My One-month Marriage With Mr. Hawkins

Chapter 323: Alienation

Timothy’s temple jerked up violently as he scurried forward.

“Take care of this mess quick, and send in a meal again.”

“Ye—Yes.”

The maids finally returned to their senses as they hurriedly began to tidy up the mess on the floor.

Timothy studied Ernest and tested him, “Sir, do you need me to call Ms. Fraser back here to have lunch with you?”

“I don’t have the appetite. All of you, get lost.”

By now, Ernest had a dark look on his face. Why would he want her to come back here to have a meal with him?

She didn’t care about him anymore. She should just leave like this.

Timothy was rendered speechless, and with a bitter expression, he motioned for the maids to exit the ward.

When Florence returned to the ward, she immediately sensed a peculiar atmosphere lingering in the air.

Ernest was sitting still on his bed with a foul expression, and the barometric pressure in the room seemed to weigh down on her heavily.

The maids who were standing by on one side were all drooping their heads. None of them dared to look up, and fear and anxiety were written on their faces.

What was going on here?

Florence was befuddled, and before she even reached the bed, she pulled Timothy aside and whispered, “Timothy, what’s wrong? What happened when I was not around?”

From the look of things, it wasn’t just anything that had happened. It felt like something major and serious had just happened.

When Timothy was about to answer, at the same time the man sitting on the bed suddenly shot a glare in this direction, which made Timothy jump up. He wasn’t able to utter the words he was about to say.

He took a few steps back with a difficult smile on his face.

“Ms. Fraser, you should just go up.”

Florence felt even more curious at how Timothy was behaving. She could sense that something was not right here, and she couldn’t help feeling worried.

She hurried to the bed and examined Ernest thoroughly. Putting aside the fact that he didn’t look very good, there seemed to be nothing wrong with his body.

Nevertheless, this was a man who could conceal his weakness very well despite the situation, just like how he had concealed his grave injuries back then.

“Ernest, what’s wrong with you?”

Ernest simply glared at Florence, and his eyes were even more chilly and dark now.

He opened his mouth, “Nothing.”

He stopped the conversation just right there with his gaze no longer on Florence. He then began to flip his book.

Although he appeared to be reading a book, it was obvious he was purposely trying to ignore Florence.

Florence was really confused now. She had just gone out for a while, and all of a sudden things had taken a huge change. There must be something wrong just now!

She shot a worried glance at Ernest, and she noticed that he looked paler than the time she left the ward just now.

Could it be that he was injured somehow? Or did his wound open up again?

Was he acting so aloof because he didn’t want her to notice that?

With this possibility in mind, Florence didn’t feel angry at all about Ernest’s attitude now. In contrast, she was very worried about him.

She immediately sat down by the bed and snatched the book in his hands.

“Let me take a look at your injury.”

As she said that, Florence reached out to the buttons on Ernest’s medical gown.

Ernest didn’t expect Florence to get into action immediately, and he admitted he was stunned for a second. Then, he abruptly grabbed Florence’s wrist.

“I’m fine. You don’t have to do this.”

His hasty interruption gave Florence more reason to deduct that something was off. It was as if he was deliberately hiding something in plain sight.

So, he really had another injury on him now?

Florence struggled to retrieve her hand from Ernest’s and she continued to unbutton his gown. Her other hand went on to remove his gown with a sense of familiarity.

In no time, a huge part of Ernest’s shoulders were exposed.

Timothy and the maids were utterly stunned at this sight. They tried to cover their eyes, thinking that Ms. Fraser was here to force herself onto their master.

Anyway, Ernest was really a pleasing sight to behold.

They were looking forward to Ernest getting pounced on for the first time.

Ernest’s face immediately darkened as Florence was getting more and more unruly and brash. Did she know what she was doing now?

“Stop it!”

He growled and pressed down on her shoulders, and all of a sudden she was underneath his body.

His hand was clasping both of her wrists, which rendered her immobile.

He was now on top of her.

The maids and Timothy couldn’t utter a word as they blushed. Their hearts started to race, which indicated their excitement on what was to happen next.

Florence stared at Ernest who was now on top of her body in shock. It was such a sudden change of pace so she couldn’t comprehend what was actually going on yet.

Ernest was drooping his head, and there was a dim light in his eyes. He was just staring at her.

His tone was very hollow, “Do you care about me?”

“Of course I care about you.”

Florence was startled by him asking that. After answering without any hesitation, she looked at him worriedly.

“Get up now, don’t put pressure on your wounds.”

Ernest’s gaze was becoming darker by the moment, and there was an unspeakable anger surrounding his body. Exclusive © content by N(ô)ve/l/Drama.Org.

Was she worried about him or just his injuries?

Did she look forward that much to him getting a full recovery?

“You don’t have to worry. I will be discharged from the hospital according to schedule!” He wouldn’t waste her time here.

Ernest spoke each word with clarity and coldness, which made his face look even uglier.

If he was discharged in time, then her plan would go on without a hitch.

When she imagined the day she could surprise Ernest, she suddenly felt her heart flutter. It was a sweet feeling.

It showed on her facial expression as well.

However, Ernest interpreted her good mood in another way. His face became even darker.

As he imagined, she was only looking forward to the day he could be discharged from the hospital.

This heartless woman!

He let go of her and turned to face another direction in bed. He was trying to distance himself from her as much as he could.

His face was facing the opposite direction, and he never once stole a glance at Florence. There was a sense of distance emanating from him.

Florence really had a headache about this situation. She couldn’t understand what was going on with him.

However, from their scuffle just now, she could take a look at part of his body. His wounds were bandaged perfectly, meaning there was nothing wrong with his injuries.

Florence felt a little reassured as she sat by the bed. She inched towards him.

She reached out, “Let me button them up for you.”

“No need.”

Ernest was still averting his gaze as his slender fingers caught his collar as he began to button up his gown.

Florence froze and watched Ernest. She couldn’t snap out of her reverie.

In the past, Ernest always let her remove and wear his gown. He always let her button him up even if the injuries on his hand were almost healed. He never grown tired of her antics.

Now, he was doing everything on his own. He had grown distant for no reason.

She furrowed her brows as a sense of unease slowly grew in her heart.

Since Florence was here, she asked the maids to leave the ward temporarily. She would be here to take care of things.

The ward returned to a state where there were only two people interacting with each other. Previously when Ernest was plagued by his injuries, they had a mutually understanding relationship, and the atmosphere was one full of possibilities.

However, in stark contrast to the atmosphere now, it was as if an invisible wall had been erected all around Ernest, one that shut him out of his world.

At dinner, Ernest didn’t let Florence feed him.

His reason was simple and straightforward, “My wounds are healed.”

He planned to do everything on his own without troubling others.

Although there was nothing wrong with his reasons, for Florence, the reason was somehow unsettling.