Chapter 201 Hidden Thoughts

    Sloane nced at Lucas, who stood not far away, and shook her head. “I don’t think

    so.”

    Jill pouted, clearly not convinced. “Come on. I’ve never seen Mr. Hawthorne this invested in anyone. He’s beening to the hospital every single day and hasn’t even been paying attention to thepany. Uncle Samson’s been covering for him.”

    Sloane didn’t respond. She simply lowered her head and smiled.

    Seeing her reaction, Jill didn’t press any further. Instead, she reached into the fruit basket and pulled out an apple. “Want an apple? It might help keep your energy up.”

    She grabbed one and reached for the stic knife from the hospital tray. But her first few attempts were clumsy–her slices came out jagged and uneven, some barely hanging together.

    She looked down at the mess she’d made, clearly embarrassed, then held it out with a sheepish grin. “Um… it’s not the best. Don’t judge me, okay?”

    Sloane took it without hesitation, took a bite, and smiled casually. “It’s fine. Still tastes like an apple.”

    Jill scratched her head, a little embarrassed. “Hehe, next time I’ll ask Cameron to do it. He’s way better at this.”

    Sloane smiled but didn’t say anything.

    bJill /bstayed and chatted with Sloane a while longer, but when Cameron reminded her she had ss, she stood up reluctantly. “Rest up, Sloane. I’lle back and visit tomorrow!”

    Sloane waved her off. “Be careful on your way out.”

    Once Jill and Cameron left, the room fell quiet again. Sloane leaned back against her pillows and went back to reading her medical textbook,pletely focused.

    Not long after, Lucas walked over with a te of apple slices and set it gently on the table beside her bed. The slices were cleanly cut and evenly spaced out, looking surprisingly neat for something so simple.

    Back when they were stuck together after the cliff ident, Sloane had already learned that Lucas, despiteing from a powerful family, was surprisingly skilled at just about everything. She picked up a slice and bit into it. Crisp and sweet. “Thanks, Mr. Hawthorne.”

    Lucas frowned at her words. His gaze lingered on her face before he hesitated and spoke. “Since we’re partners, you can just call me by my name.”

    Sloane looked up at him and blinked. “Alright, Lucas. Then you can call me Sloane too. No need for all the ‘Ms. Rivers‘ formality.”

    “Sloane.” Lucas said her name slowly, his deep voice calm and deliberate. His eyes lingered on her, a flicker of warmth and something unspoken behind them.

    Hearing him say her name caught Sloane off guard for a second. Then she smiled and nodded. “Yeah, that does sound a lot more natural.”

    Lucas’s lips curved into a faint smile. He looked pleased as he pulled out a chair and sat down beside her.

    Sloane nced at him, puzzled. “Lucas, don’t you need to be at the office? You just regained control of thepany—shouldn’t there be a ton of work waiting?”

    Lucas let out a shortugh,ced with contempt. “If I had to oversee every little thing myself, then what’s the point of having a team? If they can’t handle the basics without me, they don’t belong at the Hawthorne Group.”

    Sloane paused for a moment, thenughed softly. “That’s… pretty bold of you, Mr. Hawthorne.”

    Lucas left to grab her medication. On his way back, he spotted someone entering the hospital room–Larry, holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.

    Larry wore his usual gentle smile. “Ms. Rivers, I heard you were hospitalized, so I came by to see how you’re doing.”

    Sloane was a little surprised, but she smiled and nodded. “Mr. Larry, that’s really kind of you. Please, have a seat.”

    Larry stepped closer and handed her the flowers. “These are for you. Wishing you a speedy recovery.”

    Just as Sloane reached out to ept them, Lucas stepped forward and took the flowers before she could. “Thanks for the kind gesture, Mr. Larry.”