Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 116

The moment Hazel saw Marcus, she nearly burst into tears.

She had never found this man to be such a welcome sight. Instantly throwing away all sense of pride, her voice sounded almost like a plea.

"Mr. Thornton, can you take me to the hospital?"

Marcus's gaze shifted from her face to Gideon beside her, lingering on the younger man's face for a second before turning colder.

Those eyes, usually laced with playful amusement, now carried a rare hint of tension. "Get in."

Gideon immediately helped Hazel open the back door and carefully supported her as she climbed inside.

Once seated, Hazel took off her jacket, folded it a few times, and placed it under her injured leg. The blood quickly seeped into the fabric, leaving a dark, spreading stain.

She was terrified of ruining Marcus's car, knowing she wouldn't be able to afford the repairs.

Noticing this, Marcus's frown deepened. He scoffed lightly. "You're hurt this badly, and you're still worrying about my upholstery. You really are considerate, Dr. Garrison."

Hazel had no energy left to figure out if he was actually angry. Right now, she just wanted to lean back and rest. She closed her eyes, her brow tightly knit, her breathing growing shallow.

Marcus glanced at Gideon. "You sit in the front."

Gideon let out a surprised sound, turning to look at Hazel. "I need to look after my sister."

"Go," Hazel said, her voice barely a whisper. "I can manage."

Gideon hesitated for a moment but eventually got into the passenger seat. He buckled his seatbelt and turned to look at Hazel in the back, deep worry evident in his eyes.

Marcus spoke coldly. "Drive."

The driver started the engine, and the car shot forward into the night.

...

In the emergency room, the harsh fluorescent lights made their eyes sting. The nurse cut open Hazel's pant leg, revealing the gash on her calf. The flesh was split open, and blood was still seeping out.

The nurse frowned, cleaning the skin around the wound with iodine. "How did you get this cut? If you'd come any later, it would have been a real problem."

Hazel bit her lip. "I accidentally fell from a second-story window."

The nurse's frown deepened. She dabbed the wound with an iodine-soaked cotton ball. Hazel's leg jerked violently, her nails digging into her palms.

It hurt so much!

"You're going to need three stitches," the nurse said, setting down her tweezers and looking at her. "Do you want local anesthesia?"

"No," Hazel replied, her voice dry.

Gideon grew frantic. "Yes, she does! She hates pain!"

Marcus stared down at her emotionlessly. "I said you need it, so you need it. Hazel, who are you trying to prove yourself to?"

The nurse didn't argue. She turned around and asked her assistant to prep the anesthetic.

The medication was ready quickly. The nurse found a vein in Hazel's arm, inserted the needle, and slowly pushed the fluid in.

In less than five seconds, Hazel's vision began to swim. The ceiling lights spun wildly, growing increasingly blurry.

Her body went limp, her head lolling to the side.

Marcus quickly stepped closer, sat beside her, and gently grabbed her shoulders so she could lean against him.

Gideon stood there completely dumbfounded, staring at the two of them in confusion. "Local anesthesia would have been fine, why give her general?"

Marcus lifted his eyelids and cast a glance at him. The icy impatience in his eyes mirrored the exact same look Hazel had given him earlier.

Gideon shuddered under that intense gaze, instantly losing the nerve to speak.

Just then, Gideon's phone rang, shattering the tense silence of the emergency room.

He pulled it out, checked the caller ID, and walked out to the hallway, taking a seat on a bench and keeping his voice low.

"Mom, what is it?"