Chapter 240

Vincent's eyes were a storm of emotions as he looked at her.

Gloria set her fork down and met his gaze, her face serious. "Yeah, I did think about avoiding you at first. You get why now, right?"

She hadn't wanted Vincent to get tangled up in the mess between her and Sebastian.

Now that things were sorted with Sebastian, those worries had faded.

Gloria's expression softened with a hint of apology. "Vincent, you're my only family. I don't want to have to put on a show for you. Can we just go back to how things were before, at least until I figure things out?"

Vincent saw the cautious look in her eyes, and a wave of bitterness washed over him, which he quickly pushed down.

He lowered his gaze, hiding his emotions, and added some food to Gloria's plate. "I'm glad you feel that way."

A smile spread across Gloria's face, her eyes lighting up like they did three years ago.

Vincent watched her smile for a moment, his grip on his fork tightening and then loosening.

He had watched Gloria grow up, and there were things about her that even she might not understand as well as he did.

For her to say this was, in a way, a form of rejection.

She just hadn't realized it yet.

Or maybe she didn't want to hurt him.

What she didn't know was that the answer didn't matter to him.

What mattered was Gloria's happiness.

Seeing her smile like this was enough for Vincent.

Over the next week, their interactions almost returned to how they used to be.

But they didn't spend much time together.

Vincent was a key figure at the hospital, leaving early and coming home late almost every day, even on weekends.

One morning, when Gloria got up, Vincent had already had breakfast and was about to leave.

"Got surgery today too?" Gloria walked him to the door, asking.

Vincent had been doing surgeries for three days straight, with dark circles under his eyes from lack of sleep. "Yeah, today's surgery is simple. I would be back before noon."

Gloria trusted his professional skills and nodded, watching him leave without saying what was on her mind.

She had almost fully recovered and had planned to go back today.

But if she mentioned it, Vincent would probably insist she stay, worried about her, and it would take some effort to convince him otherwise.

She decided to wait until he came back in the evening.

After seeing Vincent off, Gloria returned to the table to finish her breakfast.

She had only taken a couple of bites when the doorbell rang.

Thinking Vincent had forgotten something, Gloria got up to open the door.

She was surprised to see the person standing there.

"Who are you..."

"Who are you..."

They both spoke at the same time, looking at each other in confusion.

The woman looked Gloria up and down.

Gloria had just gotten up, wearing a comfortable nightgown with her hair loosely tied in a ponytail.

It was clear she had spent the night there.

The woman's smile faded slightly as she took in Gloria's appearance. "Where's Vincent?"

"He just left. Do you need something from him?"

The woman eyed Gloria coldly. "And who are you to him?"

Sensing the hostility, Gloria frowned slightly. "I'm his sister."

"Sister?" The woman looked skeptical. "I didn't know Vincent had a sister. You..."

Before she could finish, the housekeeper hurried over.

Seeing them talking at the door, the housekeeper stepped in front of Gloria, smiling at the woman. "Mr. Adams just left for work. If you need to leave a message, I can pass it on."

Gloria noted the housekeeper's respectful attitude towards the woman, indicating she was a regular visitor. It seemed the housekeeper was somewhat wary of her.

"No need. I was just here to catch a ride with Vincent to the hospital. Since he's gone, I'll leave too." The woman's tone was cold as she glanced suspiciously at Gloria behind the housekeeper.

Gloria returned her gaze coolly. There was no need to be friendly to someone who was being hostile.

After the woman left, the housekeeper visibly relaxed.

Gloria couldn't help but ask, "Who was that?"

The housekeeper explained, "She's the daughter of the hospital director where Mr. Adams works. She lives upstairs and often catches a ride with him."

Gloria understood. No wonder the housekeeper was so respectful. But...

Thinking about the housekeeper's words, Gloria quickly realized the truth. The rides were just an excuse. She was really trying to get close to Vincent.

Realizing this, Gloria felt an even stronger urge to leave Vincent's place.

In the afternoon, when Vincent came home, he found Gloria packing her things.

He frowned and walked over. "What are you doing?"

Gloria hadn't expected him back so early and paused for a moment before continuing. "Nothing, just thought it's time to go back."

Vincent watched her pack her clothes, feeling a bit empty inside. But he had no reason to keep Gloria with him. "You're not fully recovered yet. Stay a few more days."

Gloria looked up and smiled at him. "I really feel much better. I'll take my medicine on time, and Lila will take care of me. Thank you for letting me stay. I feel bad for imposing."

Vincent's voice was low. "I don't find it troublesome; taking care of you has become a habit for me."

Gloria's smile deepened. "I know, but I'm an adult. I can take care of myself. And—"

Gloria winked at Vincent playfully. "With me here, you might find it inconvenient. I have things to handle back home too."

Vincent frowned, not understanding her meaning.

Gloria didn't give him a chance to ask, finishing her packing and coming out of the room.

"It's about time. Could you give me a ride? You can check on me anytime if you're worried."

She smiled at him.

Vincent looked at her smile, unable to refuse. At least this time, Gloria hadn't talked about cutting ties. She even said he could visit her.

After a moment of silence, Vincent relented. "Let's have dinner first, then I'll take you."

Gloria agreed, leaving her luggage on the couch and sharing one last meal with Vincent.