I Fled the Wedding and Came Back With a Contract Husband Chapter 08

I Fled the Wedding and Came Back With a Contract Husband Chapter 08

The surgery took over seven hours.

The Hartwells filtered in: Grandfather, my father, Sophia. Nathan arrived too, standing at the other end of

the corridor without approaching.

Derek never left. He sat beside me, answering messages and glancing up at the OR light.

Sophia tried once to approach with hot water, but Derek stopped her with a look. She retreated.

Around four in the afternoon, the light went out. Dr. Haynes said the surgery was successful, barring any

setbacks.

My mother was moved to the ICU and couldn’t receive visitors. Derek patted my shoulder.

“Go rest. Come back tomorrow.”

I nodded.

As I turned, I saw Nathan at the far end of the hallway, still standing there. His lips moved like he wanted to

speak, but he didn’t.

Derek followed my gaze but said nothing. He just hailed a cab and sent me back to the hotel.

Three days post-op, my mother was transferred to a regular room. She was awake for half an hour.

She saw me, her lips trembling. “Emily…” she rasped.

I couldn’t hold back the tears. I took her hand and squeezed it.

“I’m here.’

“You’re so thin,” she said.

“I’m fine.” I dabbed her lips with water. “Just focus on getting better.”

Her eyes closed again.

The nurse said recovery was going well. In a few days, she’d be eating and speaking normally.

That afternoon, Derek came with a thermos of clam chowder from his housekeeper. I said she wasn’t awake.

He said she would be, eventually.

I drank the soup and asked, “You come every day. What about your company?”

“Remote.” He sat by the window, one leg draped over the other. “Business is steady. My people are reliable.

Besides, my wife’s family is going through something. Wouldn’t look right if I weren’t here.”

“Contract terms?”

“Clause for spousal support during critical times.” He smiled. “Don’t worry, I won’t bill you.”

I laughed. First real laughin days.

“There it is.” He grinned. “You’ve been too tense. It was wearing me out.”

“Thanks for everything.” I put down the cup. “Without you, they’d have forced me into a blind date the first

night. And my mother’s surgery-”

“Your mother’s surgery was your doing. I had nothing to do with it.” He waved dismissively. “The blind date thing-that was shameful. When we signed, I said I’d help with anything, any time. You called. I showed

up.”

“When I called, I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“You called, so I came.” He grew serious. “Emily, you’re my wife. Maybe on paper it’s fake, but disrespecting you is disrespecting me. I’m protective. Don’t mind if I overstep.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Good.” He stood, looking out the window. “Also-your father reached out through an intermediary about a partnership with Vance Holdings. I didn’t take it.”

“Don’t.”

“I won’t. Just want you to know they’re getting desperate.” He turned. “You were gone five years. They got used to having no you. Now you’re back, with a wealthy husband, and they want to drain you. Once your

mother recovers, they’ll come to negotiate.”

“I won’t negotiate.”

“I know.” He sat down again. “I’ll handle them when they do. You take care of your mom. If they bother you,

point them to me.”

I looked at him. “Derek, what’s in this for you?”

He thought for a moment. “When we signed, you asked me the same question. I said you seemed interesting and worth helping. Then two years went by, and I thought you’d vanished. Honestly, when you called… I was glad.”

I blinked.

“Not like that,” he said quickly. “It’s just… things were dull. Business is easy. Life was boring. You coming to me for help was a good distraction.”

I laughed. “I’ve been quite a distraction, then.”

“Fine by me.” He stretched. “I’m leaving. I’ll bring more chowder tomorrow. Leave the bowl.”

After he left, Isat in the quiet ward, watching dusk.

My phone buzzed. Nathan again.

[Your mother’s surgery went well. I’m glad. Emily, I still owe you an explanation. I won’t let it be a loose end. When she’s out of the ICU and you’re feeling better, I’d like to see you. Just once.]

I read it twice and typed:

[No.]

He responded instantly:

[Then I’ll wait in the lobby until you’re ready.]

I shut off the phone.

She recovered well. By day seven, she could sit up and eat a little. When she saw Derek, her eyes lit up.

“And you are?” she asked weakly.

“Derek Vance. I’m Emily’s husband.” I tucked the blanket around her. “We’ve been married two years. He

arranged your surgery.”

My mother stared, then her eyes reddened.

“Good… good… As long as you treat her well. She’s been through so much.”

Derek stepped forward.

“Mrs. Hartwell, don’t worry. Under my watch, nobody messes with her.”

My mother nodded, tears spilling.

“I failed her… I failed my girl…”