Chapter 307
Niamh couldn’t even remember the last time she’d seen Jonathan at the hospital.
Given the state of things between them, it felt awkward to message him out of the blue just to ask what he’d been up to lately.
She’d caved once and asked Clifford, who told her that Jonathan had been completely tied up with a major project at work–there simply hadn’t been any time to spare.
Truth be told, Jonathan had always been busy.
The Thomas Group was enormous, with its hands in practically every industry. Officially, Sprague was the CEO and Jonathan the managing director, but everyone knew Jonathan was the real driving force behind it all.
Every responsibility, big or small, landed on his shoulders. The demands on his time–and his mind–were relentless.
Niamh had always understood this about him. That’s why she’d made it her mission to keep things running smoothly at home, so Jonathan never had to worry about anything outside of work.
But no matter how busy Jonathan got, he’d always managed to carve out time to visit his grandfather in the hospital.
Which only underscored how critical this current project must be.
Today, Niamh didn’t see Jonathan at the hospital either. Instead, she ran into Michael–completely by surprise.
He wasn’t alone. Michael had come with Preston Winslow.
Preston’s visits weren’t anything new; Niamh had come to expect them. He was, after all, a close friend of Jonathan’s, so it made perfect sense for him to check in on Jonathan’s grandfather.
But Michael was another story.
In Niamh’s mind, Michael was Jonathan’s archrival.
In truth, it was pure coincidence that Michael and Preston arrived at the room together–they’d crossed paths in the hallway.
Back in high school, Preston had been Jonathan’s loyal sidekick, a fact Michael had always looked down on. Michael himself had clashed with Jonathan since they
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were teenagers, and his notorious temper hadn’t exactly won Preston over either
But now they were both adults–CEOS, at that. The days of adolescent drama and open hostility were long behind them.
“What brings Mr. Burton here?” Preston was the first to break the ice, eyeing Michael curiously.
Michael just adjusted his gold–rimmed glasses and replied, deadpan, “The north wind.”
Preston rolled his eyes. “Your sense of humor is as weird as ever.”
Michael shrugged. “That’s what the weather report said–northerly winds, ten to fifteen miles an hour.” As he spoke, he pushed open the door to the hospital room without so much as a pause.
Preston, appalled by the lack of courtesy, knocked twice on the door for good measure before following him in.
Niamh looked up at the sound, catching sight of the two men entering one after the
other.
Clifford was a heavyweight in the business world–no one would show up
empty–handed. Michael handed Niamh a tasteful get–well card, and then, almost as an afterthought, produced a single bright red rose with a flourish.
“No thorns,” he said with a wry smile, his usual sophistication tinged with just a hint of mischief.
Preston, watching from the side, couldn’t help but find the whole display a bit much. Niamh accepted the flower, half amused and half exasperated. “Thank you, but… you know, you could bring something other than flowers.”
“Oh? Like what? What do you like?” Michael asked, still smiling.
“Apples,” Preston interjected, stepping forward and offering her a large, shiny red apple.
Niamh wasn’t especially fond of fruit, but the last time she’d been in the hospital, there had been apples in the room. Preston had peeled some for her, and she’d eaten them all–so he’d gotten it into his head that she loved apples.
Now, with Michael on one side and Preston on the other, Niamh felt awkward. After all, she wasn’t even the patient, but here she was, receiving flowers from one and fruit from the other.
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Chapter 307
She glanced over at Clifford, lying in bed.
Clifford beamed at her with a gentle, almost grandfatherly smile. “My granddaughter–in–law is certainly popular today!”
Preston blinked, caught off guard.
