I stayed silent for a long time. I didn't respond or comment on any of it.
"If Caleb could treat me like that someday, I'd be satisfied!" Victoria sighed.
Evie looked up at her sister. She smiled and replied, "Everyone loves you in their own way. Caleb's way of loving you is taking you out for good food!"
"How would you know?" Victoria couldn't help but laugh.
"Just from listening to your phone calls. Besides food, there's nothing else to talk about!"
"If we don't talk about food, what should we talk about? His patients?" Victoria rolled her eyes.
"Exactly. Apart from work and food, there's nothing else."
"Anyway, I have nothing to talk about with Caleb. When I go shopping with him, he says a dress doesn't suit my figure. When I buy makeup, he talks about heavy metal poisoning from the ingredients. You tell me, what common ground is there with someone like that?"
Evie burst out laughing. She pulled at her wound and had to frown slightly.
"There goes your wound again. You deserve it for gloating!" Victoria scolded, but she still came over. "Does it hurt? Should I call the doctor?"
"No, it's just a little sore. Sis, I'm not gloating. I just think you two get along in a way that makes you happy!" Evie said.
"I envy you and Alexander's domineering dynamic too. And the way Mr. Sterling and his little lady interact. But Caleb says I'm not meant to be a little lady in this life. I was born to be the mature one!"
Evie wanted to laugh again when she heard that. But because of her wound, she held herself back, afraid that being too happy would cause more pain.
That evening, Evie suddenly craved dessert. She begged her sister to buy some for her.
"No. Mom said you're still recovering and can't eat just anything!"
"I don't want ice cream!" Evie pleaded.
"That's still a no. I'll go home and ask Mom. If she says it's okay, I'll bring you some tomorrow."
"Then I'll be craving it all night!"
"Better to crave than to eat something bad!" Evie was firm.
There was no real difference between the two.
Just then, someone knocked on the door. Evie and Victoria turned around at the same time. They saw Alexander carrying things as he walked in.
"Alexander, perfect timing. Your wife says she wants dessert!" Victoria said with a smile.
"What do you want? I'll go buy it now?" Alexander looked at Evie.
"I was just joking with my sister!" Evie said quietly.
"It's no joke. Don't buy it for her. She can't have it during her recovery!" Victoria explained.
"Alright!" Alexander smiled in response. He carried the things over to the table on the side.
"What delicious food did you bring for Evie?" Victoria asked.
"Her recovery meal!"
"Evie must be hungry. I'll get her something to eat!" Victoria said as she walked toward the small table.
"When was I hungry?" Evie protested.
"Weren't you just clamoring for dessert?"
"I only wanted dessert!" Evie muttered.
"After the recovery meal, you won't want dessert anymore."
"I'd rather eat later!"
"You want your husband to feed you! Forget it. Your husband is here, so I won't be a third wheel. I'm heading back!" Victoria deliberately misinterpreted Evie's meaning and replied with a smile.
"Sis—" Evie called out awkwardly, wanting her sister to stay a little longer.
But Victoria simply grabbed her bag, said goodbye to Alexander, then turned and gave Evie a vague wink before walking out of the ward.
Only Alexander and Evie were left in the room.
Evie lowered her head and said nothing.
After washing his hands, Alexander opened the thermal lid. He filled a bowl of soup for Evie, walked to the chair beside the bed, sat down, and said, "Lily stewed some pigeon soup. You need to drink this first. If you're hungry later, you can have dinner."
"Okay!" Evie said, reaching for it.
Alexander pulled it away. "I'll feed you."
"No, no. I can drink it myself!" Evie said, embarrassed.
Alexander looked at Evie. She avoided his gaze and grew even more flustered.
"Evie, you're becoming more and more distant with me," Alexander said, his tone helpless.
Evie lowered her head and didn't speak.
"I don't want any misunderstandings between us. What happened that day—"
"I don't misunderstand anything. I know you were saving people. In that situation, you had no other choice!" Evie looked up at Alexander and replied.
Alexander met her gaze quietly. He knew she wasn't finished.
"It's just that I feel—"
Alexander leaned in and pressed his lips to Evie's, stopping her from saying the next words.
Evie's eyes widened in shock. She stared at Alexander in amazement. After a moment, she came to her senses and pushed him away with all her strength.
Because of her wound, Evie's face twisted in pain.
Alexander worried that she had pulled her wound and wanted to check, but she refused.
Evie's face was a little pale. She stopped him with a low roar, "Don't touch me!"
Alexander looked at Evie and didn't insist. He didn't want to upset her and affect her recovery.
"I won't touch you. Don't get worked up!" Alexander stepped back and said. "Let me call the doctor to check on you."
"No. I'm fine!" Evie said faintly.
If she hadn't shown any abnormal reaction before, if she still interacted with Alexander as usual, and if they still looked like a perfect couple with good feelings in everyone else's eyes, it only meant she was a good actress. Now that they were alone, she didn't even have the energy to pretend.
"Alexander, I was planning to talk about divorce with you after I was discharged. Now it seems there's no need to wait. We can sign the agreement and go through the formalities after I'm discharged." Evie took a few deep breaths, trying to appear calm.
She always felt that even if they couldn't be husband and wife, they shouldn't become bitter enemies. After all, that would be ugly.
Alexander didn't immediately respond to Evie's words. Instead, he pulled the chair closer, sat down beside her bed, looked at her quietly, and then said, "Let's talk properly."
Evie nodded. They really did need to talk properly, even if they weren't going to continue in the future.
"That day, I—" Alexander wanted to explain what happened.
"Don't explain what happened that day. I don't want a divorce because I misunderstood you. I just don't want to live with you anymore!" Evie calmed down and interrupted Alexander's words. She looked at him calmly and replied.