Ophelia kept her voice down on the other end of the line. "I’m still in the hospital. Tassach is being
operated on. How’s Miss Fletcher going?"
"She just fell asleep."
"You are not in her ward?"
"No, I’m sitting on the bench in the corridor."
"It’s getting late. Go home and have a good rest. I’ll go back with Madeleine in a while."
"OK."
The couple was talking over the phone in the same hospital, having an intimate conversation that they
had never had while being together, and the air was filled with warmth and love. Neither of them
wanted to hang up first, despite them parting just a while ago. Admittedly, this rosy moment could
definitely be ranked as the most beautiful memory of both people.
While the two were still enjoying the love vibes, Madeleine snatched Ophelia’s phone and chimed in,
"President Chambers, go back to look after Cora Fletcher. Could you please lend Ophelia to me for a
while? When you have time, I’ll return your woman to you."
Hardly had Madeleine finished her words than she hung up.
Staring at Ophelia, Madeleine scoffed after she hung up, "Honey, stop smiling like that, or people will
take you for an idiot."
Ophelia covered her cheeks with her hands, her ears burning.
Madeleine couldn’t help but sigh watching her. This silly woman was sliding into the abyss. Of course,
Madeleine was glad to see her being so happy, but also afraid that the worst scenario would happen,
which was, Zachariah divorced her. She dreaded to think what would happen to Ophelia if he did so.
Ophelia was a stunning woman who appeared tough, but in fact, she was a fragile and sentimental girl.
"Honey, do you know what you look like now?" Madeleine asked as she was playing with her phone.
Ophelia wondered, "What?"
"A girl who has a huge crush on some boy. It’s been five years since you married your hubby, and I
thought you were long past that phase. It took a little too long for you to finally look the part, don’t you
think? It’s not like you got married yesterday, and your baby is coming soon," Madeleine teased.
Ophelia put down her hands, but was still immersed in love.
"Madeleine, stop laughing at me," said Ophelia.
Madeleine put on a solemn face and said in earnest, "Honey, you have to protect yourself. It’s not that
I’m throwing a wet blanket on you, but you have to stop being obsessed. Unless Zachariah makes a
promise to you, you have to keep a clear mind and can’t get lost in this relationship, so that you can at
least quit without difficulty when the worst scenario happens."
The smile on Ophelia’s face faded a little, and Madeleine was heartbroken to see that.
"Honey, I’m sorry. I…"
Ophelia shook her head and said lamely, "Madeleine, you’re right. I would fall in love in the heat of
eagerness if you didn’t remind me. I appreciate it."
Madeleine started to get worried.
"Honey, are you alright?"
Ophelia shook her head and said with a smile, "What could possibly be wrong with me? Anyone can
tell that Zachariah and I are more selling the act than being in a real relationship, and I know I’m being
too greedy by wanting for more, but a forced relationship will never last. Well, I guess I’ll just let nature
take its course. Nobody can take things that belong to me away from me, while I can never keep the
things that don’t belong to me. You can’t force things."
Madeleine became more worried.
"Honey, are you really OK?"
Ophelia chuckled in spite of herself.
"Madeleine, I’m tougher than you think. I’ve always been aware of the nature of the relationship
between Zachariah and me, and I won’t force anything. Let’s go back to Tassach now, in case the
Conduibhs think too much."
Madeleine curled her lips in disdain. "I highly doubt it. I can tell they don’t want to see us at all. If it
weren’t for Tassach, they would skin us alive ."
Ophelia couldn’t help chuckling.
"There’s no need to get too defensive about the Conduibhs. After all, they are much nicer to us than
they were five years ago. I don’t ask for much now. As long as my baby will be born safe and sound,
and my marriage stays stable, I don’t care about what others think," replied Ophelia.
Madeleine raised her eyebrows slightly and sighed, "Honey, you indeed have a big heart. Were I you, I
wouldn’t be able to take the high road."
"I’m not taking the high road either. It’s just that I don’t want to waste my energy on some irrelevant
people. It’ll be my loss if I take them seriously." Ophelia seemed to have seen through everything.
Madeleine admired Ophelia’s magnanimity.
"Honey, I’m impressed. Well, you’re the one involved, and you don’t mind it at all, so what can I say?
After all, I’m just an outsider. But don’t expect me to smile at the Conduibhs. I’m generous enough not
to give them a good beating, and I’m still fuming when thinking about how they treated us in the past."
"They are nothing but a bunch of irrelevant people. Come on. Calm down. You’ll get wrinkles if you
keep sulking like that," teased Ophelia.
Only then did Madeleine grin, while Ophelia also heaved a sigh of relief.
Tassach’s operation wasn’t over until 1 a.m., and it was indeed a major surgery. When the light of the
operating room went out, the surgeons came out, exhausted.
Mrs. Conduibh rushed up to them and grabbed one of the surgeons’ hands, asking, "Mr. Campbell,
how’s my son?"
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