Once Bitten, Twice Shy

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Both Samantha and Timothy immediately looked toward the door.

Old Madam Barker and Aunt Julia stormed in with a worried look on their faces.

Timothy and Samantha could not help but glance at each other and notice the surprise in each other’s expressions.

Ronald had stopped any news outlets from picking up on their injuries, so it was unlikely for Old Madam Barker to know about it.

Samantha was the first to come to her senses. “Grandma, why…are you here?”

Old Madam Barker walked up to her and thoroughly checked her condition to make sure that she was not lacking an arm or a leg. The old lady then looked at Timothy, only to see that his face was pale and weak. A distressed look immediately appeared on the old lady’s face, but at the same time, she was incensed too.

The first words that came out of her mouth were reproachment. “How dare the two of you hide this from me! I wouldn’t’ve known about this if the hospital director wasn’t an old friend of mine. Were you two planning on keeping this from me?”

When she received the hospital director’s call in the middle of the night two days ago, she was so frightened that she nearly suffered a heart attack. She would not be able to continue living with herself if any of her grandson and granddaughter-in-law ended up in an accident!

Although the old lady was admonishing them, Samantha heard hints of trepidation from her tone and hugged her right away to comfort her. “I’m sorry, Grandma. We were just scared that you’d get overly worried. We’re all fine now. Everything is fine.”

Timothy also reached out and held Old Madam Barker’s hand gently. “Don’t worry, Grandma.”

Old Madam Barker took a few deep breaths and could finally set her heart at ease.

Aunt Julia added, “Mr. Barker, Mrs. Barker… Please don’t do that again in the future. The old lady was super anxious when she rushed over here. She kept praying on the plane and we hurried over as soon as we got off. She didn’t even get a sip of water.”

When Samantha heard that, she helped Old Madam Barker to take a seat on the sofa at the other end. She then went to pour her some water but was stopped by Aunt Julia. “Mrs. Barker, your body is still a little weak. Please take it easy. I’ll do it!” she said, then placed a bouquet of lilies on the coffee table before going to pour some water.

She brought back three cups of water, one each for the old lady, Samantha, and Timothy.

Old Madam Barker took a big sip and finally managed to calm her anger a little.

Samantha drank half the cup of water as well. As she set the cup down, she could not help but stare confusedly at the lilies on the table.

Aunt Julia said that they had rushed over as soon as they got off the plane, which probably meant that they had no time to get any flowers. Where did those lilies come from then?

After Aunt Julia handed the cup of water to Timothy, she turned around to see Samantha looking at the lilies. Her explanation was, “I saw those lilies on the floor just outside the ward and I decided to bring them in because Mr. Barker’s name was written on the card.”

Someone went there and brought flowers to visit Timothy.

Curious, Samantha asked, “Where’s the person who gave these?”

Aunt Julia shook her head. “We didn’t see anyone!”

Old Madam Barker took out the card from amongst the flowers. Only the words ‘For Timothy’ were printed on the card. There was not even a signature or an inscription.

The old lady was curious too. “Who could’ve given these flowers? They didn’t even leave their name.”

She only knew about Timothy’s injury through her acquaintance, the hospital director. The only other people who would also have knowledge about it were Timothy’s friends Jonathan and Zachary.

Judging from their characters, they were unlikely to buy him a bunch of flowers even if they came to visit. On the other hand, it was far more probable for a woman to buy flowers when visiting a man at the hospital…

Samantha analyzed the possibilities and could not help but remark in a slightly bitter tone, “Maybe it’s one of Mr. Barker’s close female friends again.”

‘Mr. Barker.’

Timothy smirked when he heard her address him that way.

Whenever Samantha was unhappy with him, she always called him ‘Mr. Barker’ in a cold, detached, and courteous manner.

He used to get upset when she called him that, but he had since grown to enjoy her saying ‘Mr. Barker’.

Samantha glanced at him from the corner of her eyes and saw that he was actually smiling rather than feeling penitent.

Was he that proud to have so many close female friends?

She had not been with a single man during their two-year period of separation, but he was always surrounded by women and probably could go through one after another.

Samantha started to wonder just how genuine his confession was.

He seemed to have sensed her resentful gaze and turned to look at Samantha. The gleefulness deep in his eyes became even more prominent as he curled his lips into a smile. “Come here, Samantha.”

‘You’re asking me to go there?

‘Do you seriously have the decency to order me around?

‘Aren’t you afraid that I’ll leave you bedridden for another half a month if I can’t control myself and end up punching you’

Samantha stayed where she was, as if she had not heard him.

Timothy did not seem irritated at all. He merely frowned, covered his heart with his hands, and faked an agonized expression.

The next second, Samantha stood up, rushed to the bed, and asked nervously, “Are you in pain, Timothy? I’ll call the doctor!”

She reached out to ring the call bell.

Timothy grabbed her hand all of a sudden and left Samantha briefly stunned. He tightened his grip on her and exerted a little bit of force to pull her toward him.

The distance between them was instantly reduced and they were so close that the tips of their noses were within millimeters of contact. Timothy stared deeply into her eyes and whispered a question, “Are you jealous?”

Samantha was speechless.

He turned out to have tricked her! A flash of anger appeared in Samantha’s eyes.

Samantha initially decided to deny it when she saw the teasing look in his eyes, but before she could utter her refutation, she paused for a moment and said instead, “You’re right. I’m jealous!”

Was it wrong for her to be upset about it?

“So, since you’ve said that we’ll be living happily together in the future, you should…cut off all ties and get rid of all those random women you have out there!”

She shot back using the same words he once said to her.

The least he could do was show his sincerity if he wanted to start over.

It was important that they put their cards on the table!

If he were to continue frolicking with other women even though he had told her he wanted to have a happy life with her in the future, she would not be able to bear it and would still get a divorce.

Timothy stared intently at Samantha.

He wondered just how long it had been since he saw that arrogant side of her.

She had absolutely no idea how much he had missed her unbridled attitude in front of him.

Timothy’s smile widened and he finally responded, “Okay.”

It was a blunt yet unhesitant reply.

Samantha was a little stunned because she did not expect him to agree so easily.

Timothy then added in no hurry, “My wife’s wish is my command.”

Samantha was even more taken aback. Her feet felt a little light and she was finding it a little difficult to stand straight.

Old Madam Barker and Aunt Julia both beamed with a smile. The saying that ‘adversity is the first path to truth’ made infinite sense.

…

A flurry of emotions streaked past the eyes of a woman who was standing outside the door. She had seen everything that transpired. About half a minute later, an unsettling smile appeared on her lips.

She took out her cell phone rather than entering the ward..