The Contract That Became Forever

JEALOUSY

CHAPTER 6

Two days after the surgery, Sophia was at the hospital every afternoon.

Her mom was awake now. Stronger. Sitting up, eating, making jokes with the nurses.

Sophia was updating her chart when Nurse Daniel walked in. Young. Friendly. He’d been kind to her mom all week.

"Miss Bennett," Daniel said, smiling. "Your mom’s vitals look great. You must be good luck."

Sophia laughed. "Just a daughter who refuses to leave."

Daniel leaned against the counter. "You should take a break sometime. Let me buy you coffee? Hospital cafeteria. My treat."

Sophia was about to answer when the door opened.

Ethan Hart walked in.

He was in a suit. Again. He looked out of place and perfect at the same time. His eyes swept the room and landed on Daniel. Then on Sophia. Then back to Daniel.

The air changed.

"What are you doing here?" Sophia asked, surprised.

"Board meeting got canceled," Ethan said. His voice was flat. "Thought I’d check on your mother."

He walked to the bed. "Mrs. Bennett. You look better."

Sophia’s mom smiled. "Mr. Hart. What a nice surprise. Sophia didn’t tell me you were coming."

Ethan glanced at Sophia. "She didn’t know."

Daniel cleared his throat. "I’ll, uh, let you all have some privacy."

"Actually," Ethan said, turning. "You’re the nurse on duty?"

"Yes sir."

"I’ll need a full report on Mrs. Bennett’s medication schedule. And the name of her attending physician."

Daniel blinked. "I can get that for you."

"Do that," Ethan said.

The moment Daniel left, Ethan turned to Sophia. "Coffee?"

"What?"

"You said you hadn’t eaten. Let’s get coffee."

Sophia frowned. "We can get it from the machine here."

Ethan was already walking to the door. "Cafeteria."

---

They sat in silence with two coffees between them.

"That nurse," Ethan said finally.

"What about him?"

"He was flirting with you."

Sophia nearly choked on her coffee. "He was being nice."

"He asked you out," Ethan said. His jaw was tight.

Sophia stared at him. "Are you jealous, Mr. Hart?"

Ethan looked away. "I’m protecting the contract. If people think you’re seeing someone else, it complicates things."

"Right," Sophia said quietly. "The contract."

They didn’t talk the rest of the way home.

That night, Sophia lay in bed and thought about the way Ethan’s eyes had darkened when Daniel smiled at her.

Jealousy.

It didn’t make sense. And it terrified her.