Chapter 43
Julian already scheduled two full health check–ups for Agatha every year. No one knew her body better than he did.
Agatha glared at him. “What incompetent doctor? That young lady is doing just fine. She’s skilled, steady, and knows exactly what she’s doing.”
Her eyes suddenly lit up. “She’d make a perfect granddaughter–in–law.”
Julian raised his brow in exasperation. “Every time you meet a young, breathing woman, you think she’s a candidate for
your granddaughter–in–law.‘
“So what? Don’t you trust my judgment?”
He sighed. “Grandma, it’s about compatibility.”
“Compatibility? How will you know if you never meet?” Agatha refused to back down. “Just wait. I’ll visit a few more times, get to know her, then bring her for you to see. She’s well–behaved and beautiful.”
Julian rubbed his temple, feeling a headache coming on. Then he pressed a hand to his stomach. “Grandma, I’m
hungry.”
“You haven’t eaten yet?” She shot to her feet, dropped her cane, and walked briskly into the kitchen. “Wait here. I’ll
make pasta.”
Elliot, standing nearby, spoke up hesitantly. “Should we look into this doctor? Just in case your grandmother’s being
scammed?”
“No need.” Julian set down the bowl of bitter medicine and sniffed it. His expression turned icy. “As long as she’s happy,
that’s what matters.”
“What about this medicine?”
“Just bitter tea. A scam to get her money.” Julian leaned back on the sofa, stretched his legs awkwardly, and said coldly,
“Just make sure that doctor never sets foot in this house again.”
Elliot nodded. “Yes, sir.”
He glanced at his phone, frowned, and said, “Ms. Wilson is attending the family banquet tomorrow night.”
Julian pressed a finger to the corner of his lip. “When has she ever missed one?”
“If she goes, she might face another discipline ceremony. Should we skip it instead-”
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“What does that have to do with me?” Julian cut him off. “She likes Caleb. Let him deal with it.”
Elliot hesitated, sensing he had crossed a line.
Agatha soon returned with a steaming plate of pasta. She looked at her grandson and sighed. “If the Sterlings find out you came here, they won’t make trouble, right?”
She meant the matriarch of the Sterling family–Julian’s other grandmother.
“Make trouble?” His gaze turned sharp for a moment, but his tone softened when he looked at her. “She wouldn’t dare.”
He picked up the plate. “From now on, you’re the only grandmother I’ll recognize.”
Sydney always wore dresses at home, no matter the season. Thus, Tiffany blinked in surprise when she stepped out in
pants. “Why aren’t you wearing your usual dresses?”
“I’m going to the Sterling estate,” Sydney said simply.
Seeing the confusion on Tiffany’s face, she added, “I’m expecting a kneeling punishment. These pants are two layers
thick.”
Tiffany accepted the answer, though something about it didn’t sit right.
After breakfast, they left together.
“I thought you had today off,” Tiffany said. “You’ve been seeing patients nonstop for days.
“I do.” Sydney offered a gentle smile. “But since I’m always home with nothing to do, I might as well help out.”
Truthfully, she just didn’t want to be alone today. The clinic was busy, which kept her mind from wandering.
Later that afternoon, she had just finished removing acupuncture needles from a patient when a few young nurses at the window called out, “It’s snowing again!”
Sydney checked the time, hurried back to her office, changed her coat, grabbed her bag, and got ready to leave.
A heavy snowstorm had been forecast, and the roads were likely to freeze. She had to leave early to avoid traffic and any
excuse someone might use to stir up trouble if she arrived late.
The cab driver was frugal, keeping the heat off to save power. The car was freezing.
Sydney rubbed her hands together in the back seat.
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“Sorry,” the driver said, glancing at her in the mirror. “Just trying to save a bit of fuel to squeeze out a few more miles.”
