After moving Ethan into the private room, Julian checked his condition once again. Although all of his wounds had been properly treated, Ethan still needed to remain in the hospital for at least two or three days for observation.
Julian carefully made sure that everything his younger brother might need had been prepared inside the room. After that, he gave Nurse Mary clear instructions regarding the necessary medications and the monitoring Ethan would require.
However, Julian made sure to keep Ethan's presence in the hospital completely hidden from their father, Mr. Thorne, the hospital director. They had already had a serious argument over Ethan's school-related problems not long ago. If their father found out that Ethan had gotten himself injured again, it would undoubtedly cause an even bigger problem.
Still, Julian decided that their mother, Isabella, had the right to know. He quietly called her and informed her about Ethan's condition.
...
Julian stood beside the bed, looking down at the medical records placed on the table. After reading through them for a moment, he reached into his pocket, took out his phone, and called Isabella.
Beep... Beep…
"Hello... Mom... It's me, Julian. I need to tell you something. Is anyone with you right now?"
"...Go ahead. I'm at a beauty salon getting my nails done. Why?"
There was a brief pause before Julian spoke again.
"Mom... Ethan is at the hospital right now. His condition isn't critical. I've treated him myself and made sure he's stable. I thought you should know, so I called you."
"What...? What happened to my son? Is he badly injured?"
Isabella's voice immediately became anxious.
"Hey... You said you thought I should know? Of course, I should know! You should tell me everything without leaving anything out. What happened to you two? And how is my son right now? Is he feeling better? Is he alright? Oh, never mind. I'll come to the hospital right now. Wait... does your father know?"
Isabella's words came one after another without giving Julian much of a chance to respond. Julian remained silent for a moment, listening patiently before finally answering.
"I can't explain everything over the phone. The important thing is that Ethan is stable. But he'll need to stay here and rest for a few days. And Dad doesn't know."
He paused briefly.
"I don't want him to know either. If you want to come, you can come while I'm still here. Just... don't let Dad find out."
"Okay... I'll be there within half an hour."
Julian nodded slightly even though Isabella could not see him.
"Alright. I'll wait for you."
After finishing the call with Isabella, Julian ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. He placed both hands into his trouser pockets and glanced toward Ethan, who was standing near the window, staring outside.
Julian watched him for a moment before checking the time. It was already time for his hospital rounds.
…
Julian moved through the hospital corridor, checking on his patients one by one. After examining the patient in one room, he stepped out toward the corridor to continue his rounds in the next room. Just then, his phone began ringing from inside his coat.
Julian immediately took it out and glanced at the screen. It was Isabella. He answered without hesitation.
"Hello..."
"Hey, Julian... I'm already in the parking lot. Where should I go?"
"I'm doing my rounds right now. Could you wait in my office for a while? I'm almost finished. I'll come and get you when I'm done."
"Okay..."
The call ended.
…
Isabella walked into the hospital carrying an expensive branded handbag in one hand. She pushed open the inner door and stepped inside. The soft, rhythmic sound of her high heels echoed against the polished tiled floor as she walked through the corridor.
After entering Julian's office, Isabella looked around the room for a moment before walking toward the swivel chair behind the desk. She sat down gracefully and placed her handbag beside her then took out her phone.
She opened her phone and made a reservation at one of the well-known restaurants in the city for dinner with her husband, Mr. Thorne. She carefully selected a table and even ordered several dishes in advance food she knew her husband particularly enjoyed.
After finishing the reservation, Isabella placed her phone back into her handbag. For a moment, she sat quietly in Julian's office. Her expression was calm on the outside, but the worry in her eyes remained.
"Just what did you get yourself into this time, Ethan...?"
She quietly muttered to herself. Outside the office, the hospital continued to move at its usual pace. Doctors and nurses passed through the corridors, patients were being attended to, and the sound of footsteps occasionally echoed through the building.
…
Isabella was sitting inside Julian's office, waiting for him while scrolling through her phone. She had been there for a while when she heard the sound of high heels approaching from outside, followed by a knock on the door.
Knock… knock… knock…
"Dr. Julian… May I come in? It's Dr. Molly from the Hematology Department. I'm coming in."
Before Isabella could respond, the woman opened the door and stepped inside. She entered with a bright, overly sweet smile on her face. However, the moment she realized that the person sitting inside was not Julian but Isabella, her eyes widened slightly and her eyebrows rose in surprise.
She immediately recognized Isabella as the hospital director's wife and Julian's stepmother. Her expression quickly changed, and she put a hand against her chest, pretending to be pleasantly surprised as she greeted her.
"Oh… Mrs. Thorne? I didn't know you were here. I hope I'm not being rude by coming in like this. Are you waiting for Dr. Julian?"
Isabella rested one hand on the armrest of the chair and crossed her legs. Tilting her head slightly, she gave Molly a small smile before nodding in confirmation. She then gestured toward the empty chair, inviting her to sit.
"Yes… I have something important to discuss with Julian. Please, have a seat. What were you looking for him about?"
Isabella's eyes slowly swept over Dr. Molly from head to toe as she observed the woman carefully.
Molly had fair skin and long red hair that reached down to the middle of her back. Her hair had been styled into large, loose curls and left flowing down her back. She wore a fitted blue blouse paired with stylish trousers and a pair of black heels that were roughly two inches high. A delicate golden anklet decorated her left ankle.
Her posture was straight, and her long black eyelashes had been carefully done to accentuate her eyes. From the way she dressed and carried herself, she appeared to be quite a beauty-conscious woman.
"I'm Dr. Molly, the head of the Hematology Department. Have you been waiting for Dr. Julian for long, Mrs. Thorne? I could make you some coffee. We don't have freshly brewed coffee here right now, but I have some really good coffee with me. I'm not sure if you'd like it, though."
Isabella raised one hand slightly and smiled politely.
"Oh, no, that's quite alright. I don't drink coffee. Besides, I'm already full."
"Oh…Ok. Uhmm.. Mrs. Thorne, you look even younger and more beautiful in person than you do in the news. No wonder the hospital director takes such good care of you and loves you so much."
Molly's smile grew brighter as she continued speaking.
"I've actually seen you once before, when the hospital's new expansion building was opened. You were wearing that beautiful purple outfit that day. You looked so elegant and graceful. I'm really happy to meet you in person again. I suppose I must be having good luck today."
Isabella smiled with satisfaction and casually brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead.
"Oh, and Dr. Julian, your son is such an excellent doctor too. He's extremely thorough with his work. He's also very caring and gentle with his patients. And he works incredibly hard. Someone like him… there may only be one in a thousand."
Isabella listened quietly to Molly's praise, the corner of her lips slowly curling into a knowing smile. She immediately noticed the particular interest Molly seemed to have in Julian.
"You seem to be very interested in Julian."
Isabella paused for a moment before adding casually,
"Don't take that the wrong way. I just mean… perhaps you admire him or something like that?"
Molly rubbed the back of her neck and gave an embarrassed, shy smile.
"Ah… I wouldn't dare assume anything like that. I mean… what I'm trying to say is that anyone who sees Dr. Julian would probably find him admirable. He's just that kind of person."
Isabella almost laughed to herself, but she kept her expression composed. Instead, she continued looking at Molly quietly. There was something rather amusing about the way the woman was trying so hard to appear casual while praising Julian at every opportunity.
Yet Isabella simply watched her with a faint smile. As she studied Dr. Molly, a thought slowly formed in Isabella's mind. And judging by the slight curve of her lips, it was not exactly an innocent thought.