Chapter 157 Everything Is Ready
Feeling the warmth from Tristan’s chest, Sophie relaxed completely and leaned against him. “What are you doing here all by yourself?”
“Grandpa is asleep, so I came here to get some air.”
“Hmm… I told you to go back and rest, but you refused. I’ve asked the hospital director to prepare the ward next door. You should go and get some rest. It’s not time for the surgery yet, so you don’t have to worry.”
“Okay, Mr. Tristan. Thank you.” Apart from that, she truly did not know what else to say. “No need to thank me. Come on. Go and get some sleep. You’ll only need to keep watch after the surgery.”
“Okay,” Sophie agreed reluctantly. I just wanted to spend more time with Grandpa. After all, no one can predict the outcome of the surgery. If it weren’t because there was no other choice, I wouldn’t have wanted him to undergo surgery.
When Tristan led her to the ward next door, she saw a hospital bed and an extra bed inside. “I’ll sleep on the extra bed. Since you’re tall, it won’t be comfortable for you,” said Sophie, nudging him toward the larger bed.
“Be good and go to sleep.” Without giving her the chance to refuse, he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.
“Mr. Tristan—”
Why is he willing to suffer for me?
Tristan also lay on the hospital bed next to her. The bed was not that big, so it was actually quite a squeeze for both of them to lie on it.
Nonetheless, it felt very warm and toasty to hug each other in the chilly weather of early winter.
“Sleep,” he murmured in his pleasant and utterly mesmerizing voice.
“Okay.”
Sophie closed her eyes and leaned against his arm.
Perhaps because she was too tired, it was not long before she dozed off.
As Tristan listened to her gentle breathing, he lifted a hand to brush the hair from her face and tucked the loose strands behind her ear.
“Sleep well, Soph,” he said softly. As long as I’m here, I’ll shield her from all the problems and worries.
Sophie woke up early the following morning. Sitting up in bed, she spotted Tristan’s tall figure curled up on the extra bed, fast asleep.
Her heart ached when she saw him sleeping so uncomfortably.
Climbing out of bed, she went over to the extra bed and gazed down at him as he slept soundly.
He must be exhausted after the past couple of days. Managing Lombard Group is already a tiring job, yet he’s always by my side.
The moment Tristan opened his eyes, he saw her face close to his.
He reached out his hands instinctively and hooked them around her neck, then drew her toward him and kissed her right on the lips.
“You’re awake.”
“Yes.”
Sophie was still a little dazed after being kissed so suddenly, and Tristan could not resist pinching her face gently when he noticed it.
“Do you have any idea how enticing you look right now? It’s enough to stir one’s desire to have their way with you,” he murmured.
She’s simply too alluring!
“I’ll go and check whether my grandfather is awake or not,” Sophie said quickly. I wonder whether he ate anything last night. Anyway, he must be hungry by now.
Tristan could not help but laugh when he saw her scurry off.
He then had his assistant buy breakfast from The Crown, and the latter brought back plenty of food. Since Josiah relished a lively atmosphere, everyone gathered in his ward to have breakfast with him.
Just as they were eating, Arius arrived.
“I can’t believe you didn’t invite me for breakfast. Isn’t that a bit too much?” Arius complained. He still had one other surgery scheduled that day. It was a very tough surgery, so he had come to ask Sophie to join him and learn from it.
“Ari! You’ve not had breakfast yet, haven’t you? In that case, come and join us. Tanny bought lots of food!” Josiah called out. The Crown’s breakfast was delicious, and he had eaten a lot.
“You’re the only one who thinks of me,” Arius said to Josiah, going over immediately to eat breakfast with the elderly man.
After they finished their meal, Tristan had to leave for Lombard Group as there was some business he had to attend to personally.
Since Josiah wished to take a stroll, Morgan went with him while Arius led Sophie away to prepare for the surgery.
Having heard that Arius would be performing surgery at the hospital that day, Constance had arrived early that morning to wait there. However, it never crossed her mind that she would meet Sophie, who was wearing a surgical gown.
“What are you doing here?” Constance asked darkly, her expression souring as soon as she saw Sophie.
She harbored a deep dislike for Sophie and felt the latter’s appearance signaled misfortune for Mason.
“Does that have anything to do with you?” Sophie answered bluntly. She had no wish to be polite to Constance.
Constance fell silent at her words.
If it were before, there was no way she would have backed down so easily after receiving such a retort.
But now, she dared not say anything else because of Tristan.
Meanwhile, Arius thought Sophie had sneaked away when he did not see her after changing into his surgical gown. Coming out to look for her, he spotted the woman who had bullied Sophie the other day.
The second Arius saw Constance, his expression turned grim.
Why does this woman keep showing up everywhere?
“Why are you here?” he demanded brusquely.
“Come on. Let’s go in,” Sophie piped up. She had only stepped out to make a phone call, not expecting to bump into Constance.
Nonetheless, that’s all unimportant. At this moment, I couldn’t care less about Mrs. Laird.
Arius snorted coldly.
“Who are you? Why do you look at her with such a haughty and imperious expression?” he asked Constance. The way she looks at Sophie just irks me.
Furious, Constance responded in a threatening tone, “I’m telling you, you no-name doctor. You’d better show me some respect. Otherwise, I’ll have the hospital director fire you.”
Is every Tom, Dick, and Harry qualified to mock me now?
Arius was both amused and enraged.
“What am I going to do, Sophie? I’m quaking in my boots! It took a long time before I finally got this job. My whole family relies on me to put food on the table. If I lose this job, I’ll starve to death!”
Sophie did not respond. Instead, she quietly watched Arius put on his act.
Constance was irate. “Why you—” “How dare you doubt my abilities? Do you think you can intimidate me, you old hag? If you can get the director to fire me, I’ll get on my knees and grovel!” Arius continued, interrupting her.
Would I, Arius Gullifer, be afraid of others threatening me?
“You—” Constance began, her entire body trembling with rage.
Incensed, she snarled, “Sophie Tanner, look at that piece of garbage next to you! I’m calling the director right now!”
“I didn’t hear that wrong, did I, Sophie? She dared to refer to me as garbage!”
“Watch your words, Mrs. Laird,” Sophie warned. “Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the Laird family is all that high and mighty. I can easily make the Laird family vanish into thin air.”
Constance gave a humorless chuckle and uttered arrogantly, “Such audacity! Do you genuinely think that Tanner Group has fallen into your hands? Even if you really were the person in control of the company, do you think the Laird family would take any notice of Tanner Group?”
In the Laird family’s eyes, Tanner Group is not even worth mentioning. If I wish to, I can destroy the company at any time.
“You old hag…” Arius growled, utterly infuriated.
“Is that so? Go on and give it a try, then,” Sophie replied calmly, unwilling to waste her breath any longer.
“Dr. Gullifer, everything is ready. Oh, Mrs. Laird! You’re here too! Are you and Dr. Gullifer acquainted?”
“What did you say?” Constance could not believe her ears. This young man standing in front of me is the world-renowned Dr. Gullifer?
