Obsession With My EX-wife

Chapter 30: Post-Surgery

Zoey was flabbergasted. It was apparent that Ryan didn't understand how hospitals were run, but she didn't dare to disobey his command. She turned to walk out the door, and for the second time that day, she nearly ran into Leonard.

Leonard glared at Zoey and said, "You are such a klutz. Why don't you get out of here before you get someone killed?!?!?"

Zoey quickly apologized and scurried out of the room. The last thing she wanted was to stir up any trouble.

Once Zoey was gone, Leonard turned his displeasure to Ryan. "You had better not interfere with Cathy's work," he said. "If you do, she will be angry."

If Leonard hadn't been afraid of making Catherine unhappy, he would have already interfered with her work. Even when they were married, her schedule had annoyed him, especially when she had to work overnight. Leonard thought about that, and it occurred to him that, back then, her work was the only thing that he'd respected about her.

"I have no intention of doing anything that would upset Dr. Winston," Ryan said. "Unlike you, I am in support full support of her."

"She doesn't want to be supported," Leonard scoffed. "What she needs is an equal partnership between two adults! She works, not because she needs the job, but because she likes the job. You're too young to understand."

"I-I-I..." Ryan stammered, and when he couldn't come up with a good retort, he shouted at Leonard: "Get out. I don't want to see you anymore!"

Leonard laughed and said, "Look at you. You're a child. I don't have anything to worry about." As Leonard walked towards the door, Ryan showed him his middle finger, but the other man didn't seem to care.

Once Leonard was gone, Ryan pounded on the bed with his fist. Once he was calm, he phoned his father, and as soon as the call was accepted, he said, "Order me a bowl of porridge and have it sent to my room. Now!"

George: "I'll ask a servant to take care of you while you're in the hospital. In the future, you can tell her what you want to eat."

"There's no need," Ryan said. "Just order the porridge." And then he hung up the phone.

***

After the surgery, as Catherine was washing her hands, an intern asked her a few questions. Catherine answered them, and then she excused herself. She hadn't eaten all day, so she was both very hungry and very cranky.

On her way to her office, Catherine was stopped by Zoey. "Dr. Winston," Zoey said. "Mr. Campbell ordered a bowl of oatmeal for you. I put it on your desk."

Catherine sighed helplessly. She knew that Zoey wanted her and Leonard to be together. She wouldn't if she knew anything about our past – Catherine thought.

"I see," Catherine said. "It's free, and I'm hungry, so I may as well eat it."

Zoey: "Hurry up. You don't want it to get cold. And after you're done eating, you should check in on Ryan. He was hoping to see you as soon as you got out of surgery."

Catherine nodded and said, "In that case, I'll see Ryan first. I can always heat the oatmeal in the microwave." Catherine went directly to the Children's Ward and knocked twice on Ryan's door before entering. Ryan was sitting on his bed, and she asked him what he needed.

Ryan looked up at Catherine lazily and said, "You're here already. That was fast!"

Catherine smiled and said, "It was a quick surgery. What do you need?"

Ryan pointed his finger to a box on his bedside table. It was open, and Catherine could see that it contained a bowl of oatmeal. "What's this?" she asked.

Ryan: "Porridge. Sit down. Eat it up."

Catherine glanced at the porridge on the table and teased the little boy. "Yo," she said, "Is this a lunch box of love?"

Ryan: "Cut the s**t. Eat."

Catherine sat down obediently and took the bowl out of the box. She knew that Leonard had also bought her lunch and that it was waiting for her in her office, but she'd rather eat here, with this nine-year-old boy.

Catherine thought about how inappropriate it was for a doctor and patient to have a personal relationship, but she knew that Ryan didn't understand that, so she let it slide. After all, because his father was rich, her coworkers wouldn't dare to gossip about them being together.

Catherine took a bite of the oatmeal. It was good, so she took another, but as she was eating, she began to sense Ryan's eyes on her. She looked up and asked, "What's wrong?"

Ryan looked away and said nothing.

Catherine suddenly understood what was happening, and she burst into laughter. And once she'd settled down, she said, "The porridge is delicious. I like it very much."

Ryan: "I'll order it for you whenever you want."

Catherine: "You don't have to do that. There is a cafeteria for employees, and the food is not that bad."

Ryan: "Do you dislike me? Are you trying to avoid me?"

Catherine: "No, not at all."

Ryan: "Then, it is decided."

Catherine: "No, it's not. I'll get tired of porridge if I eat it every day."

After a while, Ryan said, "Then just tell me what you want to eat, and I'll order that for you!"

For a moment, Catherine was stumped. It seemed like Ryan had an answer to everything.