Chapter 114
Chapter 114
3
In the men’s bathroom smoking area, Alex checked Ellie’s Instagram and found it empty. Frustrated, he left the restroom, bumped into Layton, and asked him for a cigarette.
Layton immediately spotted something off about Alex. After ensuring no one was around, Layton whispered, “Having a boyfriend is good for Ellie.
Alex shot Layton a fierce glare. “Good my ass.”
Layton raised an eyebrow. “I think it’s fine. You didn’t lose anything while Ellie was away. You’re already engaged to Haley, and Ellie has a boyfriend now. You’re not her brother, so just leave it alone.”
“If I don’t look out for her, she’ll be lost forever.” Alex let out a heavy snort. His chest rose and fell noticeably, his face dark with anger. “She’s too young to be dating instead of studying. She’s so clueless that she could be taken advantage of abroad and wouldn’t even realize it.”
Alex swore like crazy, as if he wanted to stab Ellie and the guy in the video. Layton quickly changed the topic. “Let’s go have some fun and play a couple of games.”
Layton pulled Alex into a private room in the hotel to play cards. After a few rounds, three of them won, leaving Alex as the only loser. “Let me borrow your phone for a call,” Alex said and took Layton’s phone as he got up.
Layton was shuffling the cards and gave Alex a look. “You’ve got your own phone. Why use mine?”
“My phone’s out of battery,” Alex replied casually as he left the room. He quickly found the video Ellie had posted. In the video, there were about six people having dinner. Next to Ellie on the left was a woman Alex recognized, a colleague from her time working at Jaslands Hospital.
Alex’s eyes were fixed on the guy next to Ellie on the right. The guy was mimicking Ellie’s silly actions, almost resting his head on her shoulder.
Alex stood in the hallway, gripping the phone tightly. He tried hard to calm himself, but the turmoil inside him only grew stronger, making him feel like he could hurt someone.
When Layton saw Alex walk in through the door, he tossed his cards aside and went to the liquor cabinet to get some drinks. Alex put Layton’s phone on the card table and dropped onto the sofa like a dead man.
Layton put down his empty glass and stared at Alex, who was lying on the sofa fiddling with his own phone. “Didn’t you say your phone was dead? How come you’re using it now?”
Alex tugged at the corner of his lips, staying silent as he continued to his phone.
Layton glanced down, noticing Alex’s phone screen. “Why are you checking flights so late at night? Planning to take Haley abroad for a trip again?”
“Mind your own business,” Alex muttered as he sat up, clearly annoyed.
On the weekend, at the Warren Manor, Nancy got up early to have brunch with friends, only to see Alex wandering around the living room like he was lost. She asked, “Why are you wandering around so early like you’ve lost your mind?”
Alex slowly walked over, rubbing his nose. “Mom, I’m heading to Ameria later with some friends for an auction. Do you have
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anything you’d like me to take to Ellie?
Nancy thought for a moment and replied, “It’s too much trouble to fly things there. Just give her some money so she can buy
whatever she wants”
Recalling the time by the river, where Ellie looked at him with numb, vacant eyes, Alex lowered his head, hiding the emotions in his eyes.
Nancy asked, “Isn’t Haley going with you?”
Alex replied nonchalantly, “It’s just a bunch of guys going. It wouldn’t be convenient for her.”
As Nancy didn’t ask more questions, Alex hesitated before saying “Mom, it’s been a while since you’ve made the blueberry muffins for Ellie. She said she missed them last time. Why don’t you make some for her, and I’ll take them to her?”
Nancy thought about it and agreed. “Yeah, Ellie loves the blueberry muffins I make. I’ll whip some up for you to take to her.”
That afternoon, when Ellie was at a hospital in Ameria for her exchange program, one of her colleagues came over excitedly, saying, “Dr. Thompson, you have to come down quickly, your boyfriend’s here.”
Ellie frowned. ‘Boyfriend?
