Chapter 6

Clara's POV

The smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils, and I slowly regained consciousness, finding myself in a hospital room.

My entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck, taken apart, and then haphazardly put back together, aching excruciatingly.

The slightest movement sent shivers of pain through me.

The nurse, who was administering my IV drip, saw me stir and said, "Your abrasions are severe; large patches of skin are gone. You don't have many uninjured spots on your body. You need to lie still and rest. It's best not to move around too much."

I assented, forcing myself to lie still.

The nurse gave me a few more instructions and left the room after finishing the IV.

"Both fell off horses, but this one is so badly injured and has no one by her side. The one in the next room just got a few scratches, and her boyfriend is worried sick. It just goes to show, people really can't be compared."

"Right? The boyfriend of the lady in the next room hasn't left her side since bringing her to the hospital. He's bringing her tea and water, feeding her fruit by hand, even carrying her to the restroom. He's so good to his girlfriend."

Hearing the nurses' hushed whispers outside, I curled my lips in a soft, mocking smile.

Before, when I had a cold or fever, Julian dropped everything to be with me.

Now, with both Vivian and me injured, even though my injuries were clearly far more severe than Vivian's, even though we were in adjacent rooms, he hadn't even spared me a glance.

Our seven years of love seemed so insignificant, so ridiculously trivial, compared to Vivian.

That night, as I lay resting, the hospital room door suddenly swung open.

I jolted awake to see Julian, his brows deeply furrowed, approaching my bed.

My mind felt foggy. "What is it?"

"Vivian wants some chicken soup. I remember your chicken soup is the best. Go home, make some for Vivian, and bring it over."

Hearing his demand, I felt as if I'd heard something utterly preposterous.

My eyes widened slightly. "You want me to prepare the soup for Vivian?"

Julian bent down, kissed my hair, and softly pleaded, "Baby, will you please do this for me?"

I found it utterly ridiculous.

Julian's stomach used to bother him because he worked so hard for his company. So, I, who had never even boiled water since childhood, specifically learned to make my signature nourishing broth just for his stomach.

Now, he was asking me to make soup for Vivian.

My blood surged, my chest heaving with indignation. "Julian, I'm not your housekeeper! And I'm an injured patient!"

"You just have some abrasions; your hands and feet aren't incapacitated. Vivian hasn't eaten anything all day; if this continues, she'll get a stomachache. Please, I'm begging you, help me with this. I'll make it up to you."

"I don't need your compensation! And I won't cook a meal for her!"

Seeing that his gentle requests were met with my consistent refusal, Julian's brows furrowed.

His expression gradually darkened, and his tone grew several shades colder. "Clara, don't make me drag you there myself."

His displeasure was palpable, as if he truly would force me to make soup for Vivian and bring it to her if I refused again.

I stared at him in disbelief, finally, completely recognizing his true colors.

After a moment of tense standoff, I closed my eyes, conceding. "Fine, I'll go."

My concession wasn't out of fear, nor was it because I still cared for him. It simply wasn't worth the trouble.

Anyway, I was leaving soon. I didn't want any more complications.

Julian finally smiled, reaching out to ruffle my hair. "Baby, you're so good, so understanding. I'll have the driver take you back."

Yes, how could I not be "understanding"?

Vivian was back. I was the one stepping aside, injured yet still making soup for her.

Back at the villa, I prepared the soup and had the driver deliver it to them at the hospital.

I stayed at the villa to rest, too weak and in pain to move around again.

The next day, while I was still asleep, a sudden, powerful force yanked me upright. "Why did you do that?!"

My mind was foggy with sleep. "What did I do?"

"Vivian was rushed to the ER last night after your soup. They confirmed poisoning. How could you be this cruel?!"