Chapter 723

Evelyn felt a pang of disappointment when she realized her brother Oliver wasn't by her side. "Don't overthink it," she reassured herself. "The doctor's just being cautious with my nephew. Soon enough, the little one will be home where he belongs."

She nodded, deciding to trust the medical professionals. Since she needed to perform acupuncture on Dominic later, having Oliver around would be inconvenient. "I've got an appointment," she told him. "Why don't you explore the hospital for a while?"

Oliver shrugged and bid her farewell. As he turned to leave, his attention glued to his phone screen, he collided with a young woman.

"Ouch!" The girl rubbed her forehead, glaring up at him. "Do you have any idea how long it took to style these bangs?" Grace's complaint died on her lips as she got a proper look at the striking man before her.

Her breath caught. There was something hauntingly familiar about his chiseled features, though she couldn't place where she'd seen him before. Her pulse quickened as she found herself momentarily speechless.

Oliver, finally looking up from his device, offered a casual apology. "My bad. Want me to cover your salon bill? Or I can just compensate you directly."

Grace's mind went blank. An inexplicable magnetic pull seemed to draw her to this stranger. She'd always scoffed at the idea of love at first sight - until this moment. Heat flooded her cheeks as she fidgeted with the strap of her purse.

She'd come to the hospital after Vanessa's dramatic phone call, complaining that no one from the Whitmore family had visited since the birth. While Grace had little sympathy for her stepsister, the newborn deserved attention. She never expected to literally run into destiny on her way to the nursery.

Oliver's words became background noise as she studied his face - the strong jawline, the way his dark hair fell slightly over his forehead. He tilted his head, studying her flushed face. "You okay? I bumped your head, not your face. Why are you so red?"

Before she could respond, he reached out and pinched her cheek experimentally. "Hmm, soft. Doesn't seem injured."

Grace's heart threatened to beat out of her chest. The unexpected contact sent electric sparks through her nervous system. "It's nothing serious," she managed. "No compensation needed."

Completely oblivious, Oliver simply nodded. "Cool. Later then." He turned to leave.

Panic surged through Grace. In a city this size, she might never see him again. "Wait!" she blurted.

Oliver turned, one eyebrow arched. "Yeah?"

Grace's mind raced for an excuse. "What if... I develop complications later?" Even as the words left her mouth, she cringed internally. What kind of ridiculous excuse was that?

A knowing smirk played on Oliver's lips as he recognized her transparent ploy. "Oh? What do you propose then?"

"Give me your WhatsApp!" Grace demanded, then immediately wanted to vanish from embarrassment. Her cheeks burned as she fumbled for her phone, unable to meet his amused gaze.

Oliver chuckled deeply. "Asking for my number? Don't tell me it was love at first sight?"

Grace's denial came too quickly. "Of course not! I just... for medical reasons."

"Interesting," Oliver mused. "Just returned from abroad actually. Don't have WhatsApp set up yet. But here's my sister's number - she can relay messages."

Grace's brow furrowed as she input the digits. The profile that appeared showed a shirtless man with sculpted abs against a black background - hardly what she expected for a sister's account. A quick Instagram check revealed recent posts from a local café she frequented, tagged with a muscular forearm beside a coffee cup captioned "Decent brew."

Realization dawned. She'd been played. By the time she looked up, Oliver had disappeared into the hospital corridors. Staring at the profile picture, Grace wondered - were those really his abs? The thought sent fresh heat to her face.

Alexander arrived at Titan Capital Group before dawn. Year-end meant endless meetings and paperwork. Recent events had left his desk buried under unsigned documents. After powering through dozens before lunch, he massaged his temples.

Sleep had eluded him last night. He'd just closed his eyes for a quick nap when the hospital called. "Is there a problem with the baby?" he asked immediately.

"Your wife came by demanding to see the child," the doctor explained. "I denied access as instructed."

Alexander exhaled slowly. "How's the baby's condition?"

"Recovering remarkably well. Stronger than we anticipated. With continued progress, discharge in about a month seems likely."

Relief washed over Alexander. Despite Evelyn's betrayal, he genuinely cared for the child's wellbeing. Some wounds ran too deep for quick healing, but innocence deserved protection.