Chapter 49
<Chapter>Chapter 49: Spring Rain, Glistening Like Oil </Chapter>
Gianna was filled with remorse, knowing that the Viper had targeted her. Even if he hadn’t orchestrated the accident on Felix's way to the civil affairs office, he would have found another way to harm Felix.
"Grandma, Mr. Clinton is going to be all right, I promise!"
She was determined to keep him safe.
After comforting Natalie and ensuring she was sent home, Gianna returned to her vigil by the hospital room door.
Soon after, Bella, who had received the news, rushed over, her eyes brimming with tears. She glared at Gianna accusingly, "I heard that Felix got into the accident on his way to divorce you. Gianna, you’re like a jinx—everyone connected to you suffers!"
Gianna looked at her with a cold laugh, emphasizing each word, "What's it to you? Don’t forget, Felix and I aren’t divorced yet. It's not your place to point fingers at the other woman."
"You!"
After a brief silence, Bella spoke with a look of disgust, "I'll keep watch over Felix. You can get lost now!"
"The one who should get lost is you, Bella. I haven't forgotten the mess you made on Horse Ranch Boulevard. If you keep buzzing around me like an annoying fly, I won't hesitate to swat you down right now, especially since Felix is out cold, and there's no one to back you up."
Bella pointed her finger at the woman, her teeth gritted, "So this is your true face, huh? All that pretense of being gentle and understanding, it was all an act!"
"Being gentle and understanding is reserved for those who treat me well. And you think you deserve that?"
"Just you wait!"
After Bella left, there was finally some peace.
If it weren't for her concern about Felix being hurt again by that dangerous person, she would have left the moment Bella insisted on staying with him.
And then there was the issue with Felix's leg; she couldn't bear the thought of him spending the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
Gianna hesitated for a long time but finally mustered the courage to dial a number she hadn't dared to call in three years.
Just as the call was about to disconnect, the line connected, and a taunting voice came through.
"Well, well, you still remember this old man. If you had called any later, you might have been calling to pay respects at my grave."
Gianna bit her lower lip, "Master, I..."
Sensing her reluctance, the old man spoke with a hint of displeasure, "You're calling me now because of Felix again, aren't you?!"
"Yes."
Silence followed on the other end before he sighed, "Let's not talk about that for now. Is he treating you well?"
"He is."
A cold snort came through the phone, "A fat lot of good that does! I might live in the boonies, but I'm not blind or deaf yet! If he were really good to you, you would have brought him to see me by now!"
Gianna pressed her lips together, not expecting her master to be so perceptive. She felt the awkwardness of being called out.
"Master, could you spare me some dignity?"
"Dignity? I told you three years ago to come back if you ever felt wronged. And what did you do? Want to send me to an early grave out of sheer frustration, is that it?"
Gianna fell silent.
It likely was her older brother who told on her because otherwise, how would her master, who was always busy with his research, find out about her situation with Felix?
"Are you planning on settling scores with your senior brother now?"
"No, I'm not."
"Don't lie to me; do you think I don't know you? Your senior brother hasn't been back for three years, either. Next time, you both come back and bring that Felix with you. I want to see for myself what kind of a charmer he is, spinning you around his little finger!"
Gianna gave a resigned nod, "Okay."
"That’s settled then. Goodbye for now."
...
Gianna had been waiting outside Felix's hospital room for three consecutive days, but there was still no sign of him waking up. As noon approached on the third day, Gianna unexpectedly received a call from Faith.
"Gianna, when are you coming back? We've got a pile of paperwork building up, and the other shareholders are getting antsy."
Gianna pursed her lips and replied, "Bring the documents to the hospital. I'll sign them, and you can take them back."
"Okay, I'll be right there."
In less than thirty minutes, Faith arrived.
After instructing the nursing staff to call her if anything came up, Gianna went off to meet with Faith.
By the time they had finished going over the paperwork, an hour had passed.
"Thanks for handling things, Faith. I might have to stay at the hospital a little longer. If there's anything non-urgent, you can sign off on it."
"Sure."
After Faith had left, Gianna turned to head back to Felix's room.
Just as she reached the door, she saw a crowd of doctors and nurses gathered around Felix's bed. Could it be that Felix had finally woken up?
She hurried into the room where Blake was explaining care instructions to Felix, and Bella's soothing voice cut through the murmur of the crowd.
"Got it, Blake. I'll make sure Felix follows all the guidelines."
Blake found it strange that Bella was now by Felix's side instead of Gianna, who had been diligently keeping watch. However, recognizing the personal nature of the situation, he chose not to ask any questions, simply nodded, and prepared to leave.
Catching the sight of Gianna standing behind the nurses, Blake showed a flicker of surprise. "Miss Redstone, you're back. Felix is awake."
Gianna nodded, about to speak, when Bella suddenly addressed the doctor.
"Blake, now that Felix has just woken up, having too many people in the room might overwhelm him. You can go for now; I'll let you know if anything comes up."
"Okay."
Once Blake had left, Bella allowed herself a sigh of relief. Ignoring Gianna, she turned back to Felix, her expression tender.
"Felix, are you hungry? Do you want something to eat?"
Felix looked at her with soft eyes and a gentle smile. "I'm not hungry, Belle. You should go get some rest."
When Felix first woke up, he noticed Bella, who had been outside his room. Not seeing Gianna around left him with a strange mix of emotions, including a sense of loss.
He later learned that Bella had been tirelessly keeping watch day and night. Touched and concerned, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of dissatisfaction with Gianna.
Even though he and Gianna were on the brink of divorce, they were still officially married. The notion that she could so callously disregard him sent a chill through Felix's heart.
Shaking her head earnestly, Bella said, "Felix, I'm not tired at all. I’ll stay right here with you."
"All right then."
In Felix's eyes, there was a mix of helplessness and fondness, a stark contrast to his earlier demeanor with Bella. This didn't escape Gianna's notice, and she frowned.
She couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted while she was away. However, whatever was happening between Felix and Bella was not her concern; she had no interest in being involved in their matters.
Approaching Felix with an indifferent expression, Gianna calmly announced, "Now that you’re awake, I’ll be heading back."
She hesitated, deciding against notifying him about his leg injury just yet, figuring it was best to wait until he was in better shape.
Felix's demeanor remained indifferent, as if Gianna was invisible to him, offering no response whatsoever. Without another word, Gianna turned and left. As she reached the doorway, Felix's cold and distant voice trailed after her.
"There’s no need for you to come back; Bella, here is all I need."
Gianna’s step faltered, yet she didn’t look back, hastening her exit instead.
Once her figure had vanished from the doorway, Felix's expression darkened drastically. With a sweep of his hand, he sent a water glass on the table crashing to the floor, shattering it and startling Bella, who was close by.
