Chapter 22
“What’s wrong? You look pale.”
“Your hands are freezing.”
Eddy burst in with his entourage so suddenly that Blanche froze for a split second.
She didn’t want to see that look of tenderness in his eyes, so she averted her gaze, letting it land instead on his neck.
A bright red hickey glared back at her-a mark that stabbed straight into her vision.
Blanche’s pupils trembled. Unable to help herself, she shoved him hard. “Whatever’s going on with me is none of your business. Get out!”
But Blanche’s push was like an egg thrown against a rock-Eddy didn’t budge an inch.
He pulled her tightly into his arms, unbothered by her fury. “Honey,” he murmured.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry I got here late.”
Forced into Eddy’s embrace, Blanche could only smell the lingering scent of Jeannette’s daisy perfume on his clothes. Her eyes grew icy cold.
All his apologies could never make up for the way he’d hurt her.
Blanche said nothing. Eddy, mistaking her silence for acquiescence, turned to Sophie, his eyes sharp as knives.
“Why did my wife faint?”
Blanche glanced at Sophie, her hand curling into a fist at her side.
She wanted to ask-why had Sophie said Eddy might have another child?
But now was not the time.
“Blanche fainted because she got too emotional. Her cycle started early, she lost too much blood, that’s all,” Sophie replied quietly, her head down. “She just needs some rest and she’ll
recover.”
Eddy was a storm in the business world-a ruthless man who inspired fear in everyone except Blanche.
His gaze swept coldly over Sophie, but when he looked back at Blanche, his voice was gentle, almost tender. “Honey, she’s been with you five years, but not only did she fail to help you conceive, your health just keeps getting worse.”
“I don’t trust her to take care of you anymore.”
“Besides, we’re about to adopt from the orphanage. You don’t need an obstetrician now.”
“I’ve hired a top family doctor to look after you instead.”
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12:56
Without waiting for a response, Eddy scooped Blanche up in his arms. She barely had time to react before he set her down in a wheelchair, then instructed the bodyguards, “Take my wife to the doctor for another check-up.”
Sophie’s heart leapt into her throat.
If another doctor examined Blanche, her lies would come undone. She’d be finished.
She turned desperately to Blanche.
Leaning back in the wheelchair, clutching her aching abdomen, Blanche stared at Eddy with steely eyes. “I don’t want a new doctor. I don’t need another exam.”
“I don’t want to see you. Get out.”
The bodyguards hesitated, rooted to the spot.
Everyone knew Blanche was Eddy’s whole world-and his orders weren’t to be taken lightly.
But Blanche’s word was law, too, and none of them dared defy her.
“Alright, alright. No more check-ups if you don’t want them,” Eddy said softly. “And if you don’t want to see me, I’ll just wait outside the door.”
“I won’t go anywhere.”
He softened, bent down, and lifted Blanche back onto the bed. She struggled, but couldn’t break free. In the end, she shut her eyes and let him settle her down.
Blanche wanted to question Sophie, but Eddy had already thrown her out-and taken Blanche’s phone with him.
It didn’t stop there. Two bodyguards stood sentry at the door like stone lions, and Eddy even had his desk, chair, and laptop moved to the doorway so he could work right outside.
He wouldn’t let anyone near her.
She’d have to wait for another chance.
As Eddy closed the hospital room door, he noticed a man’s jacket in his hand, crumpled from his grip.
Another man had touched her.
Eddy turned to his bodyguard. “Find out who brought my wife to the hospital.”
The answer came back quickly from the paramedics.
“Mr. Simmons, she was admitted at 1 p.m. A man in his thirties brought her in-he had a child
with him.”
One o’clock-right when Eddy had been with Jeannette.
The Ferrari had been parked not far from the villa. Had his wife discovered something?
Eddy’s hand clenched into a fist. He pushed open the door to Blanche’s room.
“Honey, what were you doing at Northshire Estates?”
47
