Chapter 113: Ms. Kendall’s Husband Is Here to Pick Her Up

Chapter 113: Chapter 113: Ms. Kendall’s Husband Is Here to Pick Her Up

「Twilight Bar」

Music blared inside the private room, the coffee table laden with fruit platters and an assortment of drinks.

Claire Kendall sat in the middle of the booth, surrounded by OCHH employees. The atmosphere was lively.

"Ms. Kendall, I had no idea you were Nati! You’re the whole reason I joined the company."

"That smoky blue long dress—it took me half a year of trying before I finally managed to buy it online."

"My idol is right here beside me. I feel like I’m dreaming."

...

With everyone toasting her one after another, Claire Kendall’s cheeks grew flushed and warm.

Ian Rhodes sat beside her, his arm draped casually over the back of the sofa behind her, closing the distance between them to a suggestive, intimate degree.

His eyes crinkled, his smile pure.

"Senior, this is to you. We’ll be fighting side by side again."

She nodded. "We’ll definitely be able to bring OCHH back from the dead."

As she spoke, she raised her glass again, but Ian Rhodes gently stopped her.

His voice was gentle. "Senior, you’re drunk."

Claire Kendall waved a hand dismissively. "I’m fine. We’re celebrating today!"

Ian Rhodes let out a soft chuckle and didn’t press the issue. Instead, he picked up his phone and snapped a picture of the room before switching to the front camera and adjusting the angle.

The lens captured both his face and Claire Kendall’s. They were perfectly framed together under the dim, hazy lights.

He posted it to his social feed with a caption.

[A fresh start. See you at the launch!]

-

「Aethel General Hospital, Third-Floor Office」

Miles Warren had just gotten out of surgery. After two major operations in a row, he looked exhausted as he sat in his chair, resting with his eyes closed.

Julian Wilde pushed the door open and flopped onto the sofa. "Mr. Moneybags, what can I do for you?"

He didn’t open his eyes, his voice low and hoarse. "Claire’s back at OCHH. Keep an eye on things. Assign the Crescent order to her, and deduct the price difference from my dividend account."

"Tsk, tsk." Julian Wilde sank into the sofa and crossed his legs. "Our Mr. Moneybags is certainly generous. Does your wife know..."

Julian’s finger, which had been scrolling across his phone screen, suddenly froze. His voice died in his throat.

He stared at the photo on his social feed, zooming in for a closer look. His expression shifted subtly.

"Miles Warren, looks like your wife is having a bit too much fun without you..."

Miles Warren’s eyes snapped open. He rose and snatched the phone from Julian’s hand.

Julian had the contact saved as "Ian Rhodes, Apex Wear." In the photo, under the hazy lights, Ian Rhodes was practically pressed against Claire Kendall. Her eyes were clouded from the alcohol, making her look devastatingly alluring...

Miles Warren’s eyes went to the location tag: Twilight Bar.

He tossed the phone back to Julian, shrugged off his white coat, and grabbed his jacket from the rack.

"Hey, Miles, Miles! Where are you going? Don’t do anything rash. Ms. Kendall is still young; it’s normal for her to go out and have some fun..."

"I’m taking her home."

Miles Warren said the four words and strode out of the office.

Back in the private room at Twilight Bar, the team-building party was in full swing.

Someone suggested a game of Truth or Dare. The bottle spun around and around on the table before pointing at Claire Kendall.

Someone shouted excitedly, "I’ll ask! I’ll ask!"

"Ms. Kendall, are you single, or do you have a boyfriend?"

Claire Kendall was drunk, her mind a blur. She subconsciously held up her right hand, waggling the massive, blue, pigeon-egg diamond on her finger. A hint of pride crept into her voice.

"Me? I’m already married."

The room erupted in an uproar!

Beside her, a cold, obsessive glint flashed in Ian Rhodes’s eyes.

The bottle spun again, and once more, it landed on Claire Kendall.

The crowd hooted and teased her. "Ms. Kendall, what are the odds? You should go buy a lottery ticket!"

"What should we ask her?"

Ian Rhodes, however, had sharp eyes. He caught a glimpse of a familiar figure appearing outside the room’s door.

He placed a hand on the bottle, deliberately raising his voice. "I’ll ask this one."

He was all smiles, but his voice held a youthful, roguish quality, laced with a probing edge.

"So, Senior... which do you think is better? Being married or being single?"

The jeering in the room turned into a hushed anticipation. Everyone held their breath, waiting for Claire Kendall’s answer.

In truth, they had long since noticed that Ian Rhodes’s interest in Claire Kendall was anything but ordinary.

The flush on Claire Kendall’s face deepened. Lost in a drunken haze, she tilted her head, as if seriously pondering the question.

After a long moment, the corners of her lips curved up. Her voice was soft and sweet, her words slow but clear.

"Of course, being single is better!"

Her voice trailed off, growing fainter and less distinct.

"But my husband is the best..."

"So our senior prefers being single!" Ian Rhodes immediately shouted, deliberately drowning out the second half of her sentence.

Outside, Miles Warren’s fingers, just about to push open the door, froze.

A bitter feeling welled up in his chest.

’Being single is better.’

The four words pricked his heart like a fine needle—not too deep, but sharp all the same.

Miles Warren suppressed the emotion churning in his eyes and pushed the door open. He stepped inside, his pace unhurried, yet carrying an undeniable presence.

The noisy, boisterous room fell silent at his arrival.

A faint smile touched Ian Rhodes’s lips as he took the opportunity to lean even closer to Claire Kendall.

Miles Warren’s gaze turned colder. He walked straight to Claire Kendall, grabbed her arm, and pulled her to her feet, away from Ian Rhodes.

Half of Claire Kendall’s body was pressed against him. She tilted her head back to look at him, her usually cool and gentle eyes now veiled in a hazy mist, her long lashes trembling.

After staring blankly for several seconds, she finally recognized him. A smile spread across her face, and she nuzzled against him ingratiatingly.

"Dr. Warren... what are you doing here...?"

"Taking you home."

Miles Warren took off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Supporting her with one arm, he picked up her bag from the sofa.

He scanned the room and gave a slight nod. "Hello, everyone. I’m Miles Warren, Claire Kendall’s husband. I apologize for the interruption."

His voice was cool and crisp. "Everything tonight is on me. Please, continue to enjoy yourselves."

The room was silent for a moment, then it exploded with conversation.

"Oh my god, that’s Ms. Kendall’s husband? He’s so handsome and rich."

"He’s total husband material! And he’s a doctor, right?"

The women huddled together, whispering excitedly and starting to ship the couple like crazy.

Miles Warren glanced down at the drowsy Claire Kendall nestled in his arms. His arm around her tightened slightly as he turned and walked toward the door.

Ian Rhodes’s expression grew darker and darker. His fingers tightened around his glass, his emotions threatening to overflow.

The moment the door closed behind them, Ian Rhodes drained his glass in one gulp, shot to his feet, and chased after them.

In the hallway, Ian Rhodes blocked his path. "Miles Warren!"

His eyes were cold and hard as he stared at Miles.

"What right do you have to be by her side?"

"You just used her mother’s illness and The Warren Family’s power to your advantage. Didn’t you hear what she said? She thinks being single is better! She doesn’t love you at all! You’re the one trapping her in this marriage!"

Miles Warren looked at him calmly. "And?"

Ian Rhodes gritted his teeth. "If it weren’t for you, she would be with me! You came later! What right do you have to swoop in and steal her away?"

Miles Warren laughed, his voice laced with contempt.

"Ian Rhodes, you’re in no position to talk to me about who came first."

"I’ve waited ten years for her. Why shouldn’t I fight for her?"