Chapter 37
The idea barely crossed Victoria's mind when, in the next moment, she saw Edward approaching her and couldn't help but frown a little.
"Mr. Windsor, what are you doing here?" She asked, her voice betraying a hint of accusation. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Only after the question left her lips did she realize how confrontational it sounded. She subtly lifted her gaze, studying the handsome man before her. His face, usually a mask of cool indifference, remained impassive as he looked down at her, his expression unreadable.
"My father is a patient here," Edward stated flatly. His tone was devoid of emotion, a simple declaration of fact. "What are you doing here?"
He frowned slightly, all the emotions in his eyes completely hidden.
It seemed like something was wrong.
Victoria blinked, a new sense of inquiry sharpening her gaze. For a moment, she thought she glimpsed a familiar figure in the distance, a shadow that vanished before she could properly register it. Her view was suddenly obscured as Edward shifted slightly, his cool voice cutting through her distraction.
"Is it inconvenient to say?"
Dressed in a tailored black suit that accentuated his tall, athletic build, Edward's presence was commanding. His cool gaze fell upon her, pulling her back to the present moment. "My daughter is ill," she explained, her voice steady despite the tremor she felt inside. She gestured toward the tightly closed door of the operating room. "She's in surgery right now. I've already requested time off from the office, so my work won't be affected."
Edward raised an eyebrow, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his cold face. So, in her mind, he was nothing more than a boss who only cared about exploiting his employees? Victoria instinctively recoiled, blinking with an air of innocence. She hadn't said anything wrong, had she?
As the two of them spoke, Veda observed them from the side, her eyes darting between them. She stroked her chin thoughtfully, a speculative light in her eyes. So this was the legendary Mr. Windsor, rumored to be cold-blooded, ruthless, and utterly immune to the charms of women?
He didn't quite seem to fit the description. She frowned, her scrutiny subtle but intense. Was it her imagination, or was there something vaguely familiar about his features?
"So, are you planning to stay here?" Victoria asked, unable to decipher Edward's intentions. Her elegant face was a mixture of confusion and wariness. "I heard there were other meetings scheduled for today. Don't you need to return to the company?" She had made her desire for him to leave as plain as she could. A man as intelligent as Edward couldn't possibly misunderstand, could he?
Yet, not only did Edward show no sign of leaving, but he also settled into a chair beside her with unnerving ease. He crossed his long legs, his posture one of complete and unapologetic composure.
"Don't mind me," he said, his gaze sweeping over her calmly. He then offered an uncharacteristic explanation. "I just need to confirm a few things."
'Confirm a few things?' Victoria looked up, her eyes drawn to the illuminated "In Surgery" sign above the door. Her lips pressed into a thin line. Perhaps the minds of CEOs simply operated on a different wavelength. Whatever he needed to confirm, she knew she couldn't force him to leave. She would just have to pretend he wasn't there.
Having reached this conclusion, the knot of tension in her stomach, which had briefly loosened, tightened once more. This surgery wasn't as critical as the one she had undergone after her car accident, and the surgeon was one of the best. But this time was different. The person lying on that operating table was her daughter, her entire world.
An image of that small, frail body on the pristine white bed flashed in her mind—Yara, smiling up at her, bravely insisting she wasn't afraid. Victoria's eyes reddened again at the memory.
"Don't worry. I know one of the doctors in there, and his skills are exceptional. Yara will be absolutely fine," Veda said, wrapping an arm around Victoria's shoulders and patting her soothingly.
"Besides, Yara is such a good girl. She always follows the doctor's orders. Just relax, everything will be okay." She skillfully concealed her own anxiety, and her words managed to pierce through Victoria's fear.
Victoria's brow relaxed slightly. She managed a weak, trembling smile. "Thank you."
"The traffic was a nightmare. I'm sorry I'm late," a familiar voice interjected. Victoria turned her head and saw Rhea hurrying toward them. She opened her mouth to greet her, but her sharp eyes caught the fleeting look of astonishment on Rhea's face as she saw Edward.
"Is Yara still inside? How much longer will it be?" Rhea quickly composed herself, first approaching Victoria with words of comfort. "Don't worry too much. She's a strong little girl; she'll be fine."
Only after consoling Victoria, did she turn to Edward, a sly, knowing smile playing on her lips. "What are you doing here instead of at the office?" Her shift in demeanor was seamless, a masterclass in social dexterity.
"I just happened to have some free time," Edward replied, his voice a flat monotone that betrayed no hint of being caught in an awkward situation.
Victoria, though, wasn't focused on their conversation. Her eyes moved slowly between their faces, studying them in silence for a while before she finally looked away.
It was obvious that Edward and Rhea shared more than a passing familiarity. She dropped her gaze, a thoughtful look settling on her face.
Their facial structures, the set of their eyes—the resemblance was undeniable, though masked by their different personalities. When they were apart, one might not notice. But standing together, the similarity was too striking to ignore. Could Rhea be Mr. Windsor's mother? Victoria mulled over the possibility, so lost in thought that she failed to notice the passage of time.
After what felt like an eternity, the doors to the operating room slowly swung open. A surgeon emerged, pulling off his mask. "Who is the patient's family?"
"I am!" Victoria's heart leaped into her throat. She shot to her feet and rushed forward. "Doctor, how is my daughter? Is everything okay?" Her hands were trembling so violently she had to clench them into fists as she stared at the surgeon's face, bracing for the worst.
"The patient is fine. The surgery was a complete success," the doctor said with a reassuring smile. He pointed down the hall. "She'll need to remain in the hospital for a while for observation, to ensure there are no rejection issues with the organ. You can go to the first floor to handle the payment, and you'll be able to see her once she's transferred to a regular ward."
Success. The word washed over Victoria, and the tension that had held her rigid for hours finally released its grip. Her muscles went slack, and her legs buckled, nearly sending her to her knees. A steady hand caught her arm, preventing the ungraceful collapse. She turned, offering a grateful smile. "Thank you."
Seeing that she had regained her footing, Edward gently released her. "It's nothing," he said, his voice as neutral as ever. Unconsciously, however, his fingers brushed against each other, the lingering warmth of her soft skin a phantom sensation on his fingertips. His gaze rested on her for a moment, a flicker of an unidentifiable emotion in their depths. Something, he felt, had changed.
Rhea, who had watched the whole scene from the sidelines, felt a smirk start to form on her lips.
Let him keep up the act. Anyone with eyes could see what was happening, though he himself was likely the last to realize it.
This was going to be interesting. With an amused glint in her eye, she turned her attention back to the surgeon and began asking her own questions about Yara's recovery.