Chapter 229 A Meal Made With Love for a Patient
Meanwhile, Charlotte got out of the car outside the hospital under escort by her bodyguards. She came to the hospital to visit Justin. She had been angry with him a few days ago when Rachel didn’t return home. However, while she was still in a sulk, she heard that he had been hospitalized. She got anxious at once, and she insisted on coming to the hospital.
As soon as Charlotte exited the elevator and walked toward the ward, she saw a familiar figure standing against the wall from a distance. “Mommy?” she called tentatively at first. The instant Rachel looked back, her eyes immediately lit up, and she ran toward her. “Mommy! Why are you standing here instead of going in?”
Rachel was startled as well. Evidently, she didn’t expect to run into Charlotte here. “Why are you here, Charlotte?”
“I’m here to visit Daddy. You’re here to visit Daddy too, aren’t you, Mommy?”
“No, I’m not—”
Before Rachel could finish her sentence, Samuel was heard lecturing Justin in the ward. “Don’t waste the food. You must finish the meal Mommy prepared, or I won’t bring you meals anymore!”
Charlotte instantly figured out what had happened. “Mommy, did you prepare a meal for Daddy?” she asked. Then, before Rachel could speak, she immediately dragged her into the ward. “Come in with me, Mommy. Come in with me!”
Since Rachel wasn’t prepared, she staggered while Charlotte dragged her into the ward.
“Mommy?” Samuel looked back and winked at Rachel while standing in front of the sickbed. When he saw Charlotte, the two clever kids looked at each other knowingly.
Justin, who was eating the fish soup, started coughing at once when he saw Rachel.
Rachel frowned as she handed the box of tissue beside her to him.
Justin stopped coughing and resumed his overbearing manner. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t be coming?”
Rachel replied, “Frankie called me and said you refused to eat lunch because the food in the hospital wasn’t to your taste.”
Justin hemmed twice. “What a busybody.”
Charlotte chimed in, “Daddy, you always say one thing and mean another. You wanted to see Mommy, so you should give Mr. Beckham a pay raise. If it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t have had a meal made with love for a patient!”
A meal prepared with love for a patient? The atmosphere in the ward suddenly became somewhat awkward as Justin and Rachel exchanged glances.
Justin put down his cutlery without leaving any food in the lunch box. He then said in embarrassment, “I’ve finished the meal.”
Rachel didn’t say much either. She went over, packed up the lunch box, and beckoned to Samuel. “Time to go, Samuel.”
Samuel was startled by this, and he subconsciously shot a glance at Charlotte. The latter immediately asked, “Mommy, won’t you stay a little longer? Will you come again tonight?”
Rachel’s fine eyebrows furrowed slightly. Obviously, her troubled expression explained everything.
Justin’s face darkened at once. “Just leave. I’m going to have a rest.”
“Daddy!” Charlotte called out to him in displeasure.
Rachel was about to leave with Samuel when Frankie suddenly knocked on the door and came in. “President Burton, Mr. Jenkins would like to visit you.”
“I won’t see him! Just tell him that I’m asleep,” Justin replied impatiently as he picked up a book and read it.
Frankie looked at Rachel with a troubled expression. As he sensed the awkward atmosphere in the room at this moment, he didn’t dare to say another word, so he left obediently.
Meanwhile, Rachel carried the lunch box in her hand. After some consideration, she said in the sickbed’s direction, “I’ll come again later in the evening. If you’re hungry, eat something first to suppress your hunger.”
Justin’s hands froze for a long time before he responded, “Okay.”
“I’ll be leaving then. Have a good rest and call me if anything happens to Charlotte,” Rachel said before leaving with Samuel.
After Rachel left, Charlotte peeped at Justin from under the book with her head tilted to one side. “She’s left, Daddy. Just stop pretending. You’re happy!” As she spoke, she climbed onto the bed, reached out her hand, and snatched the book from him.
Justin deliberately kept a straight face despite the obviously unconcealable trace of a smile on his face, which was typically stony all year round. “Why should I be happy about it?”
Charlotte curled her lips. “You’re obviously happy—in fact, you’re bursting with joy. Mommy meant that she’ll bring you meals until you get discharged from the hospital. You must seize such a great opportunity.”
“Did I ask her to deliver meals to me?”
“Daddy, neither Samuel nor I can help you anymore if you keep going on like this.” Charlotte folded her arms across her chest like an adult lecturing someone. “One must be sincere when chasing women, but you look very insincere. I wouldn’t want to talk to you if I were Mommy!”
Justin pinched her nose. “You’re just a little girl. What do you know about chasing women at such a young age?”
“I know that! I just know that.”
“Know what?”
“Hahaha, that’s itchy! You’re so naughty, Daddy!”
Justin played boisterously with Charlotte in such a good mood that he didn’t hear the knock on the door. When Dennis Jenkins, the Burton Family’s butler, pushed the door open and came in right away, he immediately dragged Charlotte out of the sickbed after witnessing this. “Miss Charlotte, you mustn’t get too crazy while playing. Young Master Justin has a plaster cast on his leg right now.”
Charlotte was instantly displeased when she was dragged out of bed. “I didn’t touch Daddy’s leg!”
Justin frowned as well. “What brings you here, Mr. Jenkins?”
“Old Mr. Burton has learned of your injury and is worried, so he told me to come and visit you. You really are too neglectful of your health, Young Master Justin.”
Justin’s eyes darkened slightly. “The summer villa is so far away, but the news traveled there pretty quickly, eh?”
“Old Mr. Burton is concerned about your safety, after all,” Dennis replied with a stern look. “Also, Old Mr. Burton has learned about this time’s incident. How could you put yourself in danger to save a kid who’s totally unrelated to you?”
“Mr. Jenkins! That boy isn’t unrelated to me. He’s Charlotte’s brother as well as my son.”
“Old Mr. Burton isn’t in his dotage yet. That boy—”
“Mr. Jenkins!” Justin’s face suddenly clouded over as he brought Dennis up short with a cold and penetrating glare. “Charlotte, go out and play with Frankie.”
“Okay.” Charlotte broke free of Dennis’ grasp and ran out of the ward reluctantly.
As soon as the door to the ward closed, Justin shot Dennis a cold glare. “It doesn’t matter whether Grandpa knows Samuel’s parentage or not. I have made a statement at the press conference, so he’s my son as long as I acknowledge him as mine.”
“You mustn’t act on impulse, Young Master Justin.”
“You guys don’t want the Burtons to be seen as a family that goes back on its words in the eyes of the public, do you? Who could bear the responsibility for the impact on our family’s business if we can’t win the public’s trust at all?”
Dennis was rendered speechless by Justin’s words. After a long time, he said, “Even so, you’re still engaged to Miss Amber, Young Master Justin. In any case, you should keep some distance from Rachel.”
Justin frowned slightly upon hearing his words.
