After Rebirth, I Replaced My Ex-Husband's True Love-Chapter 88: Ivan Underwood’s Unusual Behavior

Chapter 88: Chapter 88: Ivan Underwood’s Unusual Behavior

When Azure Vaughn was mentioned, Henry Preston’s desire seemed to fade a little.

"You say she’s not petty, but no woman is generous in relationships unless she doesn’t truly love you." I continued to persuade him, "Do you really want to see her sad and upset? What would happen if she knew you and I had been intimate?"

His gaze gradually became clearer, as if he was seriously contemplating my words.

Just when I let out a sigh of relief, he kissed me again, as if what I had just said was nonsense.

I’m impressed with myself, discussing emotional ethics with a beast?

I didn’t know how long we carried on, but my eyelids couldn’t stay open, while Henry was still full of energy. I mumbled sleepily, "Let me sleep, I just got out of the hospital..."

The hand roaming over me stopped, and Henry embraced me from behind without moving further. Before I fully drifted into dreams, I felt his lips plant a kiss on my shoulder.

The consequence of having just been discharged and then engaging in intense activity was that the next day my head didn’t feel right, and Henry was no longer in the room.

The air still carried an indescribable scent, making me hold my head as I felt even worse.

Adhering to the "health first" principle, I skipped breakfast and had Lane take me to the hospital for a check-up.

As fate would have it, it was Ivan Underwood’s appointment again.

"Take your blood pressure, roll up your sleeve." He acted as if we weren’t familiar, his voice somewhat indifferent.

I hesitated for a moment, took off my thick coat, but inadvertently pulled down my scarf too. I quickly grabbed the scarf to wrap it back up, but Ivan’s gaze had already changed, staring at my neck.

There were various marks Henry had left the night before, unsightly indeed.

I rolled up my undershirt’s sleeve, placed my arm on the table awkwardly, "Alright, let’s do it."

I don’t know if it was my imagination, but I felt Ivan’s gaze turn a bit colder than before. He picked up the blood pressure band, adjusted my wrist with such force that I almost thought he wanted to break my hand.

Everything proceeded in silence. After taking my blood pressure, Ivan ruled out the possibility of it being caused by abnormal blood pressure, then coldly asked some questions, gave me an order for tests, and let me go have them done.

The final result was that I had drunk alcohol and didn’t rest well, which worsened my not yet fully healed condition.

"You just got discharged yesterday and went drinking, you’ve got some nerve." Ivan removed his mask, his face cold, already looking distant and aloof, now it was akin to the frozen surface of the Arctic sea.

"A friend came back, I was just excited..." I felt a bit guilty, yesterday was certainly out of line.

"Dylan Dawson?" Ivan naturally knew about Dylan Dawson.

I nodded.

Then he dropped a bombshell, "Those hickeys on your neck, did he do them?"

I was startled, "Dr. Underwood, food can be eaten recklessly, but words should not be spoken that way."

"So it was Henry Preston." This time it was a statement.

"I’m here for a consultation... Why are you fixated on this?" I was extremely puzzled.

Ivan paused, seeming to realize the inappropriateness, and finally reorganized his words as a doctor should. "If you don’t want to be hospitalized again, rest well, quit smoking, drinking, and nightlife. I’ll prescribe some medication, remember to take it on time."

Ten minutes later, I picked up the medication and left the hospital, and Lane dutifully drove me back home.

When I got home, I didn’t get out of the car immediately but asked Lane, "Lane, you haven’t gone back for the New Year for the past two years, have you?"

"No, ma’am." Lane replied.

"This year you should go back for a change. I’ll give you a big red envelope as a year-end bonus. You can head back tomorrow and return after the Lantern Festival." I said.

"Madam, this..." Lane was clearly a bit at a loss.

I hurried to explain, "It’s not that I’m letting you go, didn’t I say? You still have to come back after the Lantern Festival. Just take this car when you return, and you can cover the fuel cost yourself."

After saying that, I got out of the car, not giving Lane much chance to speak.

As the saying goes, adversity shows true affection, in the past life Lane stuck with me to the end. Although he couldn’t assist me much, he diligently served as a driver and even took care of me for a few days when I was hospitalized. I was actually aware of his feelings for me, but given our vastly different statuses, he never expressed them.

If I remember correctly, it was this Spring Festival that his father passed away due to a brain hemorrhage because there was no transportation to the hospital in time for rescue.

I hoped this time his father could be saved.

Just as I finished dinner after getting home, my dad called. After some small talk, he asked, "Did you mention to Henry Preston about coming over for a meal? Did you forget?"

I had indeed forgotten!

"I’ll mention it to him in the next couple of days, Dad, you know how busy he is at the end of the year." I evasively replied.

"That’s why you must do it early. Tomorrow, bring him over. That’s it!" My dad’s attitude towards Henry Preston had done a complete 180 because Henry had saved his reputation.

I looked at the phone after it hung up, feeling a headache. After hesitating for a few minutes, I finally dialed Henry’s number.

After a few rings, he picked up, but it was very noisy on the other end, accompanied by the sound of men playing drinking games. He was likely at a dinner party.

"Are you busy? If you are, I’ll text you." I asked.

"Not busy, go ahead." Henry’s voice was clear despite the noise.

"Are you free tomorrow?" I wanted to clarify his schedule first.

Henry hesitated for a moment, replied, "I need to head over to the second plant."

As expected, very busy. After a few seconds of silence, I decided to give up, "Alright, I was just checking."

"Okay." He ended the call.

I let out a sigh. With the awkward relationship between me and Henry Preston right now, inviting him to my house for dinner would be quite uncomfortable. If his relationship with my dad eased up, a future divorce would become even more complex.

But how could I refuse my dad? Saying Henry is busy and can’t come, he’d surely see it as an excuse. Who can’t spare time for a meal?

Amidst my thoughts, I remembered the advice Ivan Underwood had given about resting well, and I actually fell asleep.

When exactly Henry returned, I didn’t know, but I awoke partly to feel an arm wrapping around me from behind, which startled me awake.

"Henry?" I called out.

"Yeah," he replied, also sounding a bit drowsy, "go back to sleep."

His steady breathing resonated in my ear, and he seemed to fall asleep right after speaking. I felt a strange sensation in my heart, this posture felt like that of a loving couple, but that wasn’t the case for Henry and me.

His embrace was very warm. I hesitated for a moment, then snuggled in a bit more.