"It is, isn’t it?" Alia asked rhetorically. "That’s why I had to let you know. It’s one thing if Caleb cos to out of his own free will. It’s a whole other matter if he gets sent away from your side because of soone you trusted."
"Alia! Don’t talk nonsense!" Emline shrieked, her face paling so much she could almost be mistaken for a fellow patient, if not for her being clad head to toe in designer outfits. She imdiately rushed to Kelsie’s side.
"Kelsie, don’t listen to her― she’s lying! You know how important you are to !" Emline blubbered impressively, clutching Kelsie’s hand with fervent desperation. "I didn’t say anything like that! First, she shoved to the floor, then she maligns ! She’s nothing but a scheming liar!"
"Am I, though?" Alia cocked her head, a mockery of thoughtfulness. "Kelsie, you’re a smart woman. I think you know full well in your heart what happened."
"Alia! Stop trying to drive a wedge between us! Kelsie and I are best friends. I would never do anything to hurt her!" Emline cried out, tears welling in her eyes. How dare Alia use her words against her!
"We’re practically sisters. You’re just jealous that I have a best friend and you don’t!"
"Do you think I’m a preschooler?" Alia retorted. "And if Kelsie is your sister, then she should be worried. I’m practically your sister, and you tried to kill on a snowy mountain. "
"Kelsie, I might not have any goodwill towards you, but you should be careful. She was ready to throw your relationship under the bus this ti around, but who knows? She might throw you under the bus next... literally," Alia added.
A muscle twitched in Kelsie’s jaw. She couldn’t deny she had heard Emline’s voice floating in the corridor, and with it ca the nas of Caleb and Alia. That was why she had made a beeline for Emline’s direction, only to see Alia shove her to the floor.
But even if she was suspicious of Emline, she knew better than to show it in front of her. No matter what, Emline was a Hawthorne. She could not afford to burn bridges when she didn’t have a replacent ready in the wings.
"You could be lying," Kelsie pointed out. "It’s your word against hers."
"A simple CCTV review would let you know if I’m telling the truth or not," Alia said dryly. "Should we call the Director to ask for the tapes?"
"No!" Emline exclaid loudly before she hastily collected herself. Everyone stared at her, surprised by the vehence in her voice.
Alia smirked internally, and she continued to address Kelsie, as though Emline had not spoken.
"But what I said will never be untrue. In the end, you’re still not as important to Emline as Matteo is to her," Alia couldn’t help but add. "You know that better than anyone. You know full well what this friend of yours is willing to do to get her hands on Matteo."
The bruising of Alia’s body was testimony to that.
"If I were to take up her offer..." She pointed at Caleb. "Do you think this man would still be plastered to your side, or would he simply beco my loyal lapdog?"
"You―" Kelsie’s eyes flashed with anger, but Alia knew from the way her eyes darted to Emline for the briefest of seconds that her words had hit ho.
She didn’t need to say anything more; hopefully, the words would bury themselves underneath Kelsie’s skin and spread their poison. It was ti for her to leave.
As if he sensed her mood, the door slid open to reveal Matteo, whose displeased expression turned thunderous the mont he caught sight of the peanut gallery surrounding his wife.
Alia wondered what he and Horace Hawthorne spoke about.
"Matteo!" Emline tried to go towards it, but Matteo dodged her with a side-step that would make any professional tennis player proud. He only had eyes for Alia, and he quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed a tender kiss to her lips.
"I’m sorry you had to wait for ," Matteo said, "If I had known this riff-raff would be outside, I wouldn’t have taken so long."
"It’s fine, Matteo," Alia said, purposely leaning against him as she batted her eyelashes. "You’re here now." She wouldn’t have acted so coy usually, but with such an annoying audience watching her every move, she felt the urge to play up her relationship with Matteo.
Matteo, to his credit, understood her perfectly. He smiled handsoly and cupped her cheek with his palm.
"I would never leave you. Now let’s go, I believe we have better things to do than to waste our ti with these people." He held her hand and kissed her knuckles reverently. "Let’s go."
"Matteo, I―" Emline began but Matteo’s eyes turned wintry in an instant, the animosity in his gaze causing her to stumble back.
Alia held her head high, and with her hand clasped firmly in Matteo’s own, walked out of the hospital corridor. When she was sure they were far enough, she let out a sigh.
"Matteo, can I ask you for a favor?"
"Anything I can give is yours," Matteo said, and she had to cough at the earnestness in his voice.
"It’s not that serious, I just want to visit my father." Alia bit her lip. "I realize that he hasn’t heard from in so long, he must have been sick with worry!"
"I have already inford him of your recovery when we were flying back, but I’m sure he’ll want to see you in person. We’ll go and see him now if you’re feeling up to it?" Matteo asked, and Alia nodded.
Matteo quickly shot Ronan a text― hopefully, he wouldn’t be too mad about wasting a trip only to et back at his place.
In no ti at all, they arrived at Dimitri’s house. However, before they could enter the building, they stumbled upon a peculiar sight. Two burly security guards were gripping the arms of an elderly man, who was desperately trying to shake them off.
"Unhand this instance! You don’t know who I am! You’re making a big mistake!"
"Probably another trespasser," Matteo muttered into her ear, his hand an insistent pressure at the small of her back, wordlessly prompting her to walk faster.
Alia got the hint and quickened her footsteps; this man could be so random reporter out for a scoop.
They wouldn’t have stopped, but then that man caught sight of Alia and started to yell in a louder voice.
"Unhand this instance! Don’t you know? I’m related to Alia Kentwood!"
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