From His Wife to His Uncle's Wife novel Chapter 24

Every word from that heated phone call echoed in Max’s mind. He turned his head just enough to catch the woman behind him out of the corner of his eye. Her pale cheeks were tight with worry. He pressed his lips together and looked away.

The rest of the elevator ride dragged on. Eleanor was too lost in her own thoughts to care if things were awkward anymore. As soon as the doors slid open, she hurried out without a backward glance.

***

“Director, please, just be honest with me.” Eleanor’s voice was tight as she stood in the hospital administrator’s office. “If it isn’t about our bills, then why are you making my brother leave?”

The director let out a deep sigh and quietly closed the door. “Ms. Rolland, it’s not about making things difficult for you. I’m just the department head. I don’t have that kind of power.”

“So you’re saying someone higher up gave the order?”

He nodded. “That’s about right. Think if you’ve upset someone important lately. I’ve known Jared for years. I want him to get better too.”

This was the best hospital for leukemia in the city. Eleanor had never even thought about moving her brother somewhere else.

She took a shaky breath and stepped into the stairwell to call Peter.

Peter was signing paperwork when her name popped up on his screen. He let out a dry chuckle. “Well, Eleanor. Finally remembered my number?”

“You absolute jerk, Peter. Is threatening me with Jared’s illness really all you’re good for?”

He’d expected her to beg, not to start yelling the second he picked up. That kind of accusation would make anyone lose their temper.

Peter’s eyes narrowed. His voice turned icy. “Eleanor, what are you even talking about?”

Yeah, he’d said he would cut off the medical payments. He’d threatened it, but he’d never actually done it. It was just talk.

“What, you can do it but you can’t admit it? Didn’t you think I’d find out you told the hospital to kick my brother out?”

Her words were sharp and bitter. “How did I ever marry such a petty, unfaithful, cruel man?”

A muscle in Peter’s jaw twitched. He bit down hard. “Eleanor, I own up to what I do. But I didn’t do this.”

He sounded cold and tired. “I didn’t have your brother discharged. I don’t have the time or the patience to go after him.”

“Adam, no one treats me better than you do.”

***

After hanging up with Peter, Eleanor’s anger faded, replaced by a heavy uncertainty. Should she transfer Jared to another hospital? What if the move made his condition worse?

She was still lost in thought when the director called her back into his office, beaming.

“It’s all settled. You don’t have to worry anymore. I don’t know who you know, but you’ve got some powerful friends. The higher-ups called and said your brother can stay as long as he needs. No one’s going to bother you again.”

Eleanor’s eyes went wide. “Really?”

“Really.”

Who could have helped her? Peter? The idea came and went in a flash. No way.

Maybe some kind stranger just couldn’t stand to see what was happening and decided to help.