Chapter 18
Jaxon lifted his gaze and glanced at Brad, and then drifted toward Sally.
Seeing the hesitation in her expression, he quickly pieced things together.
“Mrs. Zale was injured at the orphanage I sponsor,” looking up, he said indifferently. “I’m here on the home’s behalf to pick her up.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, Sally finally relaxed.
Jaxon really was sharp–quick on the uptake, too. If she’d said she’d asked him to come, given her and Brad’s situation, it would’ve led to unnecessary misunderstandings.
“Oh, is that so?” Brad asked, sounding thoughtful. “So the person you visited the other day with a basket of fruit—was that for Sally too?”
“Yes.” Jaxon answered. He brushed past them, walked to the bedside, picked up her hospital discharge form, then turned and headed back.
The whole exchange left Brad slightly stunned. ‘Didn’t he say he was just visiting a friend that day?‘ He thought, unpleasantly.
“Hey, Jaxon,” Brad spoke up, stepping forward.
“Yes?” Jaxon replied, holding the discharge papers.
“I’ll handle it,” said Brad, taking the discharge papers from his hand, “I’ll handle it. No need to trouble you.”
Before Jaxon could respond, Brad had already left, leaving Sally and Jaxon in the ward.
“Mr. Zale,” Sally lowered her voice, “my friend was supposed to pick me up, but something came up and she had to leave this morning. That’s why I called you. I… I didn’t know Brad would come…”
Jaxon lowered his gaze, his eyes reflecting her pale, delicate face. She was wearing a white chiffon dress that reached her ankles. Near the hem, a burn mark was visible.
“It’s fine. Not surprising he came,” Jaxon replied calmly. “Even though you filed for divorce, father’s not easy to deal with. He probably forced Brad to come.”
Sally nodded lightly. “It was Grandpa who made him come.”
But that one sentence–Father’s not easy to deal with–stuck with her.
She knew that in the Zale family, Howrd’s authority was nearly absolute. Aside from Jaxon, no one dared defy him.
While he doted on his youngest son, Jaxon the most, Jaxon’s status second only to Howard himself.
“Did you put anything on your ankle?” Jaxon chimed in.
His deep and pleasant voice snapped Sally out of her thoughts. She glanced down at her own ankle.
“It’s not that serious, so I didn’t bother. I’m not used to modern medicine anyway. I’ll apply some herbal ointment later.”
As she lowered her head to inspect the injury, she saw the slightly raised skin on her heel. The burn was clearly visible.
She shifted her weight and lifted one foot slightly, but that threw off her balance. Before she knew it, she stumbled straight into Jaxon’s chest.
Trying to steady herself, she was already too late. But then, Jaxon reached out and caught her in his arms.
The cold metal of his ring brushed against her skin, making her flinch instinctively. She quickly looked up, locking eyes with him at the exact moment he glanced down.
As their eyes met, her heart skipped a beat. That feeling–it was strange but indescribable.
Jaxon looked at her, the corner of his lips curling in the faintest of smiles. “Be more careful, ok?” his voice was still deep.
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10:23 AM DD
Chapter 18
Sally opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by approaching footsteps.
“Sally, let’s go–`
As the voice reached her, she tried to pull away from Jaxon’s arms–but it was too late.
She lifted her head, only to meet Brad’s gaze at the door. He had seen the whole thing.
“What are you two doing?” Brad’s brows furrowed, a mixture of confusion and anger in his voice.
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Jaxon let go of her and said coolly, “Mrs. Zale lost her balance. I just gave her a hand. Since you’re done with the paperwork, take her home.
And with that, he turned on his heel and walked out without looking back.
After his footsteps faded, Sally glanced at the discharge form in Brad’s hand and strode over.
Thanks.” She quickly spoke up. Snatching it from his grasp, she headed straight for the door without another word.
“Wait.”
Brad’s voice called from behind.
She paused, turned her head slightly, and gave him a sideways glance. “You’ve handled the paperwork. I don’t need a ride–I can manage just fine.”
“What Jaxon said–was it true?” Brad asked. Stepping forward, his expression dark.
Sally looked up at him expressionlessly. “What do you think?”
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Brad stared down at Sally. Her eyes shimmering under the ward’s bright lights. She was smiling, almost mockingly, as if daring him to speak.
“You’re not seriously thinking I’m seducing Jaxon, are you?” she asked.
“You think you’re even worthy?” Hearing her respond, Brad’s lips twisted into a scornful smirk. The words were quiet–but laced with contempt.
Sally’s face hardened, her gaze unmoving.
“Let’s not even talk about your total lack of qualifications—you’ve even been in prison.” Brad’s voice was full of ridicule. “Everyone in the Zale family knows how picky Jaxon is. He’s surrounded by beautiful women all the time, but looks alone don’t cut it. You need something up here.
He tapped his temple with one finger, clearly insulting her. But Sally wasn’t ruffled by his insults.
“If someone’s into Miss Yasmin, I guess their taste doesn’t quite measure up to Jaxon’s.” She replied calmly.
The jab landed, and Brad’s brow twitched. That was a double hit–insulting both him and Lena.
“If you’ve got something to say about me, say it. Why drag Lena into this?” Brad’s face darkened as he reached out to grab her
arm.
But Sally was quicker, stepping back and turning to leave. His voice followed her, muttering curses, but she didn’t bother to respond. She’d already walked into the corridor.
As she reached the hospital entrance, a familiar figure rushed past. She called out, “Abigail!”
Abigail stopped at the sound of her voice. Seeing Sally, she paused, stunned.
“Sally? Weren’t you waiting for me in the room?” she asked. “Why’d you run out?”
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