Currently, in Veronica’s room, there were Deasy and Sean. But it wasn’t just them-Kennedy and Randy were also there. This afternoon, they had intentionally visited Veronica, even bringing some gifts as a sign of their concern for the beautiful woman’s situation.
However, there was a moment that made Darwin slightly uncomfortable. Sitting on the sofa, he could directly witness how his wife was getting more attention from Sean, who was sitting beside the bed with Deasy.
“Here’s your favorite fruit. Come on, have some,” Sean offered to Veronica. He also handed her a fork to make it easier for her to eat the freshly peeled fruit. “Deasy and I brought you a variety of fruits. Because usually, when you’re sick, you refuse to eat rice, right?”
Deasy, seated next to Sean, nodded. She confirmed what her friend had said.
“Just so you know, because of you being in the hospital, I’ve lost count of how many times Sean contacted me just to confirm when he should visit you. It’s so annoying. He’s acting like an impatient little kid who can’t wait to meet you.”
Veronica chuckled. Leaning against the bed’s headboard, she enjoyed the fruit that Sean had painstakingly peeled for her.
“Thank you all for coming. You really didn’t have to bother. I’m perfectly fine, really.”
“Why did you faint, though, Ve? I’ve never seen you like this before,” Deasy asked, curious. Throughout their friendship, even when Veronica was sick, she had never seen her friend lose consciousness like she did now. That’s why she was curious about what had actually happened to her.
“Oh, it’s just gastric trouble and a bit of anemia. That’s why I felt extremely dizzy and lost consciousness.”
“Did your gastric issues flare up again?” Sean seemed taken aback. His face clearly showed his concern.
“Yes,” Veronica nodded. “It seems to be due to lack of rest and —-”
“Too much thinking? Stress?” Sean interjected, as if he knew exactly what had happened to his ex-girlfriend. “You really can’t skip a meal or handle a bit of stress, can you?”
“And why would Veronica be stressed?” Deasy joined in again. She also just learned that Veronica’s gastric issues could be triggered by overthinking or stress related to something. “Oh, but I think I know why you’re stressed,” she continued.
“Why is that?” Veronica and Sean asked simultaneously.
“I’m pretty sure you’re stressed because of thinking about your pet crocodile and pet swamp snake that can’t be separated, right?”
Sean was taken aback. Among the three of them, he seemed to be the only one who didn’t understand the meaning behind Deasy’s words.
“Wait, Veronica keeps a crocodile and a swamp snake as pets?”
Deasy nodded.
“Don’t you know? The crocodile was almost dying at first. Because Veronica is kind-hearted, she started feeding it. She provided luxurious facilities for it. But the crocodile just doesn’t know its limits. If I were Veronica, I would have turned it into crocodile satay. It doesn’t appreciate anything,” she said, glancing briefly at Darwin. She was pleased that the guy heard the clear jab she threw.
“Seriously? Veronica keeps reptiles as pets? How come I’m only finding out now?”
Veronica laughed. Seeing the skeptical yet curious expression Sean showed, she couldn’t help but laugh.
“No, I don’t keep reptiles as pets. That’s just Deasy being ridiculous.”
“Oh my god. I actually believed it.”
Tired of hearing jabs and witnessing the affectionate moments between Sean and Veronica, Darwin decided to take Kennedy and Randy to the hospital cafeteria. There, the two of them sat down, ordered drinks, and had a conversation.
“Hey, isn’t the guy who visited Veronica the same one we saw at the restaurant?” Randy recalled. He was certain about what he had seen the other day and just now.
Darwin nodded. In this case, Randy wasn’t mistaken.
“Yes, it’s the same guy. And for your information, that guy’s name is Sean. And yes, your guess the other day was right. He’s not just a colleague.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, why are they close? Because that guy is actually Veronica’s ex-boyfriend. You could say Veronica broke up with him to marry me.”
“Wow, crazy!” Randy exclaimed. So enthusiastically sharing gossip, he even moved his chair closer to where Darwin was sitting to get more engaged in the conversation. “How did you find out about this?”
“Veronica told me herself. She said that if her father hadn’t arranged for us to marry, she might have ended up marrying Sean.”
“Although, if you look at it, Sean seems like a better match for Veronica as a husband. He’s handsome and carries himself with more authority,” Randy innocently compared, intentionally pitting Veronica’s cousin against the guy he had seen earlier.
“So, you’re saying I’m not handsome?” Darwin squinted in disbelief. Randy was just casually saying whatever came to his mind.
“When it comes to looks, you’re handsome too, Win,” Kennedy admitted. She, who had been listening, finally spoke up. “But actions speak louder than words. If we were to judge, that guy is a better match for Veronica. His body language, the way he looks at her, and even the way he treats her-everything shows that he genuinely cares for Veronica.”
“Even we could see how attentive he was, bringing her socks and all sorts of things. He knows Veronica’s habits so well,” Randy added, completing Kennedy’s previous statement.
Darwin remained silent, heaving a long sigh. For heaven’s sake, whenever he was with his two cousins, he always ended up being the target of their teasing.
“Let it be. It’s her choice whether she wants attention or whatever.”
“Aren’t you jealous?” Randy hit the nail on the head.
“Jealous? Me, jealous of Veronica?” Darwin pointed to himself. “Come on, Ran. Don’t joke around.”
“I’m not joking. Even though you don’t love each other, aren’t you bothered by the fact that your wife is getting attention from her ex? People might start asking questions if they see that.”
Darwin fell silent, pondering and trying to understand what Randy was saying. He realized it wouldn’t be good if people out there could sense the strain in his and Veronica’s marriage.
This thought stayed with him as he returned to the room. Upon arriving, he found Veronica’s father and his father-in-law in the room, seeming to deliberately visit to check on Veronica’s condition.
“Pa,” Darwin greeted as he entered the room. Walking lightly, he approached the two men who were sitting and standing not far from Veronica.
“Win, how are you?” Damian replied, hugging his son-in-law briefly.
“I’m fine, Pa. Have you been here for long?”
“No, we just arrived,” Magnus answered, standing on Veronica’s left side. “Where were you?”
“Oh, I was escorting Kennedy and Randy to the front. They also visited Veronica earlier.”
Magnus nodded. Meanwhile, Damian refocused his attention on his daughter, who was leaning back in a slightly weak and pale state. He felt incredibly worried. He hadn’t been able to focus on work all day, consumed by thoughts of Veronica suddenly being hospitalized.
“What’s wrong? What did the doctor say?”
“Veronica’s okay, Pa,” Veronica responded with a smile. Reaching for her father’s wrist, she tried to reassure him. She was afraid her father would worry too much and become distressed. “Veronica’s just exhausted. It’s Darwin here who’s been overly worried and brought me to the hospital. But really, staying home would have been the same.”
“That means your husband cares and is attentive, dear. That’s why he’s worried and brought you to the hospital.”
Veronica nodded. Of course, she couldn’t tell her father that the reason she ended up in the hospital was because she was stressed about her father’s beloved son-in-law’s behavior.
Meanwhile, while Veronica was chatting with her father, a nurse brought a special dinner for Veronica to eat. Darwin, being closest, chose to accept the tray of food and placed it on the table in front of the bed.
“Do you want to eat?” Darwin offered. After all, it was dinner time for Veronica.
Veronica shook her head. She didn’t have much appetite at the moment. Plus, she had already had a bowl of fruits that Sean had given her earlier.
“I’m not hungry.”
“But you have to eat,” Damian insisted. He knew his daughter sometimes struggled with eating when told to. “What if your gastric issues act up again?”
“But I’m not hungry, Pa.”
“I’ll feed you,” Darwin offered. Without waiting for Veronica’s approval, he approached, scooped some porridge from the bowl he held, and offered it to her mouth. “You don’t need to eat a lot, just make sure your stomach isn’t empty.”
Veronica hesitated. She was certainly feeling awkward and strange accepting this overly sweet treatment from Darwin.
However, due to continued pressure from her father and the need to put on a sweet front in front of many people, Veronica eventually agreed to the spoonful of porridge Darwin offered. She tried her best to enjoy the sweet treatment as if they did this sort of thing regularly.
Meanwhile, her father and mother-in-law looked pleased. They were happy and proud to see the affectionate moment between their daughter and Darwin.