Chapter514StrikeWhereItHurtsMost
Aiden,seatedinthemiddle,hadjustnervouslytakenasipofcoffeewhenhenearlychokedandcoughedAdrian,however,noddedcalmly.“DoesLysanderknowaboutthat?”
Josiahmaintainedhiposure,hiseyesnarrowedcondescendingly.“Fornow,I’mtheonlyryingtosalvagethisrtionship.SheknowswhatIwant<b>.</b><b>”</b>
“Whichmeansshehasn’tagreedtogettingbacktogetherwithyou,right?”askedAdrian.
Josiahtookasipofhiscoffeeandsaidquietly,“Yes,fornow.”
Adrianscoffed.“That’swhatyouwantedtotell<b>me</b>?YouandIbothunderstand Lysander’spersonalitywell.She’sanassertiveperson,notsomeoneyoucangetbacktogetherwithjustbecauseyouwantto.”
“<b>You</b>don’thavetoworryaboutthat,Dr.Sutton.WhetherornotLysanderandIgetbacktogetherisnoneofyourbusiness.”
“Butaslongasyou<b>two</b>aren’tbacktogether,Lysanderistechnicallysingle,Imaynotpursueher,butwe’restillfriends,nottomentioncolleagueswhoworkwellwitheachother-”
“SheandIusedtohaveachild.”
Abriefsilenceensued..
Josiahcontinued,“Wesharethepainoflosingthatchild,andthat’ssomethingwehaveimon.”
“Sowhat?Lysanderwillonlyresentyouforthat<b>.</b>”
Josiahsmirked.“Even<b>hatred</b>isbetterthanhavingnofeelingsatall,Dr.Sutton.Atleastsheharborssomeresentmenttowardme,butasforyou,nomatterhowmucheffortyouputin,you’llonlyeverbeacolleaguetoher.”
Aidendidn’tevendaretobreathe<b>,</b>anxiouslytakinganothersipofcoffeeandobservingboththeirreactionswithoutknowingwhatthecoffeetastedlike.
Josiah,takingcontrolofthesituation,remainedcalmanposed.
“Sheborenoresentmenttowardme,so<b>she’s</b>notparticrlyaversetome.Ifsheeverneedssomeospendherlifewithinthefuture,I’maviableoption.Afterall,herpreviousmarriagetoyou wasn’toutoflove,sowe’reallstartingfromscratchwheniestodevelopingfeelings.Who’stosayIdon’tstandatchance?”
“Youdon’t.”Josiahchuckledandcorrectedhimconfidently.“BecauseI’mhere.”
<b>Adrian</b>,momentarilystunned,hadn’texpectedhimtoshowsuchconfidence.“Mr.Guerra,Ineedtoremindyouonceagainthatifyou’rethinkingofgettingbacktogetherwith Lysander,usingtheterm‘reconciliation‘mightnotbeappropriate.”
“It’snot<b>your</b>cetodefinewhat’sgoingonbetween<b>us</b>.<b>”</b>
Bnce:172+0
1Coins=1Pearls
Chapter514StrikeWhereItHurtsMost
TheexpressiononJosiah’sfaceturnedicyandgrimforamoment,startlingAiden.Aiden’sfaceturnedpale,andhewantedtosaysomethingbutcouldn’eupwithanappropriatetopic.
“Mama…<b>Mama</b>…Rightthen<b>,</b>Aurorabeganspeaking.
Aiden,relievedtofinallygetabreakfromallthattension,eximed,“Thebabyjusttalked!Isshefeelingufortable?Josiah,whydon’tyoucheckonthechild?”
Josiahteasedthebabywithhishand,makingherburstintughterandgriphisfingers,yingwiththemlikeatoy.
Seeingthat,Aidenquicklyfetchedatoy.“Hereyougo.Whydon’tweywiththislittleducky?”
Josiahsaid,“It’sokay,itdoesn’thurt.She’stoosmarttobeinterestedinordinarytoys.”
Herestedhishandontheedgeofthestroller,allowingAuroratograbatit.
Adrianspoke.“The<b>pain</b>oflosingthatchildwillbewithherforever.She’llneverforgiveyou.”
Afteramomentofsilence,Josiahsaidslowly,“Ineverhopedforthat.MyonlydesirenowistomaintainthestatusquowithLysander.That’swhatItoldhermyself,andshedidn’tobject.”
ThisisbadIdon’tthinkAdrian’shappytohearthat.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.
Adrian,appearingcalmandcollected,retorteddefiantly,“Ifthestatusquoyou’rereferringtoinvolvesyou supportingLysanderinestablishingafirmfootholdinthebusinessworld,thenIcanunderstandwhyshe
didn’timmediatelyobject.”
“Thankyouforyourunderstanding,Josiahsaidpolitely,histonedrippingwithironyasheadded,“Iheardthatyoutriedhelping,too,butitdidn’tquiteworkout,right<b>?</b>”
Therearenorulesinthebattlebetweenloverivals.Onecanjuststrike whereithurtsthemost.
AdrianhadgrownustomedtoLysanderrejectinghimandonlyspacedoutforafewseconds.“Isupposeit’sbecauseIstillnon beingadoctorinthefuture.”
ThiswasonceLysander’sdream.
Hemightnotbeherlover,buthewastheindispensableanesthesiologistintheoperatingroom,her
partner.
Tohim,thatwashisadvantageagainstJosiah.
Adrian,reluctanttogiveup,said,“ThethoughtofLysanderneverreturningtotheoperatingroomfillsmetwithgenuineregret.Mr.Guerra,doyouknowwhatLysander’swishis?”
<b>Josiah</b>naturallyknew,forLysanderhadtoldhimcountlesstimesthroughouttheirthreeyearsofmarriage.
Herlifelongdreamwastobeanexceptionaldoctor,withaspecificaspirationtobeanoutstandinggynecologist.Sheaimedtokeepeveryexpectingmothersafeandensurethateachbabyarrivedinthisworldhealthyandsound.
Lysanderhadtoldhimthatsocietyhadsignificantlyimproveparedtothe<b>past</b>,yettherewerestill
Bnce:
128+0
1Coins
1Pearls
Chapter514StrikeWhereItHurtsMost
Shehadalsomentionedoncethat,giventheopportunity,shewishedtovisitthesecesanddoeverythingshecouldto<b>save</b>asmanylivesaspossible.
Lysanderwants,si
Adrian’swordscarriedahintofsmugness.“Actually,wealthorpowerinthebusinessworldisnotwhat
prefersapeacefndhappylife.It’sjustthatlifekeepspushingherdownadifferentdoingnowipletelycontrarytoherideals.”
path.Whatshet
Josiahpursedhislips.“Iknow.”
“Oneday,whenshetakesofftheheavyburdenonhershouldersandchoosestolivethelifeshehasalwaysyearnedfor.I’mtheonlyonewhocanbebyhersideasshefulfillsherwish.”
Thecoffeehadturnedcoldduringtheirconfrontation.
Adriantookasip,tastingthefainthintofcoffeearomaamidstthebitterness ofthecooledbeverage.Frowning,hesetthecupdownand<b>said</b>.“Mr.<b>Guerra</b>,thecoffeehasgonecold.Ibelievewe’redalking.”
Josiahshowednointentionofgettingup.“Showyourself out.”
Thesunshonebrightlyoutsidethewindow,andif<b>one</b>listenedclosely,thechirpingofbirdscouldbeheard.Itwastrulyabeautifulday,anditwouldbeapitytoruinitwitha<b>fight</b>.
WhenAidennoticedthesuddenchangeinJosiah’plexion,hequicklyheldthecoffeepot,worrieditwouldgetknockedoverifafightbrokeout.
Josiah,puzzled,asked,“<b>What</b>areyoudoing?”
Aidencouldn’ttellthetruth,sohesuggestedindirectly,“Thecoffeehasgonecold.Ijustwanttohave<b>more</b>.Perhapsyoutwo<b>should</b>drinksometoo.Youknow,to calmyourselvesdown.Itwon’tbegoodtocauseasceneinpublic.”
Josiahscoffed.“<b>What’s</b><b>not</b>goodaboutthis?It’snotlikewe’re<b>fighting</b>orarguing.”
Ashespoke,hesatupstraight,<b>resting</b>hishandsonthetable,
Adrian,ontheotherhand,seemedascalmasever.“Mr.Guerra,I’llsayitagain.IfLysandereptsyou,I’m<b>more</b>thanwillingtobejustherfriendandcolleague.Butifshedoesn’t,Icanwaituntilthedayshefindsherwaybacktotherighttrack.”
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