Chapter 3

I quickly pulled my arm away. Watching Seraphina's retreating back, I didn't feel heartbroken.

But I did feel that Mr. Dubois's illness was somewhat connected to me, and I couldn't truly be heartless.

"Isabella, thanks for bailing me out just now, but I still need to go to the hospital."

She pinched my arm, frustrated beyond belief. "I was trying to help you save face, and you're just going to go running back? Haven't you had enough of being a simp?"

My previous status with Seraphina had invited constant insults, and Isabella had genuinely been helping me.

I looked at her, helpless. "It's about loyalty and respect. Mr. Dubois has always been good to me. Now that he's sick, I can't just ignore it."

Seeing my resolve, Isabella, despite her displeasure, could only sigh.

"Fine, go ahead then! What a waste of my time. You don't deserve this good wine; I'll drink it myself!"

I just smiled, half amused, half exasperated. I suddenly found Isabella's temper quite charming.

At the hospital.

Seraphina and I arrived at the room one after the other.

Thankfully, it wasn't his time. Mr. Dubois had already been moved from the ICU to a private room.

When he saw me, the worry on his face finally eased a little.

"Alex, you're here? Grandpa knew you were a good boy."

I leaned closer, pouring him a glass of water. "Grandpa, are you feeling any better?"

"You're getting older now; you shouldn't get so stressed or upset. It's not good for your health."

Mr. Dubois nodded, taking a shaky breath. "Grandpa knows. Grandpa's still waiting to hold his great-grandchildren!"

Then he glared indignantly at Seraphina. "You're getting too big for your britches, young lady!"

"If you still consider me your grandpa, then you'll remarry Alex at once! I don't approve of your divorce!"

Seraphina tried to defend herself. "Grandpa, I..."

The next second, the hospital room door was pushed open from outside.

It was Julian Blackwood, Seraphina's new boyfriend.

He was the heir of a prominent family, skilled at feigning kindness.

As soon as he appeared, he took Seraphina's hand, their fingers intertwined.

Julian: "Mr. Dubois, Sera can agree to anything else, but not this. We're already planning to get married."

Mr. Dubois, who had just managed to calm down, now looked like he was about to spit blood. His chest heaved violently, a painful sight.

"You... you scoundrel! Didn't your family teach you any manners?"

"You want to marry my granddaughter? Over my dead body!"

Seraphina instinctively pulled her hand away. For some reason, she felt particularly uncomfortable.

She shot Julian a glance. "What are you doing here? I thought we agreed you wouldn't come?"

I stood by the bedside, helping Mr. Dubois calm his breathing.

Who knew Julian would drop another bombshell? "If I didn't come, my future wife would be running off with someone else."

"Mr. Dubois, your tactics won't work. Sera can only marry me, because she's already carrying my child."

I froze again. What?

According to the original plot, this was impossible. But Julian's expression was so confident and calm.

Even I couldn't help but doubt my memory.

Had... I remembered wrong?

This time, Mr. Dubois completely lost it. He slammed the cup in his hand to the floor and coughed up blood.

"Seraphina Dubois! How dare you? You're pregnant with another man's child? What about Alex's reputation?"

Seraphina tried to explain, but Julian gave her no chance.

"Mr. Dubois, you're not looking so good. Don't stress yourself out. I'm certainly better than that kept man. Wouldn't it be better for Sera to marry me?"

In the end, Julian was escorted out.

Seraphina was also cast out.

Mr. Dubois looked utterly guilty and heartbroken. "It's all my fault for not raising my granddaughter properly. How could she do such a thing?"

My heart remained unmoved. I never had any love for Seraphina anyway.

Leaving the hospital, I let out a long breath.

I hailed a taxi and went home.

But to my surprise, as I reached my door, I saw a drunken girl squatting outside.

It was Isabella.

She seemed to have had a lot to drink, muttering incoherently to herself.

"Alex Thorne, are you an idiot? She doesn't want you, and you're still chasing after her?"

"Alex Thorne, you big jerk, I have pride and dignity too, you know? You... you fool!"

I gently patted Isabella's shoulder, my voice tinged with helplessness. "Isabella, how much have you had to drink? Why are you having a meltdown outside my apartment?"

Hearing my voice, Isabella braced herself against the wall and slowly stood up, staring intently at me, as if trying to see right through me.

Then, before I could react, she used her drunken strength to pin me against the door!

I was dumbfounded. What... what was this girl doing?

Isabella reached up and pinched my cheek, quite hard. It hurt, and I couldn't help but wince. "Ouch."

She poked me again. "It's really you, Alex Thorne?"

I nodded. "Who else would it be? Is there another me?"

As soon as I said it,

Isabella stood on her tiptoes and kissed me!

I was completely stunned.

This?!

This wasn't in the plot either?!