Chapter 364 Afraid You’ll Be Kidnapped
When he heard this, Elijah raised his head. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, “If I asked you to stay, would you consider staying?”
Courtney froze.
“You can’t keep a person who wants to leave from leaving.” Elijah narrowed his eyes. “Since I already know the outcome, there’s no point to keep trying.”
His remark left Courtney at a loss for words. Having been placed in an unusual position, she could no longer speak for Lilian.
This was Elijah’s character. He always spoke and did things in a straightforward manner, never dawdling.
“You’re making me feel very pressured. I feel as if I had cheated on my marriage.” Courtney looked at him. “You’re not going to say that I cheated in court, right?”
“Didn’t you?” Elijah stared at her, inexplicably seeming innocent.
“Hey…” Courtney sucked in a breath of cold air. “Don’t joke about this…”
“Miss, your dish.”
The waiter brought her the spicy beef soup in a deep dish plate. Looking at the deep porcelain plate in front of her, which was bigger than her face, Courtney glanced at Elijah, then both of them burst out laughing.
“After submitting the divorce application, there will be a six-month review period. If there are no problems, you’ll have to come back for the court hearing.”
“Okay.”
While Courtney and Elijah were at the restaurant having a friendly talk about their divorce, Gale was in the therapy center, looking worried because of his concern for his good friend’s relationship.
Cameron only needed to ask a few questions to pry all the thoughts in his mind.
“So, you’ve been acting so suspiciously the past two days because you’ve been thinking of this? You think Elijah is using my illness and the divorce to hold Courtney back so that she wouldn’t leave so easily?”
“That is indeed what he’s doing. Otherwise, why would he ask the doctor to extend your treatment time?”
Cameron fell silent as she stared unblinkingly at Gale.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I think that something’s seriously wrong with your brain.” Cameron suddenly threw the pillow in her hands at his face.
As Gale was unprepared, he fell off the bed after suffering the impact of the pillow being thrown at him so suddenly.
Cameron dragged him by the collar to the ward of the deputy attending doctor, then asked him about what he told the nurse that day. The deputy attending doctor was shocked, but he answered, “Extending the duration of the treatment was one of the two treatment options given to Mr. Grant by the attending doctor. The quicker treatment would produce more side effects, while the slow treatment would lead to lesser side effects. Mr. Grant chose the long-term treatment. The difference between the two methods isn’t very obvious, so most patients would choose the faster treatment to save manpower and money.”
Gale was stunned when the deputy attending doctor explained this.
Cameron slapped his head in a huff and said disdainfully, “You judged a noble person with your despicable mind, and you’re still here making a fool of yourself. Let’s go back.”
With his mind in a haze, he trailed after Cameron as they went back to the ward. When they were halfway there, he suddenly slapped his own forehead. “Then, it seems like I caused trouble again.”
“What did you do?”
“I told Alex about it…” Gale grimaced. “He may be coming in two days.”
After hearing this, Cameron frowned slightly as she stared at Gale, looking disappointed.
“You’re useless. You’re always ruining everything…”
“What should we do now?” Gale was truly panicking. “He still hasn’t settled scores with me when I caused trouble last time. This time, I’m doomed. I’m really doomed…”
“I can’t help you. Just prepare for the worst.”
Cameron rolled her eyes at him, then slammed the door in his face with a bang, shutting him out.
Great. Now I’ve offended everyone.
The following afternoon, Courtney and Elijah filed a divorce application at the divorce notary office in New York. The basic paperwork was complete, so if there were no hiccups, the process could be completed within six months.
“Is there anywhere you want to go? I’m free these two days, so I have time to relax with you and talk about both of you.”
After leaving the notary office, Courtney and Elijah walked down the steps side by side.
Just as she was about to answer Elijah, she suddenly saw a tall figure standing against the wind on the road under the steps. His eyes were filled with gentleness as he stared at her.
“Alex?” Courtney exclaimed before she rushed over and crashed into his arms.
Alexander stumbled after being knocked into, barely able to stand upright. He helplessly stroked the back of her head. “Are you that happy?”
“Of course I’m happy.” Courtney raised her head. “Why are you here?”
“I was afraid you’d be kidnapped.”
“So, you don’t trust me?”
“I’m afraid I’m the one he doesn’t trust.” Elijah’s voice sounded from the side, and only then did Courtney realize that there was someone else there. Blushing, she freed herself from Alexander and gave a sheepish smile.
“President Duncan must be worried that I won’t let you go. That’s why he came all the way here to keep an eye on me.”
Elijah spoke with a sting in his words, and Alexander wasn’t any better, because he retorted, “You can never be too careful. Mr. Grant, although you’re American-Otharian, you grew up in Otharia, so you must’ve heard the old saying too.”
“Now that you’ve said that, I wouldn’t be living up to your expectations of me if I don’t do something, would I?”
“I’m afraid it’s too late.”
The two of them continued to wage a tit for tat, as if they were in a war zone.
Courtney couldn’t bear to listen anymore, so she nudged Alexander with her elbow. “That’s enough. What are you talking about? Elijah’s not that kind of person.”
With that, she smiled at Elijah. “He’s just joking.”
Elijah’s expression was gloomy. “It’s not very funny.”
Alexander was blunt too. “I never joke around with anyone.”
When Courtney heard this, her face darkened, and she let out an inward sigh.
It isn’t easy being the peacemaker.
Because of Alexander’s arrival, he had to be added to the afternoon’s itinerary. Originally, Elijah had planned the day’s activities, and Courtney had also promised him early on. It wouldn’t be right to not go, but Courtney dared not even think about the scenario of the three of them walking together. It was simply too scary.
“I’m not going. You guys can go ahead if you want to.”
Before she said this, she figured that if she didn’t go, then these two men would likely go back to their own places. As long as they were separated, everything would be settled.
However, the unexpected happened.
Elijah didn’t say anything to her. Instead, his gaze landed on Alexander. “If Courtney’s not going, then what about you, Mr. Duncan? Would you like to join me for a drink?”
A drink? Courtney’s heart dropped.
She watched as Alexander gave him a slight nod.
“Sure.”
Courtney’s heart was pounding as she asked weakly, “Then, how about I go too?”
Elijah glanced at her.
“You’d better not go. I’m afraid we won’t be able to take care of you.”
Without waiting for Courtney to refute, Alexander nodded thoughtfully. “Go back to the hotel and get some rest.”
Courtney was stunned. She looked at Elijah, then at Alexander. Both of them had serious expressions on their faces, instantly making her perplexed. What are the two of them up to?
