Chapter 7

Nadia froze for a moment, then instinctively looked down at her ankle.

“It’s just a sprain. I’m fine.”

She quietly pulled her injured leg back.

Hugo caught every little movement.

“It’s freezing out here, and you’re walking alone on a mountain road. What, jumping into the lake didn’t work last time, so you decided to find another way?”

His voice was pleasant, deep and magnetic, like a cello in a concert hall.

But the words themselves were venomous.

Not only Nadia, but even Declan froze for a second.

Hugo had always been polished and considerate with people. He had never been this cutting before.

Nadia’s face went pale for a moment. She only said softly, “No.”

Maybe it was because the first time she met Hugo, she had still been her father’s cherished daughter. Now, he had seen her at her worst twice in a row. The thought left a bitter feeling in Nadia’s chest.

She felt ashamed.

Hugo noticed the unnatural flush on her pale face, then saw the slight tremble in her chin.

“Are you getting into my car first, or are you going to keep standing here and wait for your husband to come get you?”

Nadia was already frozen to the bone.

“Then I’ll take you up on that. Thank you, Mr. Sanders.”

Seeing that Nadia wasn’t foolish enough to insist on waiting for Quinton, Hugo’s expression eased slightly.

Nadia had just lifted her foot to follow Hugo toward the car when he stopped her.

He told his assistant, “Bring the car over.”

Nadia was grateful for Hugo’s thoughtfulness. She was also grateful that he didn’t point out how embarrassing her situation was.

“Thank you, Mr. Sanders.”

Declan drove the car over and opened the rear door.

“Thank you.”

Nadia thanked him politely. When she lifted her foot, her already pale face went even whiter for a second.

Hugo held out his arm.

Nadia looked at the arm in front of her and quickly understood what he meant.

This time, she didn’t refuse. Still, she only held his arm through the fabric of his coat and used it for support as she got into the car.

The temperature inside the car was comfortable. Warm air blew across Nadia’s face, making her already exhausted mind even foggier. Drowsiness washed over her.

But the man sitting beside her had such a cold, intimidating presence that Nadia was still a little afraid of him.

Maybe it was because he always wore such a cold expression. Or maybe it was because he had once been her father’s colleague. Either way, Nadia felt restrained around him.

“Should we go to the hospital, or should I take you back to the Zeller estate?”

Nadia shook her head.

“No need to go to any trouble. Just drop me somewhere at the bottom of the mountain where I can get a cab.”

Hugo didn’t look at her. He lowered his head and handled messages on his phone.

“If you’re trying to make a man feel sorry for you by hurting yourself...”

At that, Hugo lifted his head and turned his gaze toward her.

“That’s stupid.”

His eyes were clearly calm, but Nadia could feel the mockery in them.

She understood. Hugo had probably seen the news and misunderstood, thinking she had jumped into the lake because she couldn’t accept her husband’s affair.

Now, he probably thought she was walking alone on this mountain road at night because she was fighting with Quinton and wanted her husband to feel bad, hoping he would come back to her.

“That’s not it.”

Nadia looked at the mountain road through the windshield, her voice very soft.

“Falling into the water the night before last was an accident. And thank you for tonight too, Mr. Sanders.”

She didn’t explain any further. She turned and looked out the window.

At some point, snow had started falling again. Nadia stared out at it in a daze.

Hugo looked at her. Streetlights passed over the car, throwing shifting bands of light and shadow across her face. In that flickering glow, her features looked almost unreal.

Only her eyes stayed clear.

They were full of sorrow, but somehow, he could still see a trace of resolve in them.

When Nadia woke up, the car was dim and quiet. The only sound was the soft tapping of the keyboard beside her.

She opened her eyes and saw the man next to her wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

In the faint glow of the laptop screen, some of the coldness had softened from his face.

“You’re awake?”

Hugo spoke without looking away from the screen, still focused on the work in front of him.

Only then did Nadia realize that she had been staring at him in a daze.

She looked away and turned toward the car window.

“Where are we?”

She didn’t know how long she had slept. Judging from the view outside, they seemed to be in a parking garage.

“You have a fever, and the injury to your foot needs to be treated.”

As he spoke, Hugo closed his laptop.

“Let’s go.”

The car door opened, and Declan immediately came forward, pushing a wheelchair.

“Ms. Lincoln, Mr. Sanders arranged for an orthopedic specialist to see you.”

Nadia glanced at the wheelchair. This time, she didn’t try to be stubborn. She sat down in it.

The doctor examined the injury to Nadia’s ankle. It was only a soft tissue injury, and a few days of rest would be enough. But her fever was severe, and medication alone wouldn’t be enough.

Hugo accompanied Nadia to get an IV.

After the needle was inserted, the nurse left.

Nadia had asked the nurse earlier. It would take about three hours for all the fluids to finish.

“Mr. Sanders, thank you for today. You should go take care of your work. I can go back on my own after the IV is done.”

Declan had already left, leaving only the two of them in the hospital room.

Hugo lowered his head and handled work messages on his phone. Hearing Nadia’s words, he didn’t look up at her.

“Should I contact your husband?”

At that, he looked toward Nadia’s foot.

“The doctor just said that although you didn’t injure the bone, you still shouldn’t walk around. I’ll leave after your husband gets here.”

No matter what, Nadia was Liam Lincoln’s daughter. Liam had helped him before. Now that his daughter was in trouble, Hugo couldn’t simply stand by and do nothing.

As for how Nadia wanted to keep entangling herself with that spoiled heir from the Zeller family, that had nothing to do with him.

Hugo took out his phone.

“What’s your husband’s number?”

His fingers hovered over the screen as he waited for Nadia’s answer.

When she didn’t speak for a long time, Hugo looked up.

By now, Nadia’s fever had gone down, and her complexion had returned to normal. Though she was still a little pale, she at least had more color than before.

Her long hair was loosely pinned up, with a few stray strands falling along her cheeks. It made her already delicate, beautiful face look even softer, stirring a quiet sense of pity.

The first time Hugo saw Nadia, he had been drawn to that face.

Years had passed, but her beauty hadn’t faded at all. If anything, she had gained the charm of a mature woman.

Even Hugo lost focus for a moment.

“No need.”

Nadia tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

“I...”

She didn’t want to show her scars in front of anyone, especially not in front of Hugo.

He had seen the spoiled, willful way she used to act in front of her father.

She didn’t want Hugo to look down on her, and she didn’t want his pity either.

“I can go back by myself after the IV is done.”

“Your father and I can be considered old acquaintances. You don’t need to be so distant with me. If you want to make Quinton Zeller change his mind, there are many ways. But hurting yourself to gain sympathy...”

Hugo looked at Nadia, the disgust in his eyes completely undisguised.

“That’s stupid.”

He continued.

“If you want to stay in the Zeller family, I can help you and put in a few words with Quinton. It’s impossible to make a man like him settle down, but the Zeller family should show me some respect. At least they won’t let Quinton go too far from now on.”