Chapter 207
Jaden caught the look in her eyes and let out a bitter chuckle, stepping back.
“Let’s call it a day,” he said quietly, turning on his heel and walking away without another glance.
It took a moment for Ella to snap out of it, and when she did, regret hit her hard.
‘What am I doing?‘ she berated.
Viper had just protected her, even getting hurt in the process. Instead of thanking him, she looked at him like he was some kind of monster.
The dog was dangerous; it deserved what happened, right?
“Mr. Griffin, wait!” Ella called out, hurrying after him.
But before she could catch up, the dog owner grabbed her by the sleeve. “Wait a minute! You killed my dog. You think I’m just going to let you walk away?”
The owner was clearly terrified of Jaden, unwilling to confront him directly after witnessing the brutal display. But now, he was taking out his frustration on Ella.
Breaking a dog’s neck like that–it was as if Jaden was used to dealing with a threat far more dangerous than a mere animal.
“Let go of me!” Ella snapped, yanking her arm free. “I didn’t do anything. Why are you coming after me?”
“I don’t care!” the owner insisted. “Your friend killed my dog. You have to pay for it!”
Ella was held up by the dog owner long enough until Viper was nowhere in sight.
Frustration and anger welled up inside her, making her face burn red. “Fine, you want money? You’ll get it,”
Ella snapped, wasting no time as she called the police. This type of dog was banned in the city due to its size and aggressive nature.
The dog wasn’t muzzled and got loose because it wasn’t even on a leash. The owner was completely at fault.
If the owner wanted to talk, they could have a good chat with the authorities.
Ella even called a lawyer.
“Take your time and talk it out,” she told the dog owner, giving his shoulder a reassuring pat as the lawyer arrived.
With that, Ella left and called Viper. However, he didn’t pick up.
Ella figured he must’ve gone home, disappointed. She couldn’t help but worry about his injury and whether anyone was there to take care of him.
She searched a few more streets, but Viper was nowhere to be found.
Just as Ella was about to give up, she spotted a familiar figure leaning against a tree across the road. His injured hand hung by his side, still bleeding, while he held a half–smoked cigarette in the other.
Despite the endless stream of cars passing by, their eyes locked.
In that moment, Ella wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination, but he seemed to panic, like a kid caught doing something wrong. He quickly stubbed out his cigarette, tossed it into the trash, and then turned away and walked off.
“Mr. Griffin!” Ella called out, but he didn’t even glance back, determined to walk away.
Ella dashed across the road and quickly blocked his path, panting slightly. “Wait, hold on!”
He turned to her with a cold, indifferent look. “Can I help you?”
“Is your hand okay?” Ella asked, worry lining her face.
“I’m not going to die,” Jaden replied flatly.
“But you can’t just leave it like this,” Ella insisted. “Why are you still smoking? Didn’t you go to the hospital? What if you got rabies?”
Ella’s frustration showed. She was upset that he was neglecting his health and was still smoking despite his injury.
Jaden remained silent. He didn’t used to smoke, but now he used it to cope when he was stressed.
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10:15 AM
Chapter 207
Being caught by Ella made him feel extremely guilty.
“Let’s go to the hospital,” Ella said, stepping forward, but he wasn’t moving at all.
“Let’s go!” Ella said, grabbing his arm and guiding him away.
Then, they arrived at the hospital where the doctor started treating his wound.
Ella could see a tooth still embedded in his flesh–it was pretty gruesome.
“That must have hurt, she thought.
However, despite his pale face and the cold sweat on his forehead, Jaden didn’t make a sound.
Ella felt a moment of panic, staring at Viper reminded her of someone else.
This other person was just as stubborn–never saying a word even when they were in pain, acting like nothing was wrong.
The doctor finished up, gave him a tetanus shot and a rabies vaccine, and mentioned he’d need a drip later.
“This is going to take a while. You should head home. It’s late,” Jaden suggested.
Ella shook her head. “I’m fine. I’ve got nothing else to do.”
“No boyfriend waiting for you?” Jaden asked though he knew the answer.
“Actually, I do,” Ella replied with a casual shrug,
“Doesn’t he want you to go home?” Jaden’s heart ached, but he kept his expression flat.
“My boyfriend is young and pretty laid–back, Just buy him some sneakers or treat him and his friends, and he’s good,” she said with a grin.
“Aren’t you tired of dealing with boys? You should find someone older who can take care of you.”
Ella laughed and shrugged. “I like younger guys.”
Jaden choked up a little. Being older and physically deformed made him feel like he didn’t stand a chance.
Ella noticed the change in his demeanor and asked, “Mr. Griffin, are you okay?”
“I’m fine,” he said, trying to brush it off. “But if you were my daughter, I wouldn’t want you dating someone younger.”
Ella chuckled at that. “Mr. Griffin, you’d make a great dad.”
“Too bad I never got the chance,” he said, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Seeing that he was sinking into a melancholy mood, Ella quickly changed the subject. “Mr. Griffin, I haven’t thanked you properly. I’m really grateful for what you did today. I was so scared and dumbfounded, I’m sorry.”
Jaden shook his head. “I’m not one to hold a grudge.”
“You’re the best!” Ella said with a smile, giving his arm a gentle shake.
The waiting game during the drip was pretty dull. Jaden got a call from Hank about some company stuff and took it while Ella waited.
While Jaden talked on the phone, he glanced over at Ella.
She noticed and quietly stepped aside, letting him handle his call considerately.
After he finished up about half an hour later, he looked back and was surprised to see Ella had dozed off.
He tiptoed over with the IV drip, trying not to disturb her while she was curled up, sleeping soundly on her arm.
Jaden stared at her, mesmerized. A stray lock of hair had fallen across her eyelashes, and he worried it might bother her. Gently, he reached out to move it, careful not to wake her.
The moment his fingers touched her skin, he felt a jolt, almost like an electric shock, and quickly pulled back.
He hesitated for a moment, remembering that Ella had been reluctant to visit him.
Jaden’s heart ached with a mix of regret and longing.
He reached out again, but just as he was about to touch her, Ella stirred and blinked awake.
2/3
Chapter 207
“Mr. Griffin?” she murmured, looking confused as her eyes focusing on his hand above her.
Jaden let out a shaky breath. “Yeah? There’s a mosquito buzzing around.”
Ella mumbled, “Are there mosquitoes this time of year?”
It was spring, and the weather was warming up, so a few mosquitoes were normal.
“How long have I been sleeping?” she asked again.
“Not long.” Jaden said. “I’ve already called my secretary. You can head home.”
Ella nodded. “I’ll come by tomorrow. What’s your hotel?”
Jaden gave her the details, and she said, “Got it. See you tomorrow.”
“Bring your boyfriend with you,” Jaden added, then immediately regretted it.
Ella, unphased, replied with a grin, “You want to see my boyfriend? Sure.”
The first thing Ella looked for in a guy was looks, so there was no way she would be embarrassed to bring him around.
Ella waited for his secretary to arrive before leaving.
As she left, Jaden watched her with a narrowed gaze and muttered, “A young boyfriend, huh? I’m curious to see what kind of trash he is!”
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