Chapter 58 How Could She Acquiesce?
Laura had fallen asleep, but Amber couldn't contain her inner turmoil any longer. She left the hospital room and headed toward Amelia's office.
Amelia was chatting with other patients outside her office door. Her face wore a gentle smile, and she was approachable and friendly—a stark contrast to the way she treated Amber.
Amber took a deep breath and approached. "Ms. Davis, I'd like to talk to you."
Amelia looked at Amber calmly, her gaze cool and detached. "Ms. Roberts, are you here to ask me about Mr. Hastings again? I've told you already that my relationship with him isn't good. Please stop asking about it, alright?"
Amber's role as the other woman was common knowledge among the long-term patients in the department. The patient conversing with Amelia glanced at Amber with a mix of disdain. "Shameless. Mistresses these days are so brazen, aren't they?"
Amber's face flashed with emotion at the patient's comments.
Amelia withdrew her gaze from herself and whispered to the patient. "Sophia, please go back to your room. I'll come to check on you in a moment."
Sophia nodded, giving Amber a scornful look and almost spitting in her face.
Angry but restraining the urge to argue, Amber watched as Amelia also headed back to her office. Seeing Amelia didn't want to talk, Amber pursed her lips. "Ms. Davis, I think I understand now why you've been so cold to me before. So, you see me as your romantic rival, is that it?"
Amelia's stride paused just for a moment, but she didn't answer.
Amber bit her lip harder, lowering her voice. "Ms. Davis, I never thought that you could have feelings for your sister's husband."
Amelia frowned slightly, her gaze turning to Amber with a hint of disgust. "Are you finished?"
Amber, noting Amelia's growing irritation, let out a cold, dismissive laugh. "Here I thought Ms. Davis was a noble person, but it turns out you're just as vulgar as anyone. Watching me struggle in this relationship must be painful for you, especially since Mrs. Lakoff mentioned that you've seemingly been fond of Frederick for many years. You chose to become a doctor because of Mr. Swift, didn't you? Watching the man you love marry your sister must hurt more than you let on."
Amelia remained silent, looking at Amber before sitting in her office chair.
Amber, seeing Amelia's composed expression return, added, "Actually, the relationship between you and Frederick isn't as bad as you claim it is."
Amber had come to view Amelia as her own romantic rival. Her heart was seized by an intense foreboding because Frederick had shown a keen interest in Amelia. Deep down, Amber knew that if it hadn't been for her, Frederick would probably have been with Amelia by now. She had always thought that Frederick's confession of his feelings for her was sparked by their meeting when she visited Emily. But the truth was, Frederick had fallen for the girl Emily had described, and that girl wasn't her—it was Amelia.
Confronted by Amber's insistence on linking her with Frederick, Amelia massaged her temples and answered calmly, "Yes, you're right. My relationship with Frederick is just that complicated. In fact, just last night, we slept in the same bed." She paused before adding, "Ms. Roberts, are there any other details you'd like to know? I can take my time telling you."
Amber's face turned deathly pale. She lashed out at Amelia, "You have no shame!"
Amelia simply smiled faintly as if she had just heard a joke.
At that moment, a colleague passed by Amelia's office and said, "Ms. Davis, Dr. Grace is asking for you in room 28."
"Alright, I'll be right there," Amelia nodded, giving Amber a quick glance before rising from her seat.
As she walked past Amber, Amber grabbed Amelia's hand. "Is it really worth it to become enemies with your sister over a man?"
Rachel was a woman with a strong sense of possessiveness. She would never allow such a thing to happen.
Amelia offered a mild smile and assured her, "You don't have to worry about my sister. She won't turn against me over Frederick. She doesn't mind."
Amber looked up sharply at Amelia, shocked. "She knows?"
Amelia removed Amber's hand from her arm and walked out of the office. She thought to herself that Amber must be quite shocked and would probably need some time to process this. No wonder Rachel had been so exhilarated when Amber mistook her for Frederick's wife—it was indeed amusing to see Amber disconcerted.
Amber sat dumbfounded in Amelia's office for a long time before finally leaving in a daze. She understood Frederick. he was not one to act inappropriately unless he couldn't control himself. When she had just returned to the country, Frederick seemed uninterested in her. Despite her efforts and forsaking her pride, Frederick had always managed to stay cool and keep his distance from her.
Amber walked out of the hospital, her spirit seemingly in shreds.
On the sidewalk outside the hospital, she ran into Frederick, who had come to visit a patient. With a determined bite of her lip, she approached him and blocked his path.
Frederick furrowed his brow as he regarded her, a distant look in his eyes.
Amber looked up defiantly, meeting his icy gaze head-on.
"Frederick, have you ever loved me?" she asked.
"There's no point in asking me these questions now," Frederick replied coolly, his voice devoid of warmth.
Amber's eyes brimmed with hurt.
"Have you been coming to the hospital so often to visit Mrs. Lakoff, or is it someone else?"
Frederick didn't answer her question.
Was it that obvious?
Amber, watching Frederick's demeanor, felt a sense of despair.
She couldn't bear to uncover the secret between Frederick and Amelia, fearing that if she exposed everything, she would lose all chances of staying by Frederick's side.
She stepped aside, silenced by her own thoughts.
Frederick glanced at her indifferently and then looked away, walking into the hospital.
As Amber turned her head to watch Frederick's retreating figure, tears slid down her cheeks.
She still remembered when Frederick had first confided in her, saying, "I heard you like me, so do you want to date me?"
It had seemed so strange back then because the fact that she liked Frederick had never been known to anyone.
She had always felt inferior deep inside, being aware that her family background and appearance were ordinary, especially compared to Frederick's prestigious lineage.
If she hadn't been Emily's student, her world would have never collided with Frederick's.
Where had Frederick heard such a thing?
From the beginning, the girl he had heard about wasn't Amber!
Frederick liked the girl he had been told about, not Amber.
How could Amber ever accept this?
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