Marrying my secret admirer after my husband's fake death novel Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Edith clenched her jaw, her mind drifting back to her very first visit to the Hawksley estate.

It had been a day much like this one.

Justin’s face flushed an alarming shade of red, his breathing ragged and

uneven.

She’d waited anxiously in the corridor outside his hospital room, and the moment the doctor emerged, Edith hurried over, unable to hide her

concern.

The young doctor regarded her with a mixture of reserve and seriousness, making Edith’s heart leap into her throat.

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But then, the doctor–his features gentle yet composed–shook his head. “Mr. Hawksley is stable. I’m afraid I can’t share any details about the patient’s condition; it’s confidential.”

Edith nodded, signaling her understanding. “I see. Is he feeling any better now? May I go in and see him?”

The doctor gave a slight nod, though his gaze lingered on Edith, quietly assessing her.

Edith, too preoccupied with worry to notice, could barely contain her relief. She all but rushed to Justin’s room, hoping desperately he was all

right.

Inside, the private room was calm, almost serene.

Justin looked himself again.

The feverish flush had faded from his cheeks, and the earlier chaos was

nowhere to be seen.

It occurred to Edith that the doctor’s refusal to disclose details must have been at Justin’s request.

He didn’t want anyone to know.

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So, she chose not to pry. Instead, she offered a gentle, “Are you feeling better now?”

Justin replied with his usual reserve, “I’m fine. Sorry I ruined our dinner plans.”

In that moment, Edith found herself understanding him a little more.

He was the embodiment of a gentleman.

Even though his illness was beyond his control, he still felt compelled to apologize for spoiling the evening.

Edith waved a hand, brushing off his concern. “It’s really fine. We’ll just go

out next time.”

At the mention of a “next time,” a flicker of discomfort crossed Justin’s

face.

Edith didn’t catch it, nor could she guess what it meant.

She let out a shaky breath. “The doctor looked so serious when he came out just now. I almost thought… your condition was much worse.”

Justin looked up at her, his expression softening at the worry etched on her face. Something warm stirred in him, and his eyes brightened as he asked, trying to sound casual, “Were you that worried about me?”

Edith nodded emphatically. “Yes.”

But as soon as the word left her lips, she felt a tinge of embarrassment. Had she been too open in showing her concern for Justin? Was it…

awkward?

Justin seemed satisfied, his gaze drifting away. Outside, moonlight spilled over the window ledge, bathing the room in a quiet, gentle glow.

He spoke. “Was inviting me to dinner about the Vance project?”

Back at the restaurant, Edith had brought up the project–one that involved the Vance family.

He guessed she was here to help the Vance family secure the deal.

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Justin didn’t know why Edith wanted to help them, but as long as she wasn’t here to call off their engagement, he could accept it.

The truth was, in all the chaos of Justin’s sudden illness, Edith had forgotten about business entirely. Now, with Justin’s question, she remembered. “Yes, it’s about the Vance project. I was wondering… if Hawksley Group works with Pioneer Prime, would that hurt your family’s interests?”

Justin’s eyes flickered with something unreadable.

Honestly, for the Hawksley Group, this was a fairly minor deal.

But for Pioneer Prime, it was huge.

From a strictly business perspective, teaming up with Pioneer Prime made perfect sense for the Hawksleys.

But the Hawksley Group was so massive, it could afford to be capricious.

Refusing to work with Pioneer Prime was nothing more than Justin’s way of punishing the Vance family.