Too Late Mr. White! I'm Married To Your Rival Now novel Chapter 299

Aria’s POV

I woke to brilliant sunlight streaming through the windows. Squinting against the brightness, I raised a hand to shield my eyes and reached for my phone on the bedside table.

When I saw the time, any lingering sleepiness vanished instantly. Eight-thirty already! Memories of our passionate night together flooded back, sending a delicious, private heat rushing to my cheeks. The intensity of our connection, the raw emotion in his eyes as he’d looked at me—it all made my heart race even now, a thrilling, secret rhythm.

After a quick, solitary breakfast, I told Nanny I’d be back for lunch, then headed straight for the hospital. Dad was scheduled for a complete physical today, a crucial step before his stent placement surgery, which would hopefully be set for next Tuesday if all his tests checked out okay.

When I arrived at his hospital room, a nurse informed me he was already at the examination center. After getting precise directions, I hurried over, my bag clutched in hand.

Being Saturday, the center was bustling, crowded with patients and their families. I navigated through the labyrinthine corridors, searching several waiting areas before finally spotting our family driver, Mr. Jackson.

"Mr. Jackson!" I called out, my voice cutting through the subdued murmur of the room.

"Ma’am!" He straightened up immediately, a little too quickly for an elderly man.

I offered him a small, reassuring smile. "How much longer does Dad have for his tests?"

"Not many left, Ma'am. He's been at it since nine this morning."

I took the examination form from Mr. Jackson's hands and scanned it quickly. Only a CT scan and an ultrasound remained.

Noticing how long Mr. Jackson had been standing, I worried about his aging legs and back. "Why don't you head back to the room and rest? I'll stay with Dad for the rest of his appointments."

Just as I sent him off, Dad emerged from one of the examination rooms, his face lighting up with a mixture of surprise and genuine joy when he saw me.

"You're here so early?" he asked, his voice softened by affection.

I gave him a sheepish look, a genuine smile spreading across my face. "It's not that early, Dad. It's already ten-thirty!"

He chuckled, a warm, familiar sound. "How was last night?"

I knew he felt bad about missing Thomas Carter's sixtieth birthday celebration. Though Dad had heard rumors about Thomas's disapproval of me, Aiden had promised him it wouldn't be an issue, so Dad had reluctantly let it go. Still, I could tell he worried, deep down, about how I'd been treated at the party.

"It went fine," I said, mixing truth with careful omission. "We didn't stay long though." I hesitated, then added softly, "Yesterday was also the anniversary of Mrs. Carter's passing... Katherine's passing."

Dad paused, his cheerful demeanor dimming slightly, emotion flickering across his kind face. He gave my hand a gentle, understanding pat.

"I knew the story, or at least parts of it," he began, his voice a low rumble. "After Alex and his wife died, Aiden had been taken in by his uncle Thomas and his wife, Katherine. Katherine had been known for her incredible kindness and grace, but she hadn't been blessed with good health. She developed breast cancer in her thirties and passed away before forty."

"There had been rumors—nasty ones—suggesting Katherine's death wasn't entirely natural, especially since it happened on Thomas's birthday. A very dark time for the Carters."

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