Chapter 97

Melanie’s thoughts began to drift into the past. She sat on the sofa in a daze for a while before she remembered to call Stephen, asking him to visit her grandfather on her behalf for a while. Stephen agreed without a question, putting Melanie's heart a little more at ease.

“I'm really sorry to trouble you with this, Stephen.”

“It's nothing. As it happens, my mother has a follow-up exam at the sanatorium tomorrow.” Stephen was not particularly bothered. Instead, he changed the subject and asked Melanie, ” So, what do you think of Xander?”

Melanie told him her honest thoughts. “He’s very nice.*

Stephen laughed. “That’s good to hear. Xander is very good to his friends.”

Now that her right hand was injured, many things became quite inconvenient for Melanie. She could not possibly find anyone else to help her, either, so she had to do everything slowly.

When she went downstairs the next morning, she accidentally stumbled across Eugene and Evelyn.

Neither of them looked happy with each other. Melanie paused before stepping forward and asking Eugene, “Can | take the day off?”

Eugene glanced at her bandaged hand. “Does it still hurt?”

There was no emotion in his voice when he spoke, as if he was simply asking about his subordinate’s well-being for formality’s sake.

Melanie lowered her gaze. “Yes, the burns are starting to itch. | want to go to the hospital and get it checked again.

Eugene glanced at her bandaged hand for a moment before nodding. “Very well.”

Melanie asked the receptionist to call her a taxi and waited at the door. The moment she stepped out of the hotel, Evelyn asked Eugene with barely suppressed anger, “Are you going to disobey Aunt Stella now?”

Eugene’s dark eyes stared at her coldly. “Evelyn, there’s nothing | hate more than people who overstep their boundaries. | let you tag along out of respect for Ms. Turner, but | won’t let you interfere in my company and my personal affairs.”

Evelyn's face paled. She tried to explain, but Eugene was already walking away.

He took two steps away before stopping and turning to look at Evelyn. “Never contact my mother on your own again, and stop following me while you're at it. You’re annoying.”

With that, Eugene walked away, leaving Evelyn swaying on her feet.

Meanwhile, Melanie got into a taxi at the hotel entrance and headed straight for a medium — sized hospital nearby.

The swelling on her hand had not subsided much. The doctor changed her dressing and did not bandage it again. He only told her to be careful with it for a while.

She waited in the corridor for the medicine to be absorbed into her skin before leaving.

3 Coincidentally, as soon as she left the doctor’s department, she bumped into Xander in the main hall.

Xander was also holding a hospital registration form in his hand. The two of them paused for a moment when they saw each other.

Melanie spoke first. “Why are you at the hospital again?”

“My wound became swollen and inflamed, so | had to get it bandaged again,” Xander said with a frown. He looked a little unwell.

Melanie raised her arm. “My hand is swollen too.”

As it turned out, that little clinic’s diagnosis was not to be trusted. Xander’s infection was much worse than Melanie’s. Melanie stood by his side as the doctor changed his bandages.

Once they were done, she finally asked him, “Why didn’t you come to the hospital if you were feeling unwell yesterday?”

Xander said, “I was too busy yesterday to feel anything.”

“You were too busy?” Melanie glanced at Xander’s wound. It was also near his wrist.

“Yeah,” Xander said. “My assistant suddenly had an emergency and went back to her hometown. She couldn't get a replacement at the last minute.”

As he said that, he tilted his head back. Melanie could see the dark circles under his eyes. Suddenly, Xander raised his handsome brows at Melanie. “Do you want to give it a try?”