On the other side, Addison turned and left Johnston's Private Hospital. As soon as she stepped out, she saw Ryan. The man wore straight-leg jeans, black sneakers, and a gray sweater topped with a loose camel coat. He looked both warm and sunny. He stood at the entrance of the hospital. When he saw Addison coming out, he hurriedly raised his arm and waved at her. Surprised, Addison walked toward him and asked, "How did you get here?" Ryan smiled when he saw her approach, "You came to the hospital with Isaac, and you didn't drive yourself. I was worried it would be inconvenient for you to return, so I came to pick you up." Addison looked at him closely. She hadn't noticed from a distance, but now that she was closer, she could tell Ryan had been standing outside for a while. His ears and cheeks were slightly red from the cold. Her heart softened. "It's so cold outside. Why were you standing there waiting for me? You should have waited in the car." She spoke with a hint of scolding, her tone stern. But Ryan immediately picked up on her concern. He grinned, his smile bright and warm. "I was afraid I wouldn't see you if I waited in the car." Addison, looking at his cheerful grin, kept a serious expression. "Don't smile like that. Who told you to smile? "Don't stand out here like an idiot waiting for me next time." Then, as if remembering something, her tone softened slightly. "If something like this happens again, just message or call in advance." Ryan's eyelashes fluttered at her words. He understood. Addison had rushed to see Steven, meaning something serious had happened. And he knew her well enough to guess that if a patient in a critical condition were in front of her, no matter how much confidence she had, she would choose to save them. Even if it meant putting herself at risk, she would still save them. Although he had never seen or heard anything about Addison's past, after spending so much time with her in the lab, his instincts told him she was that kind of person.Ryan thought for a moment, not answering Addison's question. Instead, with a smile, he asked, "Did you just perform surgery?" Addison raised an eyebrow, confused. "How did you know?" With a confident grin, Ryan replied, "Of course, I know." It was clear he hadn't guessed wrong. Addison was still the same Addison, unchanged from three years ago. Looking at Ryan's happy expression, Addison raised her hand and slapped him. "What's so funny? Did the cold freeze your brain? Did you even hear what I just said? "You need to let me know in advance if something like this happens again, got it?" She spoke carefully, emphasizing every word. Ryan had expected Addison would be busy with the surgery for Steven. A surgery could take hours, and she probably wouldn't have time to eat or drink during it. He knew she'd get caught up in her work—he'd seen it before. She wouldn't even hear someone speaking beside her, let alone read a message or pick up a call. How could he possibly call her while she was so busy? But Ryan didn't say this aloud. He just nodded heavily. "Okay!" His smile never left his face, though his nose turned red from the cold, and his breath formed visible vapor in the air. Addison stared at Ryan, who was smiling brightly, and for a moment, she found herself lost in thought. She felt that Ryan's smile could melt all the cold around them. Her heart calmed in a way she hadn't expected. She did not feel cold or lonely on a chilly night, with almost no one around, just by being with Ryan. She thought this feeling of companionship would be lost forever after Harvey left. "Thank you, Ryan." Her eyes glistened as she suddenly said these words. She thanked him for making her feel this way again, for letting her relive the warmth of companionship. During her three years at the Johnston's Residence, she would sit alone in the empty house, waiting for Lance to return after attending all those high-society parties. No one would care for her, not even a single word. Ryan looked up when he heard her, meeting her gaze. Did Addison thank him? Before he could respond, a voice suddenly called out behind Addison, "Addison? Didn't you leave? Why are you still out here?" Addison turned around. Dressed in a black coat, Lance had just exited the hospital. His leather shoes made a dull sound on the pavement. His cold, indifferent gaze was fixed on her. His eyes also landed on Ryan, who was standing behind her. Lance had just come out of the hospital when he saw Addison standing there, looking up and meeting the man's gaze in front of her. The two stood in the freezing cold, dressed lightly yet seemingly oblivious to the cold. Their expressions were warm, smiling at each other, clearly happy. For some reason, this scene made Lance's expression darken. He felt an odd discomfort as if seeing them together was unbearable. When Addison turned to look at him, she immediately felt the air around them grow colder. "Lance? Why weren't you inside taking care of Mr. Steven? Why are you out here?" Addison asked, her gaze fixed on him. "There's an urgent matter at the company." However, it wasn't Lance who spoke. It was Isaac, who was standing behind him. Lance glared at him, and Isaac quickly fell silent, stepping back. An urgent matter at the company? Addison's eyelashes fluttered. She looked at Lance with suspicion. But with how Lance was acting, it didn't seem like there was any urgency. If there were, why wasn't he rushing back to handle it instead of talking to her here? What was he thinking? "Let's go? It's too cold out here, and you're wearing so little. You'll catch a cold if we stay out any longer." Ryan spoke up in the tense atmosphere. The moment he saw Lance, the smile on his face disappeared, replaced by an apparent hostility toward him. He deliberately spoke in a familiar tone. Sure enough, upon hearing this, Lance's expression darkened further. Addison didn't notice the shift in Lance's expression. Hearing Ryan's invitation, she nodded. "Yes, you've been standing out here for so long. If we stay out any longer, we'll catch a cold. Let's get in the car." She said this and walked toward the car, entering the passenger seat without glancing at Lance. Her movements were smooth, and she didn't even look at him. When Ryan saw her in the car, he didn't immediately follow. Instead, he stared at Lance, his gaze burning with intensity. The two locked eyes, and flames were rising between them. "Ryan, why aren't you coming in?" Addison called out as she rolled down the window. Ryan turned his head. "I'm coming now." Without a second thought, he looked away and walked toward the car, his steps light, as if he had won a victory. Lance stood frozen in place, his eyes dark and grim. "Mr. Johnston, Mr. Johnston," Isaac called out repeatedly, but Lance didn't hear him. Isaac looked ahead, noticing that Addison's car had already driven far into the distance, almost out of sight. Why was Lance still staring after it? Isaac scratched his head, utterly unsure of what was going on. He couldn't figure out if, in Lance's heart, Addison or Virginia mattered more. Looking at the situation now, had he backed the wrong side? He had offended Addison to show loyalty to Virginia. Isaac sighed inwardly.