Out of Control: Into Your Everything-Chapter 208: Refusal to Meet

The two of them just stood outside, not going in, and their expressions were identical, as if they were in mourning. The atmosphere was so heavy that anyone who didn’t know better would think they were planning to hang themselves here.

Josiah Sutton asked, "Why are you here?"

Julian Ford’s illness was kept very secret, only known to those close to him and not a word was leaked to anyone else.

"I have something to say to Julian Ford."

It was Yana Yarrow who spoke.

She paused for a moment, and when Josiah Sutton’s curious and questioning gaze fell upon her, she added, "It’s something Scarlett wanted me to convey."

Josiah Sutton’s eyes darkened thoughtfully.

Yana Yarrow’s face didn’t look good, with visible panic and hesitation in her eyes. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have stood outside the hospital room for two hours, still hesitant to enter.

However, Jasper Spencer spoke up on her behalf to Josiah Sutton: "Julian Ford just had surgery yesterday, and Yana Yarrow isn’t sure if it’s appropriate to talk to him now. Could you go in and check first?"

Josiah Sutton glanced at Jasper Spencer, somewhat surprised.

This guy was unexpectedly calm and thoughtful today.

Since Yana Yarrow was conveying a message for Scarlett, it seemed certain that Julian Ford would want to see her. But Josiah Sutton still wanted to go in first to assess the situation.

Thus, he nodded, pushed open the door, and entered.

The hospital bed was in the bedroom of the suite, and the first thing that caught his eye was a woman’s coat hanging on the wardrobe by the door.

Josiah Sutton recognized it as something Scarlett had worn.

To the left was the bathroom, and on the sink were two tightly placed toothbrush cups, one blue, one pink, inseparable.

In the compartment next to the bathroom mirror, skincare products, shower gel, and other daily necessities were neatly arranged. The shower gel had a distinct rose fragrance, clearly a type Scarlett liked to use.

In the spacious luxury hospital room, every corner, every inch of air, bore traces of Scarlett.

Josiah Sutton suddenly felt he couldn’t breathe.

He realized he had made a cognitive error—

He had been so focused on understanding why Scarlett left Julian Ford that he underestimated the pain losing Scarlett would cause Julian Ford.

Between good friends, there were always jokes about who was worse off. Josiah Sutton couldn’t help but wonder if comparing his loss to Julian Ford’s, they were now equally miserable. The only difference was that he had lost someone long ago, and the time that had passed made the pain numb.

While Julian Ford was still at the beginning of his loss.

The pain was vividly intense, immeasurable, and endless.

Dr. Lawson and other medical staff were inside examining the newly awakened Julian Ford. When Josiah Sutton entered, he saw Julian Ford sitting up against the pillow, his stern face pale, and lips dry.

The nurse beside him handed over a cup of water, which he coldly refused.

So calm, so indifferent, as if he remained the same enigmatic, unreachable Julian Ford from before.

The one without Scarlett by his side.

The feeling of suffocation grew heavier again. Josiah Sutton took a deep breath, but then he saw the needle in Julian Ford’s left hand, and his ring finger had on the ring he had taken off before surgery.

At that moment, Josiah Sutton was there, and heard Julian Ford tell Scarlett that after the surgery, she must put it back on for him.

He also said that the first person he wanted to see upon waking had to be her.

And she had promised solemnly that she wouldn’t leave his side.

Yet the reality that truly arrived was Julian Ford opening his eyes from pain, only to see a cold, pale ceiling. The doctor was called by a nurse who noticed his awakening, and that solitary ring on the bedside table was placed back on by himself.

His palm was empty, unable to grasp anything.

His side was cold, without Scarlett.

Josiah Sutton suddenly remembered a line he once read in a book:

When two people part, it’s not as simple as tearing a piece of paper. The one who leaves first empties out the life of the one left behind.

He felt that, at this moment, that Julian Ford on the hospital bed, who seemed unchanged from before, was hollow.

...

Dr. Lawson finished checking all the indicators and, finding no major issues, looked around instinctively.

Retracting his gaze, he asked Julian Ford with a confused look, "President Ford, isn’t Miss Shaw here?"

Before the surgery, all the preliminary checks had Scarlett by Julian Ford’s side. Many necessary procedures requiring family cooperation were also handled by Scarlett. Now that Dr. Lawson had matters to explain to the family, Scarlett was naturally the first person he thought of.

"She’s not here."

Julian Ford’s voice was cold and clear, devoid of emotion.

Dr. Lawson paused, then, with a professional demeanor, quickly said, "For the follow-up treatment plan, we still need to communicate and confirm with your family in advance."

"Just communicate with me."

At this point, Josiah Sutton walked over, greeted Dr. Lawson, and said with a polite smile:

"In the future, anything you need to communicate, just tell me directly; it’s the same."

After he finished speaking, Julian Ford on the hospital bed looked up at him, his eyes deep and dark, like an endless black hole.

Dr. Lawson, an outsider, naturally didn’t notice anything strange about the atmosphere, and as he exited the room, he said to Josiah Sutton:

"Although the biopsy results were malignant, it was caught early for President Ford. After excision, apart from a few necessary chemotherapy sessions, maintaining a positive outlook is the most important. When Miss Shaw was here before, President Ford’s condition was quite good."

The implication being that today, seeing him cold and detached, the best person to accompany him would still be Scarlett.

Dr. Lawson refrained from saying it too bluntly, but Josiah Sutton understood.

He pulled a corner of his lips, "I understand. Thank you."

After seeing Dr. Lawson off, he turned back into the hospital room.

Julian Ford on the bed was still in the same posture as before, except his head was turned toward the window, his gaze fixed outside.

As Josiah Sutton approached, he noticed Julian Ford’s breathing was heavy.

After all, a flesh-and-blood man, having gone through such major surgery, no matter how he appeared on the surface, post-operative pain was inevitable.

Even if Scarlett were here, it wouldn’t avoid this.

But if Scarlett were here, Julian Ford wouldn’t have the expression he had now.

Josiah Sutton composed himself, maintaining as normal a tone as possible when he said, "Scarlett’s friend, Yana Yarrow, wants to see you. She said Scarlett has something she wanted Yana to convey to you."

After saying this, Josiah Sutton was actually ready to call Yana Yarrow in.

But he didn’t expect Julian Ford’s response to be:

"No."