Chapter 1251 As If They Were Lovers
Stella seemed to sense what was coming, her hands suddenly clenching into fists as her chest rose and fell rapidly, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on Randy, as if anticipating something.
"Stella, I..." Randy began, on the verge of pouring out all the love he'd been holding back, when the hospital room door suddenly burst open.
"How is the patient feeling? Any better now?" The nurse's voice hit Randy like a bucket of ice water, snapping him back to reality. He came to his senses instantly, realizing how close he'd come to crossing a line, and wanted to slap himself for his near mistake.
Having missed hearing what she desperately wanted to hear, Stella looked at Randy with obvious disappointment. "Randy, what were you about to tell me?"
"Nothing at all. I just wanted to remind you not to skip meals anymore. You need to eat properly." His voice came out strained and hollow.
Stella's eyes dimmed as she looked down, responding with a dejected "Okay." She didn't understand what was happening to her—why she felt so desperate to hear something from Randy, though she couldn't even identify what that something was. All she knew was that it definitely wasn't what he'd just said.
The nurse sensed the strange tension in the room but didn't dwell on it, continuing with her professional duties. "How are you feeling now? If you're still uncomfortable, you can have a piece of candy. Keep some sweets in your bag from now on—eat one whenever you feel unwell."
Afraid his inappropriate thoughts might show, Randy stood up abruptly, deliberately focusing his attention on the nurse. "She's much better now, thank you for your concern."
The young nurse had never seen such a handsome family member before and blushed, stammering shyly, "No need to thank me—it's just my job!" Then, looking at Stella with obvious envy, she added, "Ms. Reed, your boyfriend is so good to you!"
Both Stella and Randy jolted at the word "boyfriend." Before Stella could react, Randy quickly jumped in to correct the misunderstanding. "You've got it wrong—I'm not her boyfriend. She's my cousin."
The nurse's eyes widened as her gaze darted between Randy and Stella, a strange gleam flickering in her expression. "Oh, you're not dating? That's... that's wonderful then."
Stella felt something was off, and Randy looked equally puzzled. Realizing her slip, the nurse hurriedly backtracked, "I'm sorry, I misspoke! That's not what I meant!"
Randy smiled good-naturedly, "It's fine, no harm done."
Relieved that he wasn't upset, the nurse exhaled quietly. Just then, Stella's IV finished, and the nurse moved over to skillfully remove the needle, instructing, "Press down firmly for a while to prevent bruising."
"Okay." Stella obediently held the cotton swab against the needle site.
Randy naturally moved to sit on the edge of the bed, just as naturally taking over to hold the cotton swab for her. Everything felt instinctive—he didn't even consider whether this was inappropriate or whether he was forgetting to maintain distance from Stella. Taking care of her seemed like the most natural thing in the world.
Stella's heart filled with warmth as she smiled at Randy, and the air around them seemed to shimmer with an almost tangible sweetness.
After disposing of the IV bag, the nurse smiled and commented, "You two have such a close relationship! Many biological siblings I know aren't as caring as you are, let alone cousins!"
Both Stella and Randy were left speechless again.
After finishing her duties, the nurse didn't leave immediately. Instead, she fidgeted nervously before finally working up the courage to pull out her phone and hold it toward Randy. "My colleague asked me to get your contact information for her. Would you mind adding her as a friend?"
Stella's expression immediately darkened, all her good mood evaporating instantly. She glared at Randy, waiting to see how he'd respond.
Randy looked at the phone thrust toward him and the nurse's shy face, knowing full well this wasn't about any colleague—the nurse wanted his contact information for herself.
This wasn't the first time something like this had happened. Being naturally attractive meant women approached him wherever he went. He'd initially felt guilty about rejecting them, but had grown numb to it over time.
"Sorry, but my girlfriend is pretty possessive. If she found out, she'd be furious." His tone was light and teasing, managing to reject the nurse without making her feel embarrassed or pressured.
Sure enough, while the nurse felt disappointed and embarrassed about being turned down, she didn't feel utterly humiliated. "I'm so sorry! Since you have a girlfriend, I'll go tell my colleague."
She hurriedly left with her cart after that awkward exchange.
After the nurse left, Stella's expression remained stormy, her cheeks puffed out in anger as she grumbled, "When did you get a girlfriend? How come I don't know about it?"
Finding her pouty expression absolutely adorable, Randy couldn't resist gently tapping her small nose. "What girlfriend? You're with me every day—if I had a girlfriend, wouldn't she be raising hell by now? Can't you tell? That was just my standard line for rejecting advances."
Only then did Stella's smile return. "If you ever do get a girlfriend, you have to tell me first thing! I'll help you screen her!"
As she spoke, she watched Randy's facial expressions intently, trying to read something deeper in them.
Randy's eyes dimmed at her words, and he forced a bitter smile, giving a noncommittal "Sure." He removed the cotton swab to check that the bleeding had completely stopped, then quickly changed the subject. "Alright, let's head home."
Not seeing what she'd hoped for in his expression, Stella couldn't hide her disappointment as she threw back the covers and got out of bed. Having been unconscious for so long, she moved too quickly—her vision suddenly went black and she swayed unsteadily.
Just as she was about to fall, warm, strong hands caught her around the waist, and Randy's concerned voice came from above, "What's wrong? Get back in bed—I'm calling the doctor."
Leaning against Randy's chest, Stella shook her head vigorously. "I'm fine, I just got up too fast and felt dizzy. I'm better now."
"Are you sure you're okay?" Randy asked, still worried.
Stella opened her eyes and straightened up, confirming she was indeed fine before nodding. "Really, I'm okay. Let's go—I hate the smell of disinfectant in hospitals. I've had enough of it from when Hannah was constantly hospitalized because of Austin's schemes."
Seeing she was truly alright, Randy agreed, "Okay, let's go. We'll stop at the convenience store outside to buy you some candy."
"Sounds good." Stella nodded, deliberately linking her arm through Randy's to prevent another dizzy spell.
Randy didn't pull away, allowing her to hold onto him as they walked out together, shoulder to shoulder like an intimate couple—a picture-perfect pair that drew admiring glances from everyone they passed.
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