The CEO's Contractual Wife

Chapter 43

Olivia

Ethan nearly fell off his chair, laughing. “How did I miss this story?”

“You were away at college,” Mom explained, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes. “Olivia came home that night and declared she was done with dating forever.”

“And now she’s dating Alexander Carter,” Amelia said, shaking her head in amazement. “Talk about an upgrade from Lord

Marcus.”

“Alexander doesn’t wear capes, as far as I know,” I said dryly.

“Only expensive custom suits,” Nick said.

Before I could respond, the waiting room door opened, and Dr. Weaver entered, still wearing his surgical cap. We all fell silent instantly, the laughter evaporating.

“The surgery was successful,” he announced without preamble, and I felt my shoulders sag with relief. “We completed all three bypasses with no complications. Your husband’s heart is already showing improved blood flow.”

Mom pressed her hand to her mouth, tears welling in her eyes. “Thank God.”

“He’s in recovery now,” Dr. Weaver continued. “He’ll be moved to the ICU shortly, where he’ll remain for the next 24 to 48 hours. After that, assuming all goes well, he’ll be transferred to a regular room.”

“When can we see him?” Mom asked.

“You can see him briefly once he’s settled in the ICU, but only two visitors at a time, and only for a few minutes. He’ll be groggy from the anesthesia and will need rest.”

you, Doctor,” Nick said, standing

it clear your father was to receive the best care possible. I’ll be personally overseeing his

rush of gratitude toward Alexander. Whatever his motives, whatever our arrangement, he’d come through when

visitors,” Dr. Weaver said, heading for the door. “Try to get some rest yourselves.

tears of relief. Ethan wrapped his arms around her,

his voice cracking slightly. “Dad’s going

Nick went in first to see Dad, then Ethan and I took our turn. He looked smaller somehow, pale against the hospital sheets, with tubes and wires connecting him to various machines. But when he opened his eyes and saw us, he managed

voice raspy from the breathing tube they’d removed. “No crying, okay? I’m not dead

said, taking his

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Chapter 43

funny,” he insisted, his eyelids drooping. “Tell your mom

squeezing his shoulder gently. “You need to rest

watching the

all left the ICU, it was nearly midnight. Mom insisted on staying overnight despite our

I could stay

stay with you, Mom,” Nick

insisted. “Go home. Come back in the

than to argue with that tone. After extracting promises that she would

my apartment building, the yellow glow of the

paid the driver and stepped out into the cool night air, my body

the driver asked, noticing my weary

fine.” I mustered a smile and watched the

hum of the elevator as I

soft

small space feeling both comforting and empty after the chaos of the