordelia wasn't concerned about titles. "I'll need your help with the handover."
Hannah knew Cordelia had made up her mind and didn't try to persuade her. She was one of the few who knew about Cordelia's condition.
"Don't worry about it. We're friends, after all."
Just then, Janet walked out of her room, looking pale. Hannah frowned. "Ms. Martin, why are you out of bed? Don't you know your condition?"
Janet paused, her voice soft. "I heard Dr. Stone is resigning. Is it true?"
Cordelia turned to see Janet standing not far away, her face calm. "Yeah, it's true."
Janet's eyes showed disbelief. "Why so suddenly?"
Cordelia gave her a brief look. "Don't worry. Your condition isn't serious. I'll still be here when you get discharged."
The handover process was complex, and it would take about two weeks.
Janet paused for a long time.
Hannah glanced at Janet's caregiver and said sternly, "Help her back to bed. She just had surgery. She shouldn't be moving around."
The caregiver, sensing Hannah's unusual irritation, quickly helped Janet back to her room.
Hannah was very displeased with Janet. If it weren't for her, Alaric and Cordelia wouldn't have divorced, and Cordelia wouldn't be leaving Sunrise Valley Hospital.
Cordelia patted Hannah's shoulder. "I'm heading out."
"Before I leave, let's find some time to have a meal together."
Hannah nodded, watching Cordelia leave.
Cordelia had just returned to Evelyn's place when the phone rang.
It was a call from The Hughes Manor.
Cordelia hesitated but answered.
Ruth's strong yet slightly helpless voice came through. "Cordelia, I heard from the hospital director that you submitted your resignation?"
Cordelia replied softly, "Yes, Grandma."
"I'm sorry, I might not be able to keep my promise."
Ruth was silent for a long time before she spoke. "It's us, the Hughes family, who should apologize. We've wasted so many years of your life. Since you've decided, I respect your choice."
Cordelia's eyes softened. "Thank you for everything, Grandma. Even if Alaric and I are divorced, you'll always be my grandma. I'll visit when I can."
Ruth sighed. "It's Alaric's loss. He'll regret losing such a wonderful wife."
Cordelia pressed her lips together.
The divorce had been Alaric's decision for a long time. It was only delayed because of Ruth's health and issues at the Stone Group.
Alaric had likely wanted to end the marriage long ago. Regret was probably the last thing on his mind.