Chapter 55
Chapter 55:
Helena dropped her gaze as she said, “I’ve got it. I can handle it myself p>
But Alden still reached out, not toward the zipper, but toward her hair. With deliberate care, he gathered Helena’s long hair and lifted it off her back, a small gesture that felt strangely tender.
The touch left Helena momentarily stunned.
In the mirror, she and Alden appeared like any loving couple enjoying a quiet moment together. The scene was so convincing that it momentarily made Helena forget their marriage was not based on love at all.
Downstairs, Xavier’s car was already parked and waiting.
As Helena stepped out of the elevator on the first floor of Nightfall Bar, the noise from the lobby caught her off guard.
Designers and construction workers gathered in discussion, pointing to blueprints and debating over floor plans. Even the second and third floors were being considered for renovation.
Curious, she glanced at a waiter walking by and asked, “What’s going on here p>
With a shrug, he answered casually, “We’ve got a new boss now.” His eyes drifted toward Alden, who had just stepped into view. The waiter looked ready to greet him, but Alden gave a discreet shake of his head. Picking up on the signal, the waiter bowed slightly and quietly slipped away.
Helena couldn’t make sense of the situation. How had the ownership of Nightfall Bar changed so suddenly overnight?
She was about to explain what the waiter said, thinking Alden hadn’t heard.
However, Alden spoke before she could. “Some of the employees here were helping Neville trap girls here. Now that a new boss is taking charge, the whole place is bound to change p>
After Helena fell asleep the night before, Alden was still fuming. In his anger, he had made the decision to buy the entire bar before sunrise. Anyone involved in spiking the drinks, including the waiter who served in Room 809, was immediately dismissed.
From this point on, Nightfall Bar would have zero tolerance for shady business.
Looking up at him, Helena couldn’t hide her admiration. “Alden, I’ve been meaning to tell you, your lip-reading is insanely accurate.” A flicker of surprise crossed Alden’s face. For once, he didn’t know what to say.
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Helena caught the shift in his expression and suddenly regretted the compliment. It hit her then—he must have gone through something difficult to become so skilled at reading lips. No one gets that good without living through the reason for it.
Shortly after, they got into the car. When Xavier heard they were heading to Cheson Medical Center, he quickly glanced in the rearview mirror, his eyebrows raised in surprise.
Snapping on her seatbelt, Helena explained, “I’m taking Alden to see a specialist. His cochlear implant is damaged p>
Xavier’s hands twitched slightly on the wheel, surprised by the news.
There was no hesitation in Helena’s voice, only determination. Since Alden hadn’t stopped her from making the appointment, he was left with no option but to go along with it.
Helena was very familiar with Cheson Medical Center. Since her father’s accident had left him in a vegetative state, she’d been frequenting its rehabilitation department with him. And her father was now staying in the nursing home next to it.
Unlike her usual visits, today she went directly to the ENT department, with Alden walking beside her.
Although Helena seemed eager to get things done, Alden wanted to drag things out a little longer.
Outside the consultation room, they came to a stop. Helena took out her phone, pulled up the appointment summary, and showed it to Alden, including a small profile photo of the chief physician, a balding man who didn’t seem all that intimidating. She typed quickly and tilted the screen toward him. “This guy looks trustworthy. I’ll go in with you, so no need to worry.” A forced smile tugged at Alden’s lips.
Part of him was hoping she’d let him handle it alone.
Before he could say anything, the door swung open, and a nurse called out Alden’s name.
Without wasting a second, Helena took Alden’s arm and led him toward the room.
Each step felt heavier than the last as Alden slowed his pace, weighed down by a tension unlike anything he’d felt before. Not even life-or-death moments had rattled him this badly. The moment he stepped into that room, the truth he’d kept hidden would be revealed.
Part of him wanted to rip off the bandage and just confess everything right there.
Right before he could decide, from inside the room came a calm, welcoming voice. “Please, come in p>
Alden’s gaze landed on the man seated behind the desk, a youthful figure who seemed far too polished to be a professional doctor.
Helena squinted, glancing between the real person and the photo she had saved. This man had an air of sophistication and a thick head of hair, definitely not the balding guy in the picture.
Her brows furrowed in confusion. “Sorry, I think there’s been a mistake. The doctor we booked looks completely different. Is it possible there was a mix-up p>
The assistant standing nearby offered a courteous explanation. “Don’t worry, Miss. This is Dr. Leonino Prescott, our deputy director. He’s one of the leading specialists in the country for acquired sensorineural hearing loss p>
That news caught Helena off guard. Somehow, she’d landed a consultation with the deputy director.
Leonino gave a warm, easy smile. “Ms. Ellis, Mr. Wilson and I go way back. I actually performed a major surgery on him several years ago.” Turning to Alden for confirmation, Helena raised an eyebrow. With a slight nod, he confirmed it was true.
Satisfied, she stepped out of the room, leaving them to speak privately. Now, the consultation room was left with just Alden and Leonino. Leonino then adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Lucky for you I showed up in time. Otherwise, how long were you planning to keep pretending p>