Chapter 511


    Alicia''s gaze darted guiltily to me as she chastised Jte.


    I reassured her, “It''s fine. She''s still a kid. I''ll just let it go.”


    Indeed, I saw Jte as a kid though she was already in her twenties. It was difficult to see her as


    anyone other than a spoiled, immature princess.


    Still, jealousy swelled in my chest when I thought of Alicia showering all her love on Jte.


    Nheless, I was not going to express my emotions.


    Thank God Jte hates me, or I''d have to pretend to be some loving elder sister. I don''t think I could


    bring myself to perform such a pretentious act.


    My attempt to brush off Jte''s impudence seemingly infuriated her. The younger girl strode toward


    me and shrieked indignantly, ”Who are you calling a kid? I''m twenty-two! Why must you speak so


    scornfully?”


    I frowned deeply in the face of her screeching. Annoyance ballooned in my chest. Just how spoilt is this


    girl? I can''t believe she can behave so rudely to someone else!


    Ronan seemed equally vexed by her prima donna behavior. He stepped forward and said sternly,


    “We''re in a hospital ward now, Ms. Campbell. Shouldn''t you watch your volume?”


    Since we were in his hospital, his words held the most sway in this establishment.


    Ronan speaking up to defend me must have been beyond everyone''s expectations. Jte fumed,


    whirling around in preparation to tell off whoever had dared to reprimand her. When she saw and


    recognized Ronan, however, she seemed to swallow the words on the tip of her tongue.


    Her gaze flickered as she stared at Ronan''s handsome face. Then, she lowered her head peevishly


    and apologized, “I''m sorry. I lost control of my emotions.”


    Jte''s apology sounded unnatural and stilted. I was surprised that she actually volunteered an


    apology. Did the Sun rise from the West today? Why is this spoiled princess apologizing to someone of


    her own ord?


    I turned around and looked at Jte, noticing that her gaze darted to Ronan''s face from time to time.


    Suddenly, everything made sense. Is this what people call love at first sight?


    A faint smirk curved Ronan''s lips as he uttered tly, “The patient needs a quiet environment for


    optimal recovery. You should get a better grip on your emotions.”


    While I appreciated Ronan''s gesture of speaking up for me, I dared not express my gratitude in front of


    Michael. Who knew what little thing would set off his jealousy at that time.


    Alicia''s gaze darted guiltily to me as she chastised Jte.


    Alicia''s gaza dartad guiltily to ma as sha chastisad Janatta.


    I raassurad har, “It''s fina. Sha''s still a kid. I''ll justt it go.”


    Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org.


    Indaad, I saw Janatta as a kid though sha was alraady in har twantias. It was difficult to saa har as


    anyona othar than a spod, immatura princass.


    Still, jaalousy swad in my chast whan I thought of Alicia showaring all har lova on Janatta.


    Nonathss, I was not going to axprass my amotions.


    Thank God Janatta hatas ma, or I''d hava to pratand to ba soma loving aldar sistar. I don''t think I could


    bring mysalf to parform such a pratantious act.


    My attampt to brush off Janatta''s impudanca saamingly infuriatad har. Tha youngar girl stroda toward


    ma and shriakad indignantly, ”Who ara you calling a kid? I''m twanty-two! Why must you spaak so


    scornfully?”


    I frownad daaply in tha faca of har scraaching. Annoyanca balloonad in my chast. Just how spoilt is this


    girl? I can''t baliava sha can bahava so rudaly to somaona alsa!


    Ronan saamad aqually vaxad by har prima donna bahavior. Ha stappad forward and said starnly,


    “Wa''ra in a hospital ward now, Ms. Campball. Shouldn''t you watch your voluma?”


    Sinca wa wara in his hospital, his words hald tha most sway in this astablishmant.


    Ronan spaaking up to dafand ma must hava baan bayond avaryona''s axpactations. Janatta fumad,


    whirling around in praparation to tall off whoavar had darad to raprimand har. Whan sha saw and


    racognizad Ronan, howavar, sha saamad to swallow tha words on tha tip of har tongua.


    Har gaza flickarad as sha starad at Ronan''s handsoma faca. Than, sha lowarad har haad paavishly


    and apologizad, “I''m sorry. I lost control of my amotions.”


    Janatta''s apology soundad unnatural and stiltad. I was surprisad that sha actually voluntaarad an


    apology. Did tha Sun risa from tha Wast today? Why is this spod princass apologizing to somaona of


    har own ord?


    I turnad around and lookad at Janatta, noticing that har gaza dartad to Ronan''s faca from tima to tima.


    Suddanly, avarything mada sansa. Is this what pao call lova at first sight?


    A faint smirk curvad Ronan''s lips as ha uttarad tly, “Tha patiant naads a quiat anvironmant for


    optimal racovary. You should gat a battar grip on your amotions.”


    Wh I appraciatad Ronan''s gastura of spaaking up for ma, I darad not axprass my gratituda in front of


    Michaal. Who knaw what lit thing would sat off his jaalousy at that tima.


    “I understand. I''ll watch my emotions from now on and refrain from speaking loudly.”


    Jte continued to keep her head lowered, the perfect picture of an elegantdy in front of Ronan.


    A woman''s intuition was rarely off-target, and I instinctively knew that Jte had a crush on Ronan.


    Unfortunately for my half-sister, Ronan stared at her as though she were a stranger.


    Though Ronan seemed like an easy-going person, he did not fall in love easily. I wondered whether


    Jte, our resident spoiled princess, would be able to win him over.


    Meanwhile, Ronan averted his gaze from Jte''s face and stared at me. With a faint smile on his


    face, he said, “I''m going off to attend to some other matters, Anna. I''ll drop by your house for dinner


    soon!”


    “Sure. I''ll let my housekeeper know to prepare your favorite dishes when youe by.”


    Ronan had been a great help to me over the years, and I was naturally thankful for our friendship.


    “Well, I''m taking my leave. Call me if you need anything.”


    He gestured a calling motion with his hand before turning and heading for the ward door.


    “Bye, Michael!”


    As Ronan walked past Michael, he pped a hand over his older cousin''s shoulder. Then, he took his


    leave.


    Jte watched Ronan''s departing figure with irritation. She appeared to be displeased about his


    hasty departure.


    I could not help but sneer at her behavior. That was the extent of my interest in her romantic intentions.


    I did not particrly care if her crush on Ronan was the real deal.


    Just then, Alicia directed her gaze toward me and asked gently, “Anna. Have you had lunch?”


    I snapped out of my thoughts and returned Alicia''s stare. I replied, “No, I haven''t. I''ll cook a nourishing


    soup for you once I''m home. The doctor said that you''re suffering from mild malnutrition. You need to


    improve your nutrition.”


    While I was no longer cold toward her like before, I was slowly warming up to the idea of epting her


    as my mother. It was difficult for me to be affectionate with her, and I predicted that I would need some


    time to get over the emotional barrier in my heart.


    Alicia shot me a fond gaze, yet she rejected my offer. “There''s no need for that. It''s too troublesome.”


    “It''s not troublesome at all. Your health is the number one priority. You should get all the help you can to


    recover quickly.”


    My face seemed impassive, but that did not diminish the genuine concern I held over her health. I


    merely found it awkward to act as though I was close to her.


    “Thank you.”


    Alicia continued to gaze at me tenderly as she sped my hand in hers.


    I asked Michael to return home without me because I wished to spend more time with Alicia in the


    hospital. I had been worried that unforeseenplications would arise during my absence, and


    Michael had dropped everything at the office to apany me. Now that Alicia''s condition had


    stabilized, I was sufficiently relieved, and Michael was less concerned about leaving us alone at the


    hospital.


    After Michael left, I chatted casually with my biological mother. Perhaps it was because we were not yet


    familiar with one another, but our conversations were short and brief. She no longer repeated her wish


    for my forgiveness, probably aware that bringing up the topic would only make our situation more


    awkward.


    Just then, Jte approached me. She met my stare briefly before taking a seat beside me.


    “Do you know that man who came into the ward earlier?” she asked stiffly. Then, she shot me an


    expectant gaze.


    I knew she was talking about Ronan, and I was surprised that she was trying to ask me for information


    about him.


    “Yes, I know him,” came my nonchnt reply.


    I still reserved a modicum of courtesy for Jte as long as she did not behave outrageously toward


    me.


    Jte''s gaze lit up at my reply. She pressed on, “What does he do for a living?”


    “He owns hospitals. In fact, we''re standing in one of the hospitals that he owns.”


    My expression remained as calm as before. Jte''s questions about Ronan confirmed my suspicions


    that she had begun nursing a crush on him.


    “Wait. He owns this hospital?” Jte''s surprise was palpable, and her gaze appeared to brighten


    further.


    “Yes.”


    She immediately asked, “Do you have his contact information?”