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Novel Catalog
Chapter 36
“Hahaha. Good. Good. I feel very good,” Tony chuckled, his smile widening as he glanced at Matthew. “My laughter’s been spoiled by her mother since she was little. Don’t take what she said to heart.”
“Yes, yes, she’s just ignorant. Young Master Matthew, please don’t be upset,” Daniella quickly added, nervously, aware of Matthew’s status. She avoided addressing him too casually, sticking with “Young Master Matthew” out of respect.
“I won’t,” Matthew replied, his usual cold demeanor softening a little. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “The doctor said Mr. Murphy’s physical indicators are normal, and he can be discharged tomorrow.”
“Hahaha! Thank you, it’s all thanks to you!” Tony grinned, his voice full of gratitude.
“Yes, exactly,” Daniella chimed in, her eyes full of admiration. “Young Master Matthew, if it weren’t for your help, I don’t even know when Tony would’ve woken up.”
Veronica stood by, silently observing, her face unreadable. Daniella took her hand and looked at her with a soft smile. “We owe Young Master Matthew a huge favor. You need to treat him to dinner tonight. Got it?”
Veronica pursed her lips, feeling an overwhelming sense of frustration. She didn’t want to acknowledge Matthew any further, but seeing her adoptive parents so happy, their smiles that she hadn’t seen in ages, she couldn’t bring herself to argue. With a reluctant nod, she muttered, “All right.”
She turned quickly, eager to escape the situation, and headed toward the nurses’ station. As she approached, the nurse looked up, and Veronica spoke in a low voice. “Can you check how much my dad’s medical bills are?”
“Tony Murphy, right?” the nurse asked, typing the name into the system.
“Yes, that’s right,” Veronica answered.
The nurse’s fingers stopped moving. She stared at the screen, her brows furrowing as she read the bill. “There seems to be a problem… How can you owe this much?” she murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“What’s the matter?” Veronica asked, her concern growing.
The nurse continued reading, then turned the screen toward Veronica. “You owe… 2,187,824.33,” she stated, her voice clear and certain.
“What?” Veronica couldn’t stop herself from exclaiming, though she quickly covered her mouth in embarrassment, worried her adoptive parents would overhear.
She lowered her voice and asked in a whisper, “Why’s the amount so high? Can you show me the full bill?”
Just then, a familiar voice behind her sounded, filled with sarcasm. “You were so confident just now, but now you can’t afford the bills?”
Veronica turned around to find Matthew leaning casually against the counter, his sharp eyes studying her with interest. A mocking smile played on his lips.
The nurse had already printed out the bill and handed it to Veronica. As the nurse passed the papers, her gaze lingered on Matthew, a clear admiration in her eyes. Veronica noticed, but she didn’t comment on it.
She glanced at the overflowing bill with a sinking feeling in her chest. Saint Hospital was notorious for its high fees, but seeing this amount was a shock. Her stomach twisted as she realized how short she was.
Before her mind could process it fully, Matthew moved closer, his voice dropping low and dangerous. “If you can’t afford it… you might consider compensating with your body.”
The warmth of his breath on her neck sent a shiver down her spine, and despite herself, she felt a surge of discomfort. The image of him close to her, in a way that was anything but appropriate, flashed through her mind, making her stomach turn.
Veronica fought to maintain her composure. She turned to face him directly, her eyes sharp and cold. “Young Master Matthew, it’s not breeding season yet. Are you already on heat?”
Matthew’s expression darkened slightly, the chill returning to his features. “I’m waiting for your dinner,” he said, voice flat, before turning on his heel and walking away without another word.
Veronica felt the weight of the bill in her hands, and despite her irritation, she walked back to the ward, trying to ignore the nurse’s comments from behind. She could hear the nurse whispering under her breath, “Are they all blind? She’s so ugly. Why are they fighting over her? She’s involved with two men… How shameless.”
Veronica’s eyes narrowed but she said nothing. Let them talk. She wasn’t about to let anyone’s opinions affect her.
Back in the ward, she found her adoptive parents chatting happily. She pasted on a smile and greeted them, “Dad, Mom, congratulations on being able to go home tomorrow.”
“Yes, yes! We can finally go back to our hometown!” Tony’s eyes sparkled with joy. He seemed genuinely thrilled at the thought of returning to normal life.
Veronica’s smile faltered for a moment. She hesitated before speaking again. “I… I’ll send you guys back first. I might get promoted, so I plan to stay in Bloomstead for a while.”
Her heart weighed heavy with the lie. She hadn’t made up her mind about leaving just yet. There were too many unanswered questions about the accident, and she wasn’t going to leave until she had some answers.
Daniella’s expression darkened. “What? You’re not going back with us?” Her voice was filled with concern. She glanced at Tony before speaking again. “Your father and I are better now. How can we rest easy leaving you alone in Bloomstead? And you know how the Larson Family is—what if they bully you?”
Tony, though, was more focused on her well-being than anything else. “Veronica, I don’t care how much money you make. As long as we’re together as a family, that’s all that matters.”
Veronica’s chest tightened. It was hard to hear them worry so much about her, especially when the Larsons—her biological family—only ever caused her pain. Her adoptive parents weren’t related to her by blood, but they treated her as if she was their own. It hurt her deeply to see their concern for her.
“Mom…” she started, but then, feeling cornered, she resorted to her “killer trick.” She walked up to Daniella, grabbed her wrist, and pouted. “I’m a college graduate, after all. I can’t stay in the countryside forever. I want to see the outside world too. Not to mention…”
She paused, thinking for a moment before continuing, “Not to mention, Xavier is still in Bloomstead. We talked about it, and I won’t be able to spend time with him if I go back to the countryside.”
It wasn’t a perfect excuse, but it was enough. She couldn’t help but admire her quick thinking.
Daniella paused, considering her words, then nodded reluctantly. “You’re right. You’re dating Xavier now, so if we force you to go back, we’d be interfering with your relationship.”
Tony, overhearing, sighed. “Oh, daughters grow up and leave the house…”
“Oh, Dad, what are you saying?” Veronica smiled, her heart lifting a little.
At least for now, she could stay in Bloomstead without too many questions.
Later in the afternoon, after spending some time shopping for her adoptive parents, Veronica returned to the ward. It was already 5:30 PM, and Daniella immediately urged her to call Matthew and invite him to dinner. Veronica, feeling helpless, couldn’t refuse.
The dinner was set at Kaymite Restaurant, one of the most prestigious places in the city. Veronica arrived early and sent Matthew the location. Half an hour later, he walked in, looking every bit the part of a man with power and wealth.
He was dressed in a perfectly tailored suit, his chiseled features hard as stone, and an air of tension radiating off him. As he entered the room, his cold eyes locked onto hers.
“You’re treating me to dinner here?” he asked, his voice sharp and direct.
