Free Web NovelChapter 122: Chapter 123: Felix Preston Became a Different Person
Fighting through the pain, he sat up in the hospital bed. Ignoring his own wounds, he grabbed Sonia Quincy’s shoulders, nearly frantic. "Where did that man hit you? Does it hurt? Do we need to get a doctor to check on you?"
"I’m fine." Sonia was startled by his actions and quickly tried to press him back down onto the bed. "You need to lie down and stop moving, or you’ll pull your wounds open!"
"Just lie down! And first, let Sonia finish speaking!" Seeing this, Mrs. Preston put down her laptop and hurried over, grabbing the stubborn Felix Preston to keep him from thrashing about.
But he wouldn’t listen to either of them, stubbornly needing to confirm for himself that Sonia was unharmed.
"Sonia." He was so desperate he tried to get out of bed, and a cut on his arm began to seep blood from his violent struggles.
"What’s wrong? Are you hurt or uncomfortable anywhere? What did the man who ran into you look like? I’m calling the police to have him arrested!"
"I’m fine, I’m really fine!" Seeing Felix Preston’s frantic and helpless state, Sonia was suddenly filled with regret for telling the lie.
She pressed down firmly on Felix Preston’s flailing hands, her gaze firm as she looked at him and emphasized, word by word, "Felix Preston, I’m really okay. That man just bumped into me lightly. I didn’t fall, and I’m not injured. So please, rest easy, alright?"
"...Really?" Felix Preston stared at her intently, his gaze anxious as he asked, still unconvinced.
She nodded emphatically, her tone resolute. "Really. I’m not hurt at all, and the baby isn’t hurt at all, either. Lie back down and rest easy. Don’t move."
"..." Felix Preston said nothing, just obediently allowed Sonia to help him lie back down.
His anxious expression made Sonia’s heart ache, but the lie was already told. She had no choice now but to stick with it.
"That man seemed to have some mental problems. He was muttering and cursing to himself as he walked. I didn’t dare provoke him, which is why I didn’t say a single word in response."
"Thankfully, Miss Sinclair showed up and helped me scare him off. Otherwise, I don’t know how I would have gotten out of that situation."
"Oh, my. That sounds so dangerous." Mrs. Preston was frightened just listening to the story. "Sonia, dear, you should try to stay inside the hospital from now on if you can. We can’t have you running into lunatics like that again."
"Okay," Sonia agreed meekly.
Felix Preston held her hand, his heart still pounding with retroactive fear.
"Felix." Sonia stroked his face, her voice soft as if soothing a child. "Stop worrying. I’m really not hurt at all."
Felix Preston was too frightened to speak. Hearing her words, he just gave a grim nod.
Sonia said, "Miss Sinclair saved me. I could also tell she sincerely wanted to see you, so I brought her up. Please don’t be angry, and try not to be so hostile toward her."
"...Thank you." Felix Preston took a deep breath, obediently reigning in some of his irritation.
But only some of it. After saying "thank you," he went right back to ignoring Renee Sinclair.
Holding several gift bags, Renee Sinclair was left standing there awkwardly, unsure if she should stay or leave.
In the end, it was Mrs. Preston who finally approached her, forcing a smile.
"Thank you so much for saving our Sonia, Miss Sinclair. Please, have a seat."
Renee Sinclair finally felt a sense of release. She quickly handed the bags in her hands to Mrs. Preston. "Mrs. Preston, these are some health supplements I bought for Felix. Please, you must accept them."
"Oh, thank you." Mrs. Preston accepted the gifts, turned to place them on a side table, and then pulled a chair over for Renee Sinclair. "Have a seat, Miss Sinclair."
For the first time, Renee Sinclair sat perfectly still and proper.
"Sonia, you scared me." It took a while for Felix Preston to recover from the shock of Sonia’s incident. He pulled Sonia down to sit on the edge of the bed and, with a mix of fear and tension, hugged her close, gently patting her back again and again with his uninjured arm.
Sonia felt so guilty that her forehead broke out in a sweat. She didn’t dare look into Felix Preston’s stern eyes.
Felix Preston was like a deeply insecure child; after a scare, he needed a long period of affection and intimacy to replenish his energy.
He rested his head in the crook of Sonia’s neck, eyes closed, greedily inhaling her faint, sweet scent. He treated Renee Sinclair, standing at the foot of the bed, as if she were nothing but air.
It was a good thing that the young couple was so close and affectionate, but with a guest present, Mrs. Preston felt it was a little inappropriate.
But ever since the car accident, Felix Preston’s temper had grown short, and only Sonia could calm him. Not wanting to upset him, Mrs. Preston had no choice but to take the initiative and chat with Renee Sinclair to keep her from feeling completely invisible.
Renee Sinclair had finally managed to get in front of Felix Preston to make an impression, yet she hadn’t exchanged a single word with him the whole time. She stayed for half an hour, but Felix just clung to Sonia, not even bothering to spare her a glance.
She couldn’t sit there any longer and finally stood up to take her leave.
"I’ll walk Miss Sinclair out." Seeing the grim look on Renee Sinclair’s face, Sonia planned to take the opportunity to slip out and explain things.
"Don’t go." But Felix Preston squeezed her hand tightly, absolutely refusing to let her leave his side.
"..." Sonia’s smile was strained.
"...It’s alright." Renee Sinclair reined in her emotions, putting on an understanding facade.
"I can see myself out. Sonia should stay and keep you company."
"Mm." This was the second time Felix Preston had deigned to speak to her.
Her lips twisted into a stiff smile before she turned and left the hospital room dejectedly.
Felix Preston’s temper had been short lately. It wasn’t until a while after Renee Sinclair left that his agitated mind began to settle.
"It’s okay, it’s okay. Don’t worry." Sonia stroked his hair soothingly, and after a long time of coaxing, he finally drifted off to sleep.
"Is he asleep?" Mrs. Preston had returned from paying the bills and saw Felix Preston’s eyes were closed the moment she walked in.
Sonia tiptoed away from the bed, finally letting out a sigh of relief. "He is."
"Good." Mrs. Preston patted Sonia’s hand, her own anxieties finally easing. "He started nodding off an hour ago, but he refused to sleep because you weren’t back. He just forced himself to stay awake this whole time."
"Sigh..." Sonia shook her head, exasperated. "I don’t know what’s gotten into him. Since the car accident, Felix has become so childish. He’s clingy and insecure, just like a mischievous and unruly little boy."
Mrs. Preston laughed at the description. "Felix really has started acting like a child, but I think the change is normal."
As she spoke, Mrs. Preston tidied up the bills she was holding and put them away. Then, she took Sonia’s wrist and led her over to sit on the sofa with her.
"Felix’s father and I divorced a long time ago, so I basically raised him and Lynn by myself. He was always a sensible child. He knew how hard it was for me to raise two children alone. So from the time he was eight, he started acting like a little adult, learning to share the housework and helping me take care of his younger sister."
