Thinking about how assertive Skylar had been with her recently, Vera's confidence wavered.
Skylar said, "If you have any questions, ask Joe. There's no need to ask me."
She didn't want to get entangled with Vera. She could sense that Joe's demeanor toward Vera differed from how he treated others.
Vera's face grew even paler, and she swayed slightly.
Skylar stood up and left.
Outside of the hospital, she sent Joe a message on WhatsApp. "I'm leaving now. I have plans with a friend."
After Skylar left, Vera stiffly sat down. The bench in the hallway was cold. The coldness made her more alert.
She took out her phone and texted a few close friends. "Joe is married, isn't he?"
"I haven't heard anything about that."
"Isn't he waiting for you?"
"Are you announcing something to us?"
"Congrats! You two are moving quickly. I just visited you in the hospital this morning, and you were already getting your marriage certificate this afternoon. Is he afraid of losing you again?"
"Congratulations! Wishing you a lifetime of happiness!"
Vera felt a sudden wave of relief and smiled self-deprecatingly. She realized she had been too rattled. Her friends were unaware of Joe's marriage, and his earlier comment was merely a test.
She had let herself become flustered. The trauma from the recent fire seemed to have left her easily unsettled and overly fearful of losing those she cared about, clouding her judgment.
"No, we don't have any relationship. Don't spread rumors. I was just asking out of curiosity," she replied.
Then, she stood up and returned to the ward.
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