Taylor had disappeared. I hadn’t been paying attention to her, but after Jackson’s investigation, I found out she’d been completely iced out by her pack since that incident. Word was, her father—the Alpha of Midnight Pack—was planning to send her overseas, hoping to keep her away from both Varken Prison and Aiden. Looks like after she pulled that stunt on me, she ran off to hide. The hospital doctor had indeed taken a bribe from her, claiming my drug-induced collapse was just a case of fever from overwork during my period. But apparently, he didn’t even know Taylor. He’d just seen the money and lied to Aiden. It wasn’t a huge deal, but I couldn’t tolerate scumbags like him staying in a hospital. I went through the board of directors and had him kicked out of Varken Prison for good. By the time everything was wrapped up, it was already my third day in the hospital. When Robin heard I was sick and hospitalized, he gave strict orders to all five of his sons from Midnight Pack: they were to take turns looking after me until I was discharged. I was speechless when I heard that. Guess I had no choice but to keep pretending to be sick. I didn’t want to embarrass him, and I certainly didn’t want Madam Regina to worry even more because of Taylor. So I agreed. Lately, Madam Regina had been overly attentive, coming to visit me at the hospital every other day. When she heard about Robin’s orders, she wholeheartedly supported the idea—she even called me first to inform me. Honestly, I was a little overwhelmed by all the love. But the first one to come was Aiden. The moment I saw him, my mood soured, and naturally, my tone with him turned icy. "Mr. Aiden, you’re so busy every day. There’s really no need for you to come visit me in the hospital." Aiden looked a little awkward. "Dad said I should take good care of you." I nearly laughed. "It’s not like Robin had a knife to your throat forcing you to come. No need to play the martyr here, Mr. Aiden." His voice dropped low. "I’m not playing the martyr. I came willingly." "That’s not what matters. What matters is that you should be at the company right now, tending to your new hire. There’s no need to put on an act in front of me." Just thinking about how he was coddling Yvonne only made me angrier. "There’s really nothing going on between me and Yvonne." I let out a cold chuckle. "Whether there is or isn’t, you’d know better than I would. No need to explain. I mean, who wouldn’t like a sweet, gentle, hardworking girl like her?" Aiden’s eyes darkened. "That’s enough." I saw how he reacted and laughed even colder. "Struck a nerve, Mr. Aiden? Why such a strong reaction?" He was silent for a long time before finally muttering, "It’s nothing." "Good. Wouldn’t want to accidentally expose what’s been on your mind." That did it. Aiden stood up, his voice cold. "I’ve got things to take care of back at the company. I’ll be going now." "Take your time. I won’t be seeing you off," I said indifferently. Once Aiden was gone, I pulled the blanket over my head and forced myself to sleep. Just like that, Day One passed in the cold war between me and Aiden. The next day, Alex came. He must’ve sensed that things were off between me and Aiden, because the first thing he asked when he walked in was, "Did you and Aiden get into a fight?" I rolled my eyes. "No." "Sure looks like it. When you two are in the same room, your faces are so dark it’s like someone poisoned you with wolfbane," Alex snorted. "What? Realized I’m the better choice after all? Aiden’s not worth it." Seeing the smug grin on his face, I snapped, "If you’re really that bored, go back to work. I don’t need you yammering on and on." "Aiden’s got no heart. Not even his ex could reel him in. You? You’ve got no shot. He’s a lost cause."As blunt and cutting as Alex’s words were, they were rooted in truth—which only made them harder to stomach. That was Day Two—spent enduring Alex’s nonstop jabs. Day Three was Andrix’s turn. I couldn’t stand the guy. I knew he’d use this chance to lecture me about getting together with him, so the moment he entered the room, I shut my eyes and pretended to be asleep every single time he walked in. Didn’t give him a word. On to Day Four. Adam cleared his whole schedule just to come visit me. When he saw me lying in bed, his expression was full of worry. "What happened? Why the sudden fever?" "Probably stress from work. Or maybe I caught a chill. Nothing serious. I’ll be fine soon," I said, touched but unwilling to tell him the truth. Adam frowned. "A simple fever wouldn’t land you in the hospital this long. What did the doctor say?" "He said I’ve been under a lot of pressure lately. It’s not just the fever—my blood sugar’s low too. My body’s worn out. So he suggested I stay a few extra days to rest." I had no choice but to keep lying. Honestly, I was starting to regret agreeing to Robin’s plan. Being doted on like this wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Adam sighed. "He’s right. You really should take it easy." Then his eyes lit up. "How are you feeling right now?" "Much better. I feel pretty normal now," I answered truthfully. He gave a mischievous grin. "In that case, how about I take you out for a bit? Christmas is right around the corner, and the downtown shopping district’s all lit up." I was about to turn him down—but then an image of Aiden defending Yvonne popped into my head, making me instantly irritated. I nodded. "Sure."