Chapter 3 - Get Levi Back!

SUMMER.

The ward door clicked open behind him. Levi walked down the hallway without looking back once.

My heart pounded against my ribs. Pushing myself up, I stumbled to the doorway and gripped the frame to stay steady, my eyes locked on his retreating back.

At the end of the hall, Brielle was already waiting. She stepped toward him, her white dress swaying gracefully.

"Levi—are you okay?" she asked softly, her tone dripping with gentle concern.

He didn't slow his stride. His answer was too low for me to hear, just a short, icy murmur.

Brielle didn't seem to mind. She reached up and casually straightened his tie, her fingers lingering against his chest for a second too long.

"You should at least look presentable before the meeting," she murmured with a soft smile.

My hollow eyes stayed glued to her hands. That was my place. My chest tightened until air couldn't reach my lungs, and a wave of nausea washed over me.

Then Brielle turned, her gaze landing on me. Her eyes widened in mock surprise, as if she had only just noticed my existence.

"Oh." She quickly withdrew her hand, her voice sweet and innocent. "Summer, I didn't realize you were watching. Take care of yourself, okay? I have to leave now to accompany Levi to his meeting."

My jaw set tight. "Accompanying him?"

Brielle glanced at Levi before looking back at me with a polite smile. "Yes. We have quite a few important things to discuss. See you later."

She turned and caught up with Levi, matching her stride to his.

I watched them disappear down the long, sterile hallway. My heart felt like it was breaking into a thousand jagged pieces. Biting my lip hard enough to draw blood to keep from crying, I turned back into the ward.

---

Hours later, Nanny Butter arrived at the hospital.

"Miss Summer, I brought you some warm soup," she said gently.

"Nanny Butter, thank you for coming," I interrupted, looking her dead in the eye. "But from now on, I would appreciate it if you referred to me as Madam, or Mrs. Kingston."

Nanny Butter's eyes widened in shock. "Really? You've finally decided to—"

"Yes," I cut in firmly. "Can you restock fresh groceries? I want to invite him home for dinner."

As Nanny Butter nodded, I grabbed my phone and searched through my contacts until I found a specific number. I pressed call immediately.

It connected on the second ring.

It was Jerome, Levi's assistant.

"Madam? Is that you?" Jerome's hesitant voice came through the speaker.

"Yes, Jerome," I said, forcing a smile into my voice. "Sorry to bother you, but could you ask Levi to come home? Tell him it's important."

Silence stretched over the line.

"Come home to... which place, if I may ask?"

A dull ache throbbed behind my eyes. "Kings Garden."

Jerome fell quiet again, his tone turning heavy with hesitation. "Ah... Madam, I'm sorry, but I don't think Sir can make it. He's extremely busy with an outside meeting."

Kings Garden was our home, a gift from his grandfather and the Kingston family.

In my past life, we abandoned it. Now, he didn't even want to remember it.

"Oh. Okay, I understand," I whispered, ending the call before my voice cracked.

I knew my change was way too sudden and even suspicious, of course it would be natural people had their guards up.

But, I couldn't sit around waiting.

I hesitated for a long moment before I dialed a number directly. It rang for a painfully long time before cutting off. I tried again. On the final ring, someone picked up.

I was overjoyed, expecting to hear Levi's voice.

"Who is this?"

My smile withered. It wasn't Levi. It was a woman's voice.

"It's me," I said coldly.

A long pause followed. "Ah, Summer?" Brielle's voice turned sweet and relaxed over the receiver.

"Where is Levi?" I demanded, swallowing my fury.

"Oh dear, Levi is very busy right now."

"Put him on the phone."

Brielle let out a soft, mocking chuckle. "Summer, he's really, really busy. Why don't you call back another time? Maybe then he'll feel like answering."

Veins throbbed at my temples. "Why do you have my husband's phone, Brielle?"

How had I been so blind in my past life to ignore every single red flag?

Caught slightly off guard, Brielle hesitated before smoothing her voice over. "Well, I accompanied him to the meeting. I'm handling his personal matters today. After all, it's just the two of us here."

"Fine. Tell him I called." I slammed the end-call button before she could say another word.

My hands shook as I pressed them against the mattress. She was intentionally trying to provoke me, to make me rage and ruin things with Levi like I used to.

Well, it worked—but not the way she thinks.

Pale and dizzy, I tore off the thin blanket. If I stayed in this hospital bed, Brielle would win.

Over Nanny Butter's frantic protests, I signed my own discharge papers. A nurse hurriedly wrapped clean gauze around my bleeding hand. Taking my car keys from Nanny Butter, I practically ran out to the parking lot.

The moment I got into the driver's seat, I dialed Jerome back.

"You said your boss was busy, right?" I demanded the second he answered.

Jerome's voice was shaky. "Yes, Madam, he really is—"

"Then why did another woman answer his personal phone instead of you?"

Dead silence fell on the line.

"I'm sorry, Madam," Jerome stammered. "Sir asked Miss Brielle to accompany him, and she... she told me not to follow."

"Jerome," I said, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "If you don't send me his exact location right this second, I will call Levi myself and tell him you let another woman handle his personal phone. You know how much he hates that."

A sharp gasp came from Jerome's end. "I—I'll send the location right away!"

Hanging up, I stepped on the gas. I lost him once. I won't lose him again.