Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 22

Jade's slap landed on empty air, leaving her momentarily panicked. "M—Mr. Prescott, what are you doing out here?"

The man stood before her, dressed in hospital clothes, his arm wrapped in a bandage. Even in such a state, his cool gray eyes swept over her with a calm authority that made everyone in the room tense up.

Gideon's brows drew together, his irritation obvious. "Who are you?"

Jade quickly hid her hand behind her back and forced herself to explain, "Good afternoon, Mr. Prescott. I'm Jade, the new hire in the design department. I heard you weren't well, so I came to visit on behalf of the team. Vernon said you were… sleeping."

She had pulled some strings to find out that Gideon was being treated at this hospital. Arriving early that morning, she'd even brought a basket of health supplements. But Gideon's assistant had blocked her at the door, not letting her in or even catch a glimpse of him.

Growing impatient after waiting so long, she was just about to leave when she ran into Celestine. And now, of all times, Gideon had caught her in the act. Damn it! Why did he have to show up right now?

Gideon clearly didn't recognize her. He regarded her with half-lidded eyes, a hint of exhaustion in his gaze. "Oh? You knew I was sleeping, yet you chose to make a scene outside my door? Trying to kill me with all that noise?"

"N—no, of course not." Jade stammered, panic written all over her face.

Gideon's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Is the design department really that idle these days?"

He wasn't wearing his usual glasses, and in the bright light, the strong lines of his brow cast half his face in shadow, giving him a distant, aristocratic air—cold, proud, and not to be trifled with.

Jade was so mesmerized by the sight, she didn't even sense the warning in his tone. She tried to step closer, eager to explain herself. "No, that's not it, I was just worried about your health—"

But Vernon, ever efficient, stepped in and blocked her path. "Miss Lane, I think it's time for you to leave."

Jade could only watch helplessly as the door to the hospital room shut in her face.

And as the door closed, she caught a glimpse of Gideon's hand resting on Celestine's wrist—a sight that only made her blood boil. Her freshly manicured nails dug hard into her palm.

Jade was seething with frustration.

Meanwhile, Vernon stood guard at the entrance, unmoved. Inwardly, he was grumbling. Please, just leave already, you lunatic. If you stay any longer, the boss will have you reassigned to some overseas branch in the middle of nowhere.

Unbeknownst to any of them, Joanna had witnessed the entire encounter from the shadows before quietly slipping back into her own room.

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