Chapter 54: Forced to Resign
Silence remains until Edward stands up from his chair abruptly. It startles Allen, "Mr. Smith..."
"I'm going out now." Edward picks up his phone. His face is cold but there is a look of panic and accusatory intention.
"But, but there's a meeting..."
Before Allen could finish his sentence, Edward replies, "Postpone it to tomorrow." That's it. he never leaves any more words.
Edward drives and heads straight to the hospital. It seems like he is covered in anxiousness.
It is almost off-hour. The more he thinks about the picture where Alice, John, and the two children having meals happily, the more he feels uncomfortable. Why can't that woman behave herself?
When Edward arrives in the hospital, he parks his car and heads straight to Alice's consulting room. However, when the door is pushed open, Alice isn't there. Where is she?
Edward frowns. Just when he raises his phone and tries to redial Alice's number, Julies comes in and asks, "What are you doing here?"
Edward's brows are furrowed when he is questioned by Julie. His dark eyes darken even more. He asks, "Where is Alice?"
"I don't know."
Julie replies in a cross manner. She ignores Edward, walks into the room, and helps Alice to pack up what she didn't manage to take with her. "Tell me!"
Edward's cold tone of voice startles Julie a little. His eyes are filled with anger. It scares Julie.
But when Julie thinks about what Alice told her over the phone, she clenches her fist and clears her throat, "What's the use of showing me your attitude here? I'm just a little nurse, how would I know where she went?" "Did she go out for lunch with John again?"
Edward's face is filled with jealousy and he is almost sure of what he believed. This triggers Julie and she accidentally spills the fact, "No, she was forced to resign!" "Resign?" Edward stares at Julie.
Julie doesn't have to courage to look into Edward's eyes. She knows she screws it. Didn't she just promise Alice not to tell Edward anything if he comes looking for her?
Why, why can't she hold on to the secret? Julie can't imagine what if Alice knows about this...
Julie quickly packs Alice's stuff and tries to leave the scene.
However, Edward stops her.
"I don't know anything." Julie quickly says. She decided to shut her mouth up and stop telling Edward anything, anything at all.
There's a coldness in Edward's dark eyes. He stares at Julie long enough to make her sweat herself. Then he raises his right hand.
"You...What are you trying to do?" Julie shivers. She prays in her heart, "Alice, come save me please!"
"Why did Alice resign?"
"What?" Julie thought Edward is asking her the same question. When she opens her eyes and sees Edward is holding his mobile phone, she breathes a sigh of relief. She thought he is about to beat her up just now. Julie takes a chance to run away while Edward is on the phone.
When Edward heard the ambiguous answer the Hospital Director gives him, his face gets more and more sullen. He asks in a taut tone, "Did you just say she resigned on her own accord?"
The Hospital Director could sense the dangerous vibe over the phone, he answers with a guilty conscience while sweating himself, "Yes... Yes, she did. I... I mean, we can't force her to do that, right?"
Edward hangs up the phone after hearing what the Hospital Director says. Resign on her own accord?
Why would she leave if there's no specific reason?
The more Edward thinks about it, the more he doesn't believe in the answer he got from the Hospital Director. He's sure he couldn't get anything else out of the man anymore. Now, who would know what actually happened? A face comes across his mind.
...
The Smith Mansion.
Joanna follows Janet back home when they return from the hospital because she heard that Edward is coming back for dinner tonight. She wouldn't miss the chance to meet Edward in person.
"Janet, you look so elegant in this dress..." Joanna keeps checking on the clock while ingratiating Janet. She can't wait to see Edward.
Looking at Joanna's anxious reaction, Janet smiles. She tries her very best to match-make Edward and Joanna. One of the reasons is because Joanna is the daughter of the Mayor, and she is obsessed with Edward. It makes her an easy target to control, unlike Alice. There's disgust in Janet's eyes whenever she thinks about Alice.
Janet never approves of Edward and Alice's marriage five years ago. All these years where Alice is gone, Janet tries her very best to get Edward to marry Joanna but he never agrees on it.
Now, just after he finally agrees on the matter, Alice shows up again.
Luckily she finds out about Alice's return soon enough and gets rid of her from the hospital. Otherwise, she can't imagine what could happen next. Tonight when Edward is back home, she must get him to complete the marriage procedure. "Joanna, don't worry. I'm here for you. There will be no problem for the wedding. I will ask Edward later during dinner, alright?" Janet pats Joanna's hand and comforts her.
Hearing what Janet says, Joanna burst with joy. She acts shy and keeps her head down. Her eyes sparkle with delights.
While the two women are chatting in the living room, the maid voice echoes off the wall, "Good day, Young Master." "Edward is back."This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
Janet turns around and looks at the direction of the main door. Edward stands there in his white shirt. His top two buttons on his shirt are unbuttoned, and the black pants he wears make him look even more elegant and refined. Edward isn't exactly in his best mood. There's even anger in between his eyes. His lips are set in a grim line. Initially, Joanna wants to run to him but she stops after seeing Edward's expression. She got scared. "Edward..." Joanna calls his name softly. She looks at him in admiration.
Edward's response to her is an emotionless stare. This stops Joanna from saying anything else and getting close to Edward.
"Edward!" Janet raises her voice in frustration. She thinks Edward is being too cold to Joanna.
However, Edward doesn't care about how Janet feels. He walks towards the living room and stops in front of Janet. He asks, "Mother, did you go to the hospital this afternoon?"
Joanna gets nervous when she hears Edward's question. She looks at Janet's direction.
"What are you talking about? Why should I go to the hospital?" Janet denies and she secretly curses Alice for telling on her to Edward.
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