Chapter 232
Jarred had moved behind Sienna at some point.
He gripped Gideon’s wrist, squeezing so hard that Gideon’s face contorted in pain.
He didn’t speak, and his face was almost expressionless.
But the simmering fury in his dark eyes made his current mood abundantly clear.
If anyone dared to touch Sienna, they would have to answer to him.
Looking into Jarred’s eyes, Gideon’s frown deepened.
Having been Jarred’s best friend for over a decade, he knew exactly what that look meant.
Just as the tension in the room reached a breaking point, Celeste finally spoke up.
“Gideon, don’t p>
Her voice was soft, laced with just the right amount of frailty.
Everyone looked at her.
Tear tracks still stained her cheeks, but she forced a considerate, understanding smile.
Her gaze landed on Sienna, as pure as a pool of clear water, completely devoid of aggression and even carrying a hint of apology.
“Sienna, even though things didn’t work out between you and Jarred, I’ve always seen you as family. You really don’t need to do anything to make up for it, honestly p>
She paused, her gaze brushing vaguely over Jarred as her smile grew warmer.
“I’ve always believed that walking away cleanly is a form of grace. Clinging to and draining a relationship to make it last is just ugly.
However, I know you aren’t that kind of person. I sincerely wish that you and the man you truly love will find your happily ever after p>
Sienna knew exactly how venomous Celeste’s words truly were.
On the surface, it sounded like she was defending her, claiming Sienna wasn’t the type of woman to manipulate men by sucking up to others.
But in reality, there was a hidden layer of meaning buried within.
That Sienna had never loved Jarred, and that she always had someone else in her heart.
From start to finish, her relationship with Jarred was nothing more than settling for second best.
This implication was like a poisoned dagger, stabbing with terrifying accuracy at the very person in the room who shouldn’t have been targeted.
Out of the corner of her eye, Sienna caught sight of Jarred’s face.
He stood slightly behind her, his back to the harsh fluorescent lights of the ward, half of his face cloaked in shadows, making his expression difficult to read.
Jarred’s hand, resting at his side, had at some point clenched into a tight fist.
Celeste’s words were essentially telling him: the woman you’re desperately trying to hold onto has never had you in her heart.
Jarred understood perfectly.
His jawline was pulled taut, his Adam’s apple bobbing involuntarily.
Sienna retracted her peripheral gaze and looked back at Celeste.
The woman on the hospital bed maintained her harmless facade.
Her smile was appropriately gentle, but an almost imperceptible glimmer of triumph hid in the depths of her eyes.
Sienna took two more steps into the room.
Gideon tried to stop her, but a single glare from Jarred nailed him to the spot.
Sienna looked down at Celeste, her gaze landing on the legs hidden beneath the blanket, her smile remaining faint.
“Celeste, there’s no need to worry about my affairs. I really came here today with the utmost sincerity p>
Looking at the amusement in Sienna’s eyes, Celeste felt there was something lurking beneath that smile.
She felt an instinctive twinge of unease, but she managed to keep up her gentle facade.
“What do you mean?” she frowned.
Sienna tilted her head slightly. “When it comes down to it, your legs ended up like this because of me.
You’ve been so considerate of me at every turn. If I just let you stay crippled, that would make me a terrible person. So… I brought a doctor especially for you p>
As soon as she finished speaking, she clapped her hands.
The next second, the ward door was pushed open once more.
A young man who looked like an assistant walked in, supporting a septuagenarian.