Chapter 78 Proposal
"You... didn't you go to take a call?"
Quinley's fingers gripping the door handle turned white.
"Quinny, do you like all this?" David was lost in his own world, pulling Quinley's arm to show her the hospital room he'd carefully decorated.
Rose petals were scattered across the hospital bed, the floor was covered with roses, and heart-shaped candles flickered romantically. He'd created an atmosphere of ultimate romance, but Quinley couldn't accept any of it.
"No, I don't," Quinley said coldly.
David seemed a bit surprised, but not entirely. He reached out, naturally trying to put his arm around Quinley's shoulder. "Quinny, you'll get used to it slowly. I believe you'll definitely fall for my damn romance. I swear I'll make you the happiest woman in all of Rosewood City."
Zachary wasn't good with sweet talk, and Quinley had grown accustomed to his style. David was the complete opposite—romantic words flowed effortlessly from his lips, but Quinley felt nothing hearing them.
"David, I have something to tell you." Quinley decided to come clean.
In her desperation, she'd used him, and she owed him an apology. "Quinny, wait, let me go first." David held up a finger to silence her.
That rose-colored box appeared in his palm like magic. He suddenly dropped to one knee, the box popping open to reveal a massive diamond ring before Quinley's eyes.
"Quinny, let's get married."
David's unexpected proposal caught her completely off guard. He looked at Quinley with anticipation written all over his face. She was terrified, backing against the wall, her steps retreating constantly.
"David, don't do this. Please get up."
"Quinny, I'll get up as soon as you say yes." David held up the diamond ring, gesturing for Quinley to put it on.
Things had developed beyond Quinley's control. "David, listen to me." Quinley tried to make herself appear calm.
"You're wonderful, truly wonderful, but I haven't considered marriage, so... I'm sorry, I can't accept your proposal." Quinley found the most gentle excuse to refuse him.
Disappointment flashed in David's eyes, but he didn't give up. "Since I'm so wonderful, why don't you consider it now? Quinny, I really want to spend the rest of my life with you. Don't worry, I'll definitely treat you well."
"I'm sorry—I used you." Quinley closed her eyes in pain.
He shot to his feet angrily, grabbing Quinley's arm and demanding in a muffled voice, "What did you say? Say that again?"
"I don't like you. The only reason I acted that way was to use you."
The most honest words were the most merciless arrows. David suddenly laughed—a cold smile that was chilling to witness.
"You used me to help Zachary? Quinley, you're really pathetic! He's tired of playing with you, and you're still throwing yourself at him? How am I not better than him?"
The humiliated and enraged David looked terrifying. Quinley was in the wrong and couldn't argue back. "I'm sorry."
From beginning to end, those were the three words she said most often. But David had never wanted apologies.
He furiously stomped out the heart-shaped candles and destroyed all those gorgeous roses, venting his emotions wildly while Quinley remained strangely calm.
Suddenly, David rushed over, grabbed Quinley's hand, and tried to force that ring onto her finger. "This is what you and Zachary owe me. You have to pay it back."
At first Quinley tried to resist, but eventually she gave up. "Forcing me is meaningless."
But David, who'd already gone down a rabbit hole, wouldn't listen to anything. "I don't care. I'm going to force you anyway."
The diamond ring finally ended up on Quinley's ring finger. Her fingers were slender, and the ring was an inch too big, hanging loosely and rattling around.
Quinley didn't take it off—she despised all forms of coercion. "Dr. Brown, can you leave now? I need to rest."
Quinley's face was cold, and her gaze was equally frigid. It really was getting late—almost eleven at night.
David had said what he wanted to say and done what he wanted to do. "Fine, rest for now. I'll come back tomorrow."
But the next day, David didn't come. Quinley heard from a hospital nurse that there had been a problem with a surgery David had previously handled. The family had filed a complaint against him, and police had taken him away early that morning.
Quinley went through the discharge procedures. She didn't wear the ring but put it in her small bag, planning to find another opportunity to return it to David.
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Colin had been recovering well lately—he could hold onto the bed and take a few trembling steps. When Quinley visited, he always wanted to chat. He spoke very slowly with unclear pronunciation, repeating the same phrase over and over.
"Quinny, find a good man and get married soon."
After his serious illness and near-death experience, what he couldn't stop worrying about were his two children. Quinley was his eldest daughter, almost twenty-five now, and he couldn't bear to see her struggling alone.
"Dad, I know." Quinley always responded patiently.
In the laundry room, Marlee pulled her aside. "Quinny, I heard Dr. Brown is pursuing you?"
David had been so high-profile that word had spread throughout the entire hospital. Quinley knew she couldn't hide it from Marlee, but she still denied it. "Where did you hear that?"
"Quinny, Dr. Brown is a good man with excellent medical skills. Your father and I are both very satisfied with him. Don't set your standards too high—when it comes to living life, it's better to be practical."
Marlee earnestly tried to influence Quinley's thinking. Quinley understood Marlee's intentions, but matters of the heart weren't that simple.
"Mom, I understand. I'm going to buy Dad some chicken soup—I'll be right back." Quinley found an excuse to leave.
Her heart felt congested with overwhelming emotions. Too much had happened recently, and she was starting to feel unable to cope.
However, she never expected that just as she left the inpatient building, she'd run into Harold's secretary Kevin. He was coming out of the obstetrics and gynecology department, carrying a bag of medicine while talking on the phone.
He didn't notice Quinley and walked straight toward the parking area. Quinley became suspicious and quietly followed him.
Kevin's ride was an ink-blue Bentley parked in the deepest part of the lot. He didn't press his car key but walked to the Bentley and knocked on the window.
The window glass slowly rolled down, revealing a woman's face. When she saw that face clearly, Quinley was shocked beyond belief.