The room was thick with silence, tension hanging heavily in the air.

Finally, Dorian broke it, his deep voice resonating with authority. “Who will make it difficult for him? And why are we even debating this? What’s more important—a life or personal obligations?”

Yolanda bowed her head, fresh tears slipping down her cheeks.

Caden’s face remained impassive. “No one will make life difficult for me, but my presence isn’t the cure Yolanda needs. Once I’ve seen Grandma safely home, I must return to my duties. Mr. and Mrs. Moss, I appreciate your efforts in managing things here.”

Regina gave a gentle nod. “Go ahead, Caden. Your work can’t wait.”

Yolanda’s hands clenched tightly in silent despair.

As Caden turned to leave, she faked a cough, biting down hard on her lip until the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth.

Alarmed, Dorian quickly called for a doctor.

Caden stepped aside, his expression unreadable as he watched her struggle.

Pale and teary-eyed, Yolanda looked up at him, her voice hoarse. “You should go,” she whispered. “Don’t let me hold you back.”

Caden pressed his lips into a thin line. “Conserve your energy, Yolanda. It’s best if you don’t talk,” he advised softly.

He knew her condition was worsened by overexertion, much of it fueled by her emotions for him. The thought of leaving her in such a fragile state gnawed at him, making it difficult to walk away.

When Yolanda noticed he hadn’t left, her lips curled into a faint smile of relief.

After the doctor completed his examination, Caden picked up her medical chart, his sharp eyes scanning the details thoughtfully. He began considering the possibility of finding a specialist to improve her treatment.

𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐬.𝐜𝐨𝐦

With trembling fingers, Yolanda reached out and grasped the hem of his jacket. Her voice, fragile and uncertain, broke the silence. “Caden, would staying upset her?”

Caden’s expression hardened slightly as he asked, “Who are you referring to?”

Yolanda bit her lip nervously, her gaze avoiding his. “Ms. Bennett,” she whispered.

Caden’s eyes narrowed slightly as he replied, “It’s none of your concern. Don’t trouble yourself over it.” His tone was polite, yet a cold edge lingered beneath the surface.

Yolanda sank back onto her pillow, her eyes never leaving his face. The affection and longing in her gaze were unmistakable.

Unable to bear the tense atmosphere any longer, Ciara interjected, “I know an excellent doctor who specializes in traditional medicine. I’ll ask him to prescribe something for Yolanda to try.”

Dorian accepted her offer graciously. “Thank you, Mrs. Ward. That would be very helpful.”

Ciara nodded and exited the room, Jasmine following close behind.

Once they were some distance away, Jasmine remarked, “Mr. Ward seems deeply entangled in social obligations.”

“He won’t be for long,” Ciara replied confidently. “He values repaying favors but despises unnecessary complications. Once he’s settled his debt to Yolanda, he’ll leave without hesitation.”

Puzzled by Ciara’s dismissive tone, Jasmine asked, “If you don’t care for Yolanda, why did you offer to find her a doctor?”

Ciara sighed wearily. “What doctor? I have no intention of wasting my time on that,” she said bluntly. “Instead, go downstairs, buy coffee, and bring it to her.”

“Coffee? But why?” Jasmine asked, her confusion evident.

Ciara snorted. “I can’t stand phonies. I’m already being more generous than usual.”

Jasmine was taken aback. Who would have thought Ciara could be so humorous at times?

Meanwhile, Caden made a phone call, arranging for advanced medical equipment to be shipped from another city to aid in Yolanda’s treatment.

While it wouldn’t cure her, the equipment was far more effective than standard medicine. He covered all the costs without hesitation, then exchanged a few words with Dorian before departing.

Caden’s efforts left no room for complaints from anyone else.

Back in the room, the warmth in Yolanda’s eyes faded. Turning to Dorian, she said, “Once this IV is finished, I’m leaving. I need to get back to work.”

Dorian was on the verge of losing his temper, but Regina gently placed a hand on his arm, calming him before he could speak.

She approached Yolanda’s bedside, her voice soothing despite her doubts. “Yolanda, can’t you see what Caden is feeling?”

Yolanda responded resolutely, “Of course I can. But that doesn’t stop me from wanting him.”

With determination, she pulled out the IV needle, tossed aside the blanket, and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

“Are you really willing to risk your life just to pursue him?” Regina asked, concern etched on her face.

“Do you think I want to?” Yolanda shot back, impatience creeping into her tone. “If I were healthy, Caden would have been mine long ago.”

Regina’s expression shifted slightly, though she maintained her composure. Her upbringing had instilled in her a sense of calm, even in moments of frustration.

“Yolanda, you’re an adult now. If this is what you truly want, then go for it. But as your mother, I must advise you to reconsider. If you keep acting so recklessly, you may end up with nothing.”

Yolanda had pushed herself to the brink of illness in her desperate bid to win Caden’s sympathy. She had already coughed up blood twice. Was it even working?

What was she thinking? It all felt so foolish.

Her voice turned cold. “If I don’t take responsibility for myself, what am I supposed to do? Depend on you? Instead of lecturing me, why don’t you help make my life easier?”

Ignoring Dorian’s attempts to intervene, she abruptly left the room.

Dorian sighed, feeling caught between Regina and Yolanda. “Regina, why keep arguing with her? She’s still so immature.”

Regina rubbed her temples in frustration. “Just let her be.”

Dorian’s expression darkened. “Caden isn’t that heartless. You heard him earlier—he spent hundreds of millions on medical equipment for her treatment. He’s trying to make her life a bit better.”

Regina shot him a sharp look. “He did that because he wants to distance himself from us. Can’t you see that?”

Dorian fell silent, unable to refute her claim.

To Caden, Yolanda’s situation was trivial; he didn’t dwell on it.

He sat on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone for messages. His inbox was flooded with unread texts, but none were from Alicia.

That was unusual.

The gallery had been expanding rapidly lately, and Alicia always kept him updated on her achievements and sought his input on questions.

Didn’t she find it odd that he hadn’t been around this morning?

Caden’s brow furrowed slightly as he pondered this.

Just then, his phone buzzed. It was a call from Gerry.

Gerry’s excited voice came through the line. “I just bought a new sports car! It’s awesome. I’ll pick you up this afternoon, okay? Let’s go to the celebration party together.”

“Celebration party?” Caden repeated, his tone flat.

Gerry sounded surprised. “Yeah, Alicia’s party. Didn’t you know?”