Chapter 6
Back in her hospital room, a nurse came by to change Lena’s bandages- chatty as ever and clearly dying to gossip.
“Was that your boyfriend who brought you in? He’s so handsome, and he clearly loves you a lot. The night you were in the OR, right after they issued the critical condition notice, he nearly tore the whole hospital down. He called in every city expert that night to save you. The blood bank ran low, so he donated a whole 1,000 cc himself. Then he stayed by your side for three straight days and nights. Didn’t leave your room once.
Listening to the nurse paint that scene, Lena could almost see.it–Hunter outside the emergency room, devastated and desperate.
But just as vividly, she also saw the image of him pulling Eleanor away to safety when the chandelier came crashing down.
She didn’t doubt his feelings.
But if his whole heart could be shared between two women, then she
didn’t want it at all.
In the following days, Hunter canceled all his work and stayed at the hospital to care for her.
He went with her to check–ups, changed her dressings, fed her congee, and handled everything she needed.
But unlike before, she no longer joked with him or chatted playfully. She stayed quiet.
Eventually, Hunter started to notice–she didn’t seem happy.
So when discharge day came, he tried to lift her mood by taking her to an
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auction and telling her to pick out anything she liked.
But when they arrived, Lena realized something–Eleanor was there too.
Hunter explained that he’d invited her to help with the bidding.
Throughout the auction, Lena didn’t bid on a single item.
Meanwhile, every time Eleanor spotted a set of jewelry she liked, she would gasp in admiration, her eyes sparkling with desire.
Hunter didn’t say anything in front of her, but toward the end of the event, he quietly got up and left. Eleanor slipped out not long after.
Lena stayed in her seat, quietly nibbling on a dessert.
Not long after, the auction house owner walked up to her with a respectful smile.
“Ms. Steele, Mr. Langdon just instructed us to buy back several jewelry sets at ten times the final bid price. We’ve already contacted the buyers- seven agreed to resell, but one is still holding out. The event’s about to end, and we haven’t been able to reach Mr. Langdon again. What would you like us to do–keep trying, or just let it go?”
The sets the staff brought over were all the ones Eleanor had praised earlier. And now Lena understood.
Hunter hadn’t left for no reason–he’d gone to buy those pieces for Eleanor.
He didn’t want to do it before her, so he planned to buy them back afterward at an inflated price.
Realizing this, a wave of tight pressure gripped her chest, and a bitter smile crept across her lips.
Just as Hunter returned, she looked at him and shook her head, her voice
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cold.
“I don’t know. You should ask him.”
The owner took the hint and left, heading straight to the door to whisper something into Hunter’s ear.
Whatever he heard made him look up and glance in the direction the man pointed, and then he turned and followed.
With the auction wrapping up, Lena decided to slip out early to avoid the crowd.
But just as she turned the corner near the elevators, she heard Hunter’s voice–low and tense.
“Mr. Mercer, I already offered 20 times the price. Why won’t you sell?”
“This isn’t about money, Mr. Langdon,” the man replied. “I like that sapphire set, too. I’m afraid I’m not willing to part with it.”
Hunter’s expression turned even colder.
“Then I’ll make it 30 times.”
Seeing how determined he was, Ryan Mercer let out a surprised whistle.
“Well, well. Everyone says you spoil your girlfriend, and I didn’t believe it before. But now? Clearly, your reputation’s well earned. Ms. Steele must really love this set–you’re even offering a ridiculous premium just to get it back for her. I’m touched by your sincerity. Tell you what, I’ll give it to you for free. No money is needed. Just one condition–you introduce me to that assistant of yours. Deal?”
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