Loyalty and Desire: The Twin's Forbidden Attractions

Chapter 4: The Rude Man

Zoey carefully made her way down the seemingly never-ending hallway, her arms extended out in front of her, balancing a tray of food. After what felt like an eternity, she finally arrived at the door to the furthest room on the third floor, which she had been specifically directed to. With utmost care, she used her elbow and gently pushed the door open.

The moment she stepped inside the room, the overpowering scent of disinfectants and drugs instantly assaulted her senses and made her hold her breath for a second.

Zoey stopped and squinted her eyes, trying to adjust to the dimness of the room. The room was too dark for the middle of the morning, which was already bright and sunny, and she quickly realized why. She noticed that the heavy curtains over the large window remained closed, casting a shadow over the entire room.

Red and green lights intermittently flickered from one side, creating an eerie atmosphere that made Zoey suddenly feel uneasy. She could hear the sound of machines humming at regular intervals and an electrocardiogram echoing throughout the room, adding to the sense of foreboding.

As her eyes adjusted to the dim light, Zoey could make out the shape of a large bed next to several medical machines. The man lying on the bed was hooked up to an uncountable number of wires and lines, making him seem like a machine himself. He remained as still as a statue, his face hidden from view, with only the sound of his faint, raspy breath breaking the silence alongside those of the machines.

However, despite the man's condition, Zoey couldn't shake the feeling that he might suddenly jump up and lunge at her like he had done last night in the hallway.

The fear from last night’s encounter flooded back into her mind, making her hesitate before stepping further into the room. While she stood there, uncertain and still holding the tray of food tightly in her hands, the man suddenly turned his head and opened his eyes.

Zoey froze in place, unsure of what to do, wondering if she should leave. A moment passed in silence before he seemed to slowly blink at Zoey, and then he attempted to speak, his voice coming out in a raspy yet soothing tone.

"Is that you, Zoey?" he asked.

Zoey took a small step closer to the bed, her voice barely above a whisper as she answered, "Yes. It's me. I brought you breakfast." She hoped her voice conveyed a sense of calm and reassurance, but her heart was racing in her chest, making it hard to speak.

As she took another step into the room, she was suddenly interrupted by her husband's desperate cry in a raspy voice, "No! Don't come in!" His voice was so urgent and sharp that Zoey froze in place, shocked by the unexpected rejection. Her heart pounded harder in her chest, and she wondered if his sudden reaction had something to do with what happened last night.

Zoey's hands clenched around the tray, causing the plates to rattle slightly as she tried to reason with Ryan. "Ryan, you don't need to get agitated, I just--"

She didn't get to finish her sentence before a large hand jerked her out of the way from behind. Caught off guard, Zoey let out a loud scream as she lost her grip on the tray, causing everything to crash to the floor with a loud and chaotic noise. She stumbled back and hit the wall next to the door, disoriented and dazed.

Still not sure what had just happened, Zoey slid down the wall and sat on the floor. Zoey stared at the mess of food and broken plates scattered all over the floor. The aroma of the spilled food was overpowering and mixed with the strong scent of disinfectants and chemicals, making her feel almost nauseous.

Zoey let out a low groan, suddenly feeling the aches and pains in her body. She drew her legs towards her chest, wincing as she noticed the soreness in several places, including the back of her head, which made her feel dizzy. Gingerly, she put a hand to her head, feeling a bump forming, and winced at the pain. Zoey was disoriented, trying to piece together what had just happened.

In the haze of pain, Zoey heard Evan's frantic voice. "Ryan, are you okay? What happened? Did that woman do something to you?" She looked up and saw Evan leaning over the bed, checking on his brother. Zoey couldn't see Ryan's face from where she was sitting, but she could hear him breathing heavily and irregularly.

Then, suddenly, Ryan’s raspy voice cut through the room. “Evan, call the doctor! How could you push Zoey like that?”

Evan jerked his head back as though shocked by his brother’s outburst and finally turned his head and looked at Zoey. For a moment, he seemed confused at the scene before him and unable to comprehend what Zoey was doing on the floor against the wall. Then he blinked and remorse entered his eyes for a split second before he immediately reached for his phone.

***

The doctor who arrived for the emergency house call was a man of short stature, with a distinguished appearance characterized by his salt and pepper hair, closely cropped to his scalp.

Though he was not clad in the traditional white lab coat, his attire exuded an air of professionalism and sophistication. A crisp white dress shirt was impeccably paired with a cozy cardigan, and perfectly tailored black pants completed his elegant ensemble. Despite the absence of the customary doctor's garb, his demeanor was reassuring and his competence undeniable.

Dr. Derek quickly made his way over to Zoey and began to examine her. He checked her pulse, asked her a few questions about how she was feeling, and then began to examine her arm and the back of her head where she had hit the wall.

Zoey winced as he prodded the tender spots on her arm, but she kept quiet as Dr. Derek continued his examination. After a few moments, he looked up at Evan and nodded. "She seems to be fine," he said, "except for a bruise on her arm and the back of her head. Nothing serious."

A sigh of relief left Zoey’s lips on a soft exhale. She was grateful that the injuries weren't more serious. It was obvious the whole situation had already made everyone tense. A serious injury would have just made things worse. Dr. Derek gave her a small smile and a reassuring pat on the shoulder before he quickly checked Ryan’s machines and took his leave.

Then Zoey found herself facing Evan again. And she was met with a glare that made her skin crawl.

“What is your problem?” Evan snarled at her. “It’s not enough for you to play hard to get, but now you have to cause commotions early in the morning and upset my brother?”

Zoey gaped at the man in shock, her heart racing with anger. For a moment, she couldn't find the words to respond, even as her anger began to bubble up. Her hands clenched at her sides as she suddenly stood up and faced Evan.

The sudden movement made her dizzy, but Zoey stayed on her feet. The room was still dim, with the curtains closed and the lights kept off, so it was hard to make out everything.

But she didn’t miss the way his eyes ran up and down her body in disdain. That pushed Zoey over the edge in a heartbeat. She had agreed to the marriage to secure her life and that of her mother, but she was not prepared to be spoken to and walked all over by a man who lacked a single cell of respect in his body.

“I caused a commotion?” she gritted out through clenched teeth. “You pushed me and nearly cracked my skull open against the wall. You should be apologizing for your brutish misconduct, not throwing false accusations at me.” Zoey returned his up-and-down look of disdain before adding, “I never would have guessed that the Abarough CEO was just an uncivilized, rude man.”

The silence that fell in the room following her words was almost palpable with tension. Zoey met Evan’s glare head-on, refusing to back down.

Suddenly Ryan’s raspy voice cut it and snapped both their attention. “Evan, what are you doing? Are you trying to upset Zoey and make her leave?”

Evan turned his head and looked down at his brother. He gently grabbed Ryan’s hand and exhaled. Part of him wanted to put Zoey in her place and prove to his brother that Zoey wasn’t worth the trouble. But he knew Ryan really liked her and he didn’t want to upset his brother. Especially not in his condition.

Evan was still fuming but desperately trying to calm down when he heard Ryan speak again. But this time he was talking to Zoey and his voice, although still raspy, took on a gentler touch.

“Zoey, I apologize on behalf of my brother.” He paused a moment to breathe. “I understand you are supposed to visit your family today?”

“Yes,” Zoey’s small voice said.

Evan frowned at his brother, wondering what he was up to. He knew Ryan too well and knew his brother was never one to ask a question for no reason. And he was proved right when Ryan spoke and suggested what Evan had feared was coming.

“I understand I was supposed to come with you, but unfortunately I’m unwell and can’t leave my bed right now. But Evan can accompany you.”