Chapter 80
Chapter 80:
Sophie froze, her cheeks burning as she murmured, “Stop using that nickname p>
Adrian caught the pout in her expression, the corners of his mouth twitching with a smile he held back. “Alright. I’ll drop it p>
Letting the moment slip by, he shifted the subject naturally. His eyes flicked toward the narrow corridor. “This hospital’s resources seem limited. Should we move Zola downtown? I can connect you with specialists there p>
Sophie shook her head quickly. “I thought of that too… but she insists on staying here. She’s comfortable with the routine, and the doctor warned against transferring p>
Adrian didn’t press further. He only nodded, though in his mind he had already decided—when the surgery happened, he would quietly bring in top doctors to reduce every possible risk.
𝖱𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝗈𝘯 𝗮𝗇у 𝖽𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘤e 𝗈ո 𝗴𝖺𝘭no𝘷е𝘭ѕ.𝗰o𝘮
Once the admission papers were signed, a nurse guided them to the ward. As soon as the door swung open, Adrian’s brow furrowed.
His eyes swept the cramped space. Three beds were crammed side by side, curtains barely offered any privacy, and the walkway was so narrow it was hard to move.
“You expect to stay here?” he asked, his tone sharp. “Where are the private rooms p>
Sophie spun on her heel, shooting him an exasperated glare. “Do you have any idea how much those cost p>
She unpacked her toiletries neatly into the bedside cabinet. “As long as the care is the same, a bed is all I need. Spending extra just to be comfortable is pointless p>
She had already taken unpaid leave for the month. Her bonus had covered the surgery bill, leaving only a small cushion for her mother’s recovery. With the added costs of living ahead, every bit she saved counted.
Her tone carried a teasing lilt, and her lips curved with mischief. “Since I won’t be earning a cent this month, our little household’s survival depends entirely on you, Adrian. You’d better focus on work and make some money p>
She thumped her chest lightly. “It’s just a simple operation. I’ll manage fine by myself. There’s no need for you to hover here p>
Adrian’s brow tightened. He let the silence stretch before answering calmly, “I already took the day off p>
Then his gaze drifted to his phone. “I have a client call to handle. I’ll step outside for a moment p>
The moment he cleared the inpatient wing, he pulled out his phone and called Neil.
“Contact Wayne Hospital,” he instructed, his tone firm and quiet. “Arrange to upgrade the beds for Sophie and Zola Barnes. Make it sound like two just opened up because of cancellations p>
Sophie would feel better if she and her mother were both upgraded together.
“Got it,” Neil answered without delay.
Adrian’s plan had been to let the nurses finalize everything before he returned upstairs, sparing Sophie the trouble of explaining things to him when they called her real name.
But only a few minutes later, Neil called back.
“Mr. Knight, I’ve taken care of your wife’s bed upgrade,” Neil remarked, though his tone carried hesitation. “There’s an issue with Zola p>
Neil’s voice stayed steady as he explained. “I double-checked the system. Room 303 isn’t registered under Zola Barnes at all—it’s listed under a Selah Dixon. She isn’t ill; she’s renting the bed for convenience or privacy p>
Adrian’s eyes narrowed into slits. “You’re certain this isn’t an error p>
“Absolutely,” Neil replied with conviction. “I combed through public records and backend data. There’s no Zola Barnes anywhere. The private suite files are protected by confidentiality clauses, but I did locate one patient named Barnes. Do you want me to dig deeper into her background p>
A sharp chill entered Adrian’s gaze. His tone cut like ice. “That won’t be necessary p>
The truth was obvious now. There had never been a Zola Barnes—only a fabrication spun by someone named Selah Dixon. But for what purpose? To swindle money? To manipulate Sophie emotionally? Or worse—to target her organs?
“Shift the investigation. Look into Selah Dixon,” Adrian instructed coldly. “I want every detail—her finances, her address, her history. Everything p>
“Yes, sir,” Neil answered quickly, prepared to end the call.
But Adrian’s thoughts snagged on something else. He stopped him with a curt command. “Wait. There’s one more task I need you to handle p>