CHAPTER 28: CHAPTER 28: JENSON FORREST ACTS CUTE WITH HER

Zinnia Lawrence held her breath, waiting for the man’s response.

"If I wasn’t worried about you, what do you think I’m doing right now?"

His reply was nonchalant, but Zinnia’s heart couldn’t help but pound wildly. His protection and his answer had, against her better judgment, sparked a faint flicker of hope in her heart.

Her eyes grew misty. "Last time I hit Crystal, were you worried about her, too? Did you put ice on her bruises?"

Jenson chuckled. "Take a guess."

He didn’t answer directly, which meant he did! Zinnia wanted to bash his head in.

Annoyed, she turned away, but Jenson’s body closed in on her once more. Facing him, she was again trapped between his body and the wall, forcing her to glare up at him.

Jenson’s thin lips curled slightly, his demeanor calm and unhurried. "You care so much, yet you won’t admit you’re jealous?"

He’s got to be crazy. Zinnia’s expression turned cold.

"We haven’t divorced yet. You’re my husband. Women don’t like to be cuckolded either, alright?"

The smile in Jenson’s eyes faded slightly. "Since you know we’re not divorced, move back home."

Why is he bringing this up again? Zinnia wanted to remind him that if he hadn’t stood her up last time, they would already be divorced.

But Jenson spoke first, "I had the bedroom cleaned out. The sofa, carpet, and bed have all been replaced with new ones."

Zinnia’s face turned completely cold as she remembered walking in on Crystal Sutton in his home. "You can clean a room, but you can’t clean the filth from your eyes and heart! I’m not going back! Get out of my way! Go and comfort your precious Crystal Sutton!"

She shoved Jenson hard, not expecting his expression to change as he bent over and staggered back a step.

"HISS."

In the narrow space, his sharp intake of breath was exceptionally clear.

Zinnia panicked, grabbing his arm and urgently unbuttoning his cuff to roll up the sleeve. "What happened? Hasn’t your arm healed yet?"

Once she rolled up the sleeve, she saw his forearm was indeed still wrapped in a bandage stained with seeping blood.

Zinnia’s expression changed, and she asked angrily, "Why hasn’t it healed after all this time? What on earth have you been doing? Didn’t you take care of yourself during your business trip?!"

Jenson’s body had an incredibly strong healing ability. Minor wounds would usually heal overnight without medication. But it had been seven or eight days since he got this injury, and it was still seeping blood, which was not normal.

Thinking of Eighth’s illness, Zinnia couldn’t help but let her mind wander to the worst-case scenarios, making her unbearably anxious and tense.

She grabbed Jenson and tried to rush out to call for a doctor. But she couldn’t move him. Instead, Jenson caught her wrist with a reverse grip and gave a gentle tug. Zinnia stumbled around and fell into his arms, where he held her tight.

Zinnia froze. The man lowered his head until his chin rested on her hair, his voice laced with amusement. "This worried about me?"

Zinnia took a soft breath. His scent always had the power to make her defenses crumble and feel at ease in an instant.

"Of course I am..." she murmured.

Even if they stopped being husband and wife, they still shared an unbreakable bond like that of siblings. Even after a divorce, she would still be the one person in this world who most wanted him to be safe and happy.

"Then let me hold you for a while, and it’ll get better." Jenson moved his chin, the motion making the top of Zinnia’s head feel slightly itchy.

His voice seemed to hold a longing tenderness. It must be my imagination.

A helpless smile touched her lips. "I’m not some miracle cure that can heal wounds, am I? Stop messing around. Let’s find a doctor and see what’s wrong."

Jenson sighed. "I know what’s wrong. There’s a folk remedy to stop the bleeding and help it heal. Just do as I say. Now, lift your hand..."

His voice was serious, so Zinnia subconsciously did as he asked, raising her hand.

"Put it on my waist."

"Okay, and then?"

"Rub my back and soothe it."

Zinnia was puzzled. "Is there some kind of pressure point there? Are you sure you remember it correctly?"

Despite her question, she obediently patted and rubbed his back. After a while of him saying nothing more, she asked, "So, what’s the next step?"

Jenson’s voice was filled with laughter. "Repeat after me: I’ll stop making trouble, and I won’t get a divorce."

"I’ll stop..." Zinnia began to repeat, then suddenly realized what was happening.

Her worry had completely addled her brain! He was playing her for a fool!

Furious at her own foolishness and his infuriating behavior, she pushed him away, her face flushing red. "Jenson Forrest, have you got nothing better to do!"

She was worried sick about him, and he was just toying with her!

Zinnia turned to leave and reached for the doorknob, but Jenson caught up in two strides, pressing his hand flat against the door to block her. He looked down at her. "I’m serious, I’m not playing with you. Don’t you know that wound healing is tied to a person’s mood? My wound is this bad because you keep making me angry. If you’re a good girl and stop upsetting me, it will naturally heal."

Zinnia scoffed. "I’m not your pet dog; I don’t know how to be a ’good girl’."

She yanked hard on the doorknob as Jenson’s cool voice sounded from above her head. "A dog’s station is hardly a match for you. After all, you’re aspiring to be an ungrateful wretch."

"..."

She slapped Jenson’s hand away, pulled open the door, and stormed out. If she stayed a second longer, she’d probably end up on the front page of the society section for assault.

Zinnia walked straight out of the hospital room. When Jenson followed, Julia, who was still facing the wall, began to speak through his sobs. "I was wrong, I was wrong... *sob*... I was really wrong..."

Jenson strode over. Julia stood up even straighter and discreetly pinched his own thigh, causing a stream of tears to roll down the side of his face. "Brother, I was wrong. I’m willing to go apologize to Miss Sutton. Can you please not be so angry? You’re so busy, yet I still made you worry sick over me. I’m so thoughtless..."

As he spoke, he swayed a little.

Jenson sat down on the sofa. "Are your feet numb from standing?"

Still facing the wall, Julia made a small, triumphant expression. Seventh Sister’s advice really is the best! Big Brother has softened.

He was just about to dramatically collapse onto the hospital bed when Jenson spoke again. "So weak? In that case, stand for another two hours."

Julia was bewildered. ???

Zinnia had left the ward, but she headed straight for the hematology department. The doctor said he would be over shortly, so Zinnia returned to the room first. She got a first-aid kit from the nurse’s station to treat Jenson’s wound.

She had been wondering if Jenson was tricking her and the wound had already healed. But when she unwrapped the gauze, the wound beneath was raw and bloody, showing no signs of healing at all.

Zinnia frowned as she disinfected the wound and applied medicine, her heart aching with a mixture of anger and distress. "He gets himself injured and still insists on carrying someone. It was her hand that was hurt, not her leg!"

Jenson lowered his gaze. "How do you know the wound tore open from carrying her, and not from when you pushed me just now?"

A bitter pang shot through Zinnia’s heart, and she was so furious she nearly snapped the cotton swab in her hand. "Yes, of course, it could only be my fault. How could *she* ever be at fault? She’s just a poor, helpless little thing who can’t even take care of herself."

Hearing her sarcastic tone, Jenson, for some reason, found himself wanting to smile. He raised his hand and gently patted Zinnia’s head. "That’s not what I meant."

Zinnia turned her head away in disgust and looked up at him. "Then what do you mean?"

Jenson’s deep eyes seemed to hold an emotion she couldn’t quite decipher. His thin lips curved slightly as he said, "I mean that you should be a little gentler with me."

She thought they were fighting, yet he had suddenly become so direct. Her heart skipped a beat, leaving her stunned.

Just then, Timothy Cohen knocked on the door and showed the doctor in.

Zinnia stood up and moved to the side. The doctor stepped forward, inspected the wound, and asked, "It doesn’t look like there’s a serious problem. There’s no reason it shouldn’t be healing. Has the medication been applied on time? And there haven’t been any secondary injuries?"

Jenson shot Timothy Cohen an imperceptible look, and Timothy immediately replied, "Yes, both the topical and oral medications have been administered strictly according to the doctor’s orders. The CEO has never had this issue with previous injuries."

The doctor mused for a moment. "In that case, let’s draw some blood for a test."

He gave instructions to the nurse, and the blood was drawn quickly.

Zinnia asked nervously, "When will the results be ready?"

"Tomorrow."

Zinnia nodded just as the doctor spoke again. "What happened to the injury on his other wrist?"

Zinnia followed the doctor’s gaze and saw a ring of bite marks on Jenson’s other wrist, half-hidden by his shirt cuff.

Those were from when she had bitten him at the mall.

Jenson turned his wrist, hiding the mark. "I was bitten by a cat," he said. "It’s a small wound, no need to check it."

The doctor didn’t get a clear look and chuckled. "Well, that little cat certainly has a good set of teeth. Remember to disinfect it and get your rabies shot."

Zinnia, the "cat" with the "good set of teeth," was speechless.

Jenson’s gaze swept over Zinnia’s flushed cheeks as he nodded. "She’s got very sharp teeth and a sharper tongue. Fortunately, she’s a domestic cat. She’s had a lifetime to build up her immunity, so there’s no need for a rabies shot."

The doctor and nurse left, and Timothy Cohen followed them out.

On the hospital bed, Julia had somehow fallen asleep.

The man leaned back against the sofa, looking weary. His tie was loosened, and his prominent Adam’s apple was cast in light and shadow, the pale skin of his throat reflecting the light as it stretched down to his handsome collarbone.

The man was truly blessed by nature with his looks. Such a handsome face, hiding such a black heart.

Zinnia glared at him. "You’re the cat!"

Jenson gave her a tug, causing Zinnia to lose her balance and fall right into his lap.

She struggled to get up, but Jenson spoke. "Don’t move. You’ll tear my wound open again."

Zinnia froze, and Jenson wrapped his arms around her. "I got this wound protecting you, and now it’s refusing to heal, which is making everything inconvenient. We can forget about the medical bills and lost wages. But you moving back home to take care of me... that’s not too much to ask, is it?"

The image of his bloody wound filled Zinnia’s mind. She hesitated, her resolve beginning to waver...