Debbie put her luggage aside and said sarcastically, "If I had told you that I was coming back, I wouldn't have been able to see this moving scene of your sweet niece crying in your arms and you comforting her with so much care. It would have been a pity. Am I interrupting, Mr. Huo?"
Megan stayed in Carlos' arms, staring at Debbie, who had shown up all of a sudden. As if she had entered into some fantasy, she stayed stunned.
'Humph!
Is this bitch trying to provoke me?' Debbie thought.
Damon intended to intervene before things got worse, but he recalled that his wife had warned him to stay out of their romantic entanglements. So, he said, "My son would have woken up. I have to go home and check on him. Bye." And just like that, he left the ward.
Zelda also sensed the tension in the room. Seeing Damon leave, she said to Carlos, "Mr. Huo, I'll go and make sure your lunch is prepared on time."
And then, there was only Debbie, Carlos, and Megan left in the ward. Megan finally came to her senses and got out of Carlos' embrace quickly and explained anxiously, "Aunt Debbie, you have misunderstood me. I was only worried about Uncle Carlos."
Debbie's eyes were fixed on Carlos all the while. Upon hearing Megan's explanation, she smiled, "I didn't misunderstand anything or anyone. How I envy your close relationship with your uncle Carlos. If only I had such an uncle too..."
"Megan, give us a minute," Carlos said in a low voice. Megan got up to leave, but Debbie stopped her in her tracks. "If you leave, who is gonna take care of your uncle Carlos? I have to study, so I'll be leaving now."
"Aunt Debbie..."
"Don't you dare call me that!" Debbie bellowed, draining the color from Megan's face.
"Debbie!" Carlos shifted his eyes from Megan to his angry wife. The sharpness in his eyes were gone. There was a tender yearning in them.
Only they knew how much they had missed each other, how many times they had imagined their reunion. But it was never like this; nothing like this.
"Yes, Mr. Huo, what can I do for you?" Debbie looked at him, her eyes full of sarcasm.
Carlos waved to her. "Come here."
Debbie grabbed her luggage and made her way to the door instead.
"Debbie!" Carlos snarled.
She didn't turn around. She shut her eyes, trying to remember how much she had missed Carlos in England. He had been the first thing in her mind when she woke up and the last thing in her thoughts as she fell asleep. Every song she had listened to reminded her of him. She had missed his scent. Just hearing his voice through the phone used to give her butterflies, and she used to smile every time she saw his name on her phone.
She was absolutely sure that Carlos loved her. And she loved the man. Only love could make her miss him that much. It couldn't have been clearer after they had spent so many days apart from each other. She wanted to hold him tight and never let go.
She stood still at the door and half a minute later, she turned around, tossed her suitcase aside, and ran towards Carlos. He was quick enough to spread his right arm to catch her. He put his arm around her waist, and Debbie locked her hands around his neck as she placed her lips on his.
This felt right. This was what their reunion should be like.
Standing there, Megan opened her mouth to remind Debbie of Carlos' wound. However, the couple were kissing passionately. Embarrassed, she left the ward.
After what felt like an eternity in his arms, Carlos lay her on the bed and quickly got on top of Debbie, his hand sliding all over her. Realizing what he was up to, she grabbed his hand and reminded him, "You... you're injured." Her cheeks were red.
Carlos' eyes were dark from containing his desire for so long. "I don't care," he said in a husky voice.
"I do," Debbie said, pushing him away. She got off the bed and straightened her clothes. She looked at him with fake anger and said, "You were being mean to me a moment ago, and now you want to sleep with me? You wish."
"Come back here." He hadn't seen his wife in more than a month. After the long kiss, he was sweaty and stiff all over.
To his surprise, Debbie pushed the nurse-call button and asked for the doctor-in-charge.
In under a minute, a group of doctors walked into the ward. "Mr. Huo, how are you feeling? Is everything all right?"
Another doctor said, "Hurry. Mr. Huo doesn't look well. Examine him."
Carlos recognized the prank his wife was pulling.
Debbie was surprised by the number of doctors who had swarmed in. She looked at Carlos, who was struggling to suppress his urge with his eyes closed. The hopeless look on his face made her feel better. So she said, "He's fine. The needle seems to be a little crooked. Blood has gotten into it."
The doctor-in-charge adjusted the needle swiftly. Noticing Carlos' grimacing face, the doctor asked in concern, "Mr. Huo, you don't look well. What's the matter?"
Carlos snapped, "Get out!"
Not daring to say anything else, the doctor led his subordinates out of the ward quickly.
Again, it was just the two of them.
Carlos opened his eyes and said, "Come here." His voice was much more tender.
Debbie walked over to him slowly. She stood to his left and started unbuttoning his hospital clothes.
Carlos grabbed her hand tightly.
Debbie gazed at him. "I just want to look at your wound."
"It has been bandaged. There's nothing to look at. Why did you come back without telling me?" Not just her, none of his employees in England had informed him of it. 'It looks like I will have to replace them all.'
Debbie wrenched free of his grasp. "How could I stay there any longer? My husband had almost become someone else's."
"Don't talk nonsense."
Debbie didn't respond. She didn't think she had said anything wrong.
Carlos moved aside to make room for her. Then he pulled her onto the bed and said, "Sleep with me."
"I don't need any sleep," she objected.
"Yes, you do," he insisted.
With Debbie in his arms, and the familiar scent of her around him, Carlos fell asleep soon.
Debbie was tired too. But the scene she had witnessed earlier kept her awake.
Assured that Carlos was fast asleep, she got out of his arms and left the bed quietly.
She wanted a word with Megan.
Megan was sitting on the bench outside the ward, playing with her phone.
Seeing Debbie, she put her phone away and smiled without saying anything.
"I'll take care of him. You can go," Debbie said coldly.
Immediately, the expression on Megan's face changed. Before she could say a word, Debbie warned, "Save your crocodile tears for someone else. People might actually think that I'm bullying you. Your masquerade won't work on me."
Even so, Megan pleaded quietly, "Aunt Debbie, I'm really worried about Uncle Carlos. Can you please let me stay here?"
Debbie wouldn't buy it. "If you really cared about him, you wouldn't have let him get shot twice because of you. There's nobody else here, it's just you and me. Cut the crap and level with me. How long do you plan on pestering my husband?"