Chapter 50
<Chapter>Chapter Fifty: Full of Life </Chapter>
"Felix…"
Turning his head, Felix caught sight of Bella looking at him with fear, and he couldn't help but soften his gaze a bit.
"Sorry, Belle, I didn't mean to frighten you."
Bella managed a timid smile, "It's okay, I’ll clean this up."
"No need to bother with that; we'll have a caretaker clean it up later."
"All right."
After spending a little more time with Felix until he fell asleep, Bella carefully slipped out of the room.
After the hospital ward door shut, Felix woke up and called Sophia, asking her to come to the hospital.
"CEO, thank goodness you're finally awake. Sirius Trading Syndicate’s shares have taken a hit over the past few days, and it’s causing chaos in the company!"
If Felix didn’t regain consciousness soon, those shareholders with ulterior motives might just pull something drastic.
Felix scowled and ordered, "Fill me in on the current state of the company."
After digesting the information, there was a moment of silence.
"Tell the PR department manager I want a press conference arranged for this afternoon. I'll be making a personal appearance."
The internet was filled with rumors of his coma, suggesting that Sirius Trading Syndicate had no one in charge. However, all those rumors would prove false once he appeared in public.
Sophia hesitated, then cast a worried glance at Felix. "Felix, you've just woken up. Why don't you rest for a couple of days? I'll have our PR specialist send out a statement about your recovery. You're not in any condition to hold a press conference right now."
"All right, then have someone snap a few pictures of me awake and circulate them online to lend credibility," Felix suggested.
With that issue addressed Felix's gaze turned icy. "Has the mastermind behind the car crash been found yet?!"
Sophia's expression tensed. She carefully chose her words, speaking cautiously, "Not yet... the car had fake plates and disappeared on a stretch of road without surveillance, so the investigation is still ongoing."
Felix nodded. "How's Fabian?"
"Fabian was seriously hurt, too, but thankfully it wasn't life-threatening. He'd lost a lot of blood, but he woke up yesterday."
"Got it."
Sophia, puzzled not to see Gianna, asked, "Where's Miss Redstone?"
"She went home to rest. You should get back to work as well."
In the days that followed, Gianna avoided visiting the hospital. Having reviewed Felix's medical reports, she knew his leg would need time to heal after his other injuries improved. Since he was no longer in critical condition, she believed her presence would only be bothersome, so she decided to stay away.
Felix's temper, however, became increasingly erratic.
It wasn't until his discharge day that he called Gianna with a cold tone.
When Gianna answered, she was stepping out of a meeting. "Mr. Clinton, what can I do for you?"
Felix let out a bitter laugh, "Gianna, do you even care about your duties as a wife? I've been in the hospital for days without a word from you, and Bella's been the one taking care of me. Now I'm being discharged, and you're not here to pick me up? Should I expect Bella to bring me home?!"
Gianna massaged her temples, "Didn't you tell me not to come?"
"Now you decide to listen to me? When I opposed the divorce, you insisted on it anyway!"
Following a short period of silence, Felix ordered in a cold tone, "Come pick me up from the hospital."
He hung up before she could respond.
Putting down her phone, Gianna took a deep breath, acknowledging that she played a part in his accident. She re-entered the meeting room.
"Let's pause here for today. We'll continue the meeting tomorrow."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Aidan chimed in with a sarcastic tone, "Must be nice being the CEO, huh? Call a meeting whenever you feel like it, and end it whenever you want. Not like us grunts who have to drop everything, even if we're swamped with urgent work!"
Gianna glanced at Aidan and raised an eyebrow. "If you can't speak respectfully, Aidan, zip it. Or better yet, why don't you try dethroning me and take the CEO spot? That way, I can work around *your* schedule."
A flash of anger crossed Aidan's eyes as he retorted, "Gianna, everyone's witnessed your work ethic lately. Because of your attitude, several of the company's projects are behind schedule!"
Gianna smiled slightly, her raised eyebrow showing a hint of challenge. "Unless I'm mistaken, yours was the only project that got bounced back. Everything else is progressing as planned."
At her words, Aidan's expression darkened, and he slammed his hand down on the table in anger. "Since all the shareholders are here today, Gianna, I'd like to know—what was wrong with my project that warranted a rejection?!"
Gianna remained cool. "There wasn't anything inherently wrong with your project. But MY FASHION just doesn't have the funds for such a hefty upfront investment right now. We need slow and steady growth, not high-risk, high-return ventures."
Aidan opened his mouth to argue, but Gianna didn't give him the chance. She swiftly exited the conference room.
An hour later, Gianna arrived at the hospital.
Felix's expression was intense, his glare cold and piercing. "The drive from your company is only thirty minutes. Why did it take you so long to get here?"
Gianna rolled her eyes. "Ever heard of wrapping up at the office? Or did traffic jams suddenly cease to exist?"
Felix's tone was frigid. "Didn't you say you're just a janitor at MY FASHION? What else is there to wrap up besides cleaning?"
Gianna was momentarily speechless, opting instead to bow her head and begin gathering her things in silence.
It was then Felix spoke again.
"The doctor, Blake, told me I might not walk again. I might be stuck in a wheelchair for good."
Gianna briefly paused in her task before speaking with a composed tone, "Let's focus on getting the rest of you healed up first. Then we can work on your legs."
"Yeah, you probably know already. I was on my way to get the divorce agreement notarized when the accident happened."
At his words, Gianna set down the clothes she was holding and turned to look at him. "What are you getting at?"
"I want you to move back in and take care of me until my legs are healed."
Gianna frowned slightly. "No can do. I've got my own job. I can hire a caregiver for you."
Felix gave a wry chuckle. "Don't worry, I won't hold you up from your job. Just take care of me before and after work, that's all."
Gianna hesitated for a few seconds before finally nodding. "Okay."
She knew that staying close to Felix was the best strategy now that the Scorpion had him in their sights. If anything dangerous cropped up, she'd be there to spot it right away.
Her easy consent took Felix aback, his eyes flashing with surprise.
"And one more thing," he said. "I'm not agreeing to any divorce until my leg is healed. Otherwise, you might just take the papers and run."
Gianna glanced at him coolly. "Got it."
"Funny, you're unusually agreeable today, Gianna."
Ignoring his comment, Gianna quickly packed his things and took care of his discharge from the hospital before heading back to Grand View.
Because wheelchair access was a concern, Gianna improvised by swiftly preparing the downstairs master bedroom for Felix, intending to sleep in the smaller room next door herself.
Felix frowned. "If you're next door, how will you hear me if I need something at night?"
"Just call me."
"And what if you don't hear your phone because you're asleep? We need to be in the same room!"
