orry, Mr. Harrison, I couldn’t get a good grip,” the caregiver said, flustered when she spotted Nathan.
Nathan waved her off and helped turn the old man. “I’ll handle this.”
He took the washcloth and started cleaning William Harrison himself. After the caregiver brought over a water basin, she stepped out. In the VIP
room, it was just Nathan and his grandfather.
After washing the old man’s back, Nathan carefully rolled him over. Grandpa was still out cold and couldn’t help at all. Moving a hundred–pound deadweight took serious effort–even Nathan was straining.
Once he’d turned him, Nathan started on the front. But when he dipped the cloth again, the warm water had gone cold. Back to the bathroom for fresh hot water.
The cycle repeated. By the time he’d finished bathing his grandfather completely, half an hour had passed. Nathan’s shirt was damp with sweat.
When it was done, he actually exhaled in relief. Then he stopped.
Taking care of an old person was this brutal? He was way stronger than Amelia, and it still kicked his ass.
What had it been like for her?
Nathan stared at William in the bed, but all he could picture was Amelia running around, handling everything.
After a beat, Nathan shook it off. He went to dump the water, planning to check with the doctor about his grandfather’s condition.
Before he hit the corner, he caught voices.
“…God, my back’s killing me. Taking care of patients all day, I’m wiped.” The caregiver from before.
Next to her stood another, skinnier caregiver.
Skinny said, “You’re bitching? You’ve got Mr. Harrison Sr. Everyone knows he’s the easiest gig with the fattest paycheck.”
Grandpa’s caregiver nodded. “Yeah, but since his daughter–in–law stopped showing up, it’s been hell.”
“No shit?” Skinny looked surprised.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Grandpa’s caregiver said, massaging her lower back. “That woman’s a saint. Always visiting, and when she’s here, she does half my job herself. More thorough than most pros I’ve worked with.”
Skinny wasn’t buying it: “Come on. I saw all that internet drama–she’s got a shit reputation. Don’t people say she’s some gold–digger who doesn’t even care that her husband’s cheating?”
Grandpa’s caregiver smacked her arm. “You actually believe that online garbage?”
“We’re both caregivers–we know how brutal it is looking after sick old people The Harrisons have stupid money. If she wanted the good life, why would she do this thankless shit?”
Skinny still looked skeptical: “Maybe she’s faking it?”
“Even if she was putting on a show, she could just do it when Mr. Harrison’s around. Why bust her ass this hard?” The caregiver stretched her back. “Haven’t you noticed old Mr. Harrison’s been hospitalized way more lately?”
Skinny nodded.
“The home staff just aren’t the same,” the caregiver sighed. “I mean, they do their jobs, but his daughter–in–law actually gave a damn, so he was way better off.”
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Mr. Harrison, Wake Up Your Wife’s Gone
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Chapter 37
“Same with the old lady. She never used to crash from exhaustion like this.”
Skinny looked blown away: “Damn, I had no idea…”
They kept gossiping while Nathan stood frozen around the corner.
Grandpa was everything to their family. The people caring for him–doctors, nurses, caregivers, housekeepers–were always top–tier. The staff and quality were beyond adequate.
But there was a massive gap between doing your job and actually giving a shit.
He’d never thought about it.
He remembered Amelia squeezing his hand, saying, “Nathan, I’ll take care of Grandpa. Don’t worry about anything.”
He’d seen the nursing books she’d bought, flipped through them–covered in her highlighting and notes.
She’d really studied that stuff.
Nathan’s gaze dropped. Every promise she’d made, every commitment–she’d always followed through.
This was a rehab facility. New York General wasn’t far. She might still be there
Should he go see her?
Meanwhile, at New York General, it was past noon.
Harper said her contact hadn’t texted back, so she was using lunch to hunt her down in person. That left Caspian bringing Amelia food.
Amelia had been moved from ICU to a private room.
“Don’t stress–your info’s locked down tight. Reporters can’t touch your medical records. Dad runs this place, so we’re good,” Harper had promised/
earlier.
“Voice of Heaven” worked fast. Yesterday’s recording was already edited and streaming by noon.
When Caspian showed up with takeout, Amelia was glued to the TV, wanting to see how “Yesterday Once More” looked in the final cut.
Total disappointment–looked just as shitty as the earlier live clips. Apparently Louie still hadn’t dealt with his asshole brother.
But that wasn’t even the worst part. She saw some truly nauseating bullshit.
During her performance, they kept cutting to Vivian backstage, sitting with the other judges.
Vivian had tears streaming down her face: “That was incredible. The emotion in that song brought back so many memories.”
Looking fragile but brave, she launched into her pre–fame sob story.
“Back then, Vivian’s Floral Studio was nothing like it is now. I was just some nobody florist hustling around the city. When I saw Harrison Group’s bid for office florals, I got up the nerve to throw my hat in.”
“I figured I had zero chance–all these huge companies were bidding. I just wanted the experience.”
“But miraculously, they broke the contract into pieces, and I snagged this tiny section–flowers for the executive suites and admin areas.”
“That job is how I actually met Mr. Harrison face–to–face.”
Vivian smiled through her tears: “Even more gorgeous in person than on TV.
“That’s how Harrison Group and I became… connected.”
Mr. Harrison, Wake Up Your Wife’s Gone
Chapter 37
Amelia felt like puking. So they’d known each other way longer than she’d realized.
Vivian kept milking her Harrison Group connection on screen until a hand snatched the remote and changed the channel.
Amelia looked up to see Caspian grinning and waving the remote.
“Why torture yourself watching her?” Caspian smirked. “Look at me instead.
Caspian was all business at work but a total smartass everywhere else.
Amelia rolled her eyes. “Why the hell would I look at you?”
Caspian held up the food containers: “To appreciate this bomb–ass lunch I brought.”
He made an exaggerated sniffing gesture. “Smells fucking incredible.”
Amelia cracked up despite herself.
While they were joking around, an Aston Martin pulled into New York General’s parking garage. Nathan stepped out and stared up at the main hospital entrance.
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Chapter 38
