CHAPTER 434: CHAPTER 434: GONE ALL NIGHT

Even if I try to explain myself, he won’t believe me, he probably won’t even care to listen.

"No reason." Quinn Lockwood tightened her grip on the phone, her eyes instantly freezing over, as if they could crack and fall like ice shards at any moment.

Elias Sinclair’s face grew even darker, his spine straightened as he lifted his eyes to look at the woman in front of him, his gaze burning with fury akin to being scorched by the fires of hell.

Just as the anger was about to burst forth from Elias’s heart, the phone in his pocket rang.

Upon seeing the name displayed on the screen, the man barely furrowed his brows before pressing the answer button.

Whatever the person on the other end said, it replaced Elias’s deep anger with an expression of some urgency.

After hanging up, Elias cast a deep, lingering look at Quinn.

His cold, thin lips parted slightly, then pressed firmly together again.

He grabbed the coat from the back of the sofa and quickly left the room.

When Elias left, Quinn felt an overwhelming sense of relief, as if liberated.

She was truly exhausted, and she didn’t care anymore whether he misunderstood her or not. Quinn just wanted a good night’s sleep, to temporarily put all this chaos behind her.

However, things didn’t go as Quinn hoped; she slept restlessly, knowing that Elias hadn’t come back all night.

When Quinn woke up the next morning, she felt an inexplicable panic.

She recalled the words spoken by Ariana Lynch over the phone yesterday, causing her anxiety to further escalate.

No, she must go see her father.

That terrifying woman, Ariana, might have tampered with her father’s medication.

Thinking of the heartless things Ariana had done to her before, Quinn felt even less secure.

She quickly washed her face, changed her clothes, and rushed to the hospital. To prevent any nosy reporters from secretly taking photos or twisting the truth, Quinn donned a hat and mask, wrapping herself up tightly.

Quinn made haste to the hospital without wasting a single minute, skipping breakfast entirely.

Yet, as soon as she stepped out of the hospital elevator, she was greeted by a scene that chilled her heart.

Before her stood a tall, impeccably dressed man supporting a delicate woman clad in a hospital gown.

The woman had chestnut curls casually tied at the back, her face slightly pale yet maintaining a graceful composure. Her arm rested on the man’s, the two of them seemingly engrossed in conversation, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

Standing at the elevator door, Quinn felt as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her.

So... Elias Sinclair had spent the entire night here with Melody Shepherd.

The whole night without returning...

Never mind, I should’ve been used to this by now. After all, Melody Shepherd is the person Elias truly loves—why should I be sad...

Quinn’s fingers curled and uncurled several times, her originally bright eyes growing dim and losing their shine.

Better to leave quickly, to avoid a fake, forced interaction upon being discovered. Quinn had no desire for Melody to gloat in front of her.

Quinn carefully took steps backward, trying to quietly exit Elias and Melody’s line of sight.

But after just two steps, she heard the elevator doors open, bumping into a man emerging from the elevator, accidentally stepping on his foot.

"Sorry, sorry." Afraid the man would chastise her, drawing Elias’s attention, Quinn hurriedly bent over to apologize.

"What’s wrong with you, walking backwards? Got eyes in the back of your head?" The man, fierce as if Quinn had committed a grave mistake, growled.

"Move, don’t block my way, I’ve got an inheritance to claim." Seeing Quinn wrapped up tightly, the man assumed she had some serious illness, and disdainfully shoved her.

Already unsteady from leaning back to avoid the man, Quinn stumbled several steps back from the shove, landing on the ground.

Her baseball cap fell to the ground with her hair, revealing her bright almond eyes—clear and slightly enchanting, recognizable at first glance.

"Ouch, it hurts." Sitting there, Quinn murmured as pain shot through her elbow from bracing her fall.

The commotion naturally drew some onlookers, and as Quinn turned her head instinctively, she met Elias’s narrow, deep eyes.

In just that glance, Elias recognized Quinn, and an unusual light flashed in his eyes, his suspended hand quivering slightly.

Feeling the oddity from the man beside her, Melody’s hand, initially hovering near Elias but not touching, finally settled on him upon realizing that Elias’s attention was drawn to Quinn.

"That’s Miss Lowell, she fell, I’ll go check on her." Melody, appearing deeply concerned about Quinn, her face losing its brightness, made a move to support Quinn.

But suddenly, Melody’s expression tightened, her pale hand pressing against her temple.

Her form wavered slightly, collapsing toward Elias.

"Sorry Elias, I..." Melody rubbed her temple, her enchanting eyes slowly rising with an expression as fragile as a flower in need of tender care.

Elias’s brow creased, his shoulder twitching as if to move away, but he stopped upon noticing the bandage on Melody’s arm.

Resting her head against Elias’s embrace, Melody allowed a subtle, barely noticeable smile to curve her lips.

Quinn rubbed her aching wrist, her lips tightly pressed together.

Her gaze was as cold as a thousand-year-old iceberg.

"Elias, I’m fine now, just a bit dizzy from the sudden movement." Melody’s head slowly lifted from Elias’s chest, her autumn-like eyes almost brimming with tenderness.

Standing straight, she lightly tugged Elias’s coat, hinting toward the rising Quinn.

The man’s expression remained grim as if dripping with ink, his handsome face taut and complicated, as if pondering some unpleasant matter. But soon he lifted his foot, strolling over to Quinn.