The CEO's Hidden Love: Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires novel Chapter 899

Everett was utterly smitten—that was a line only Jeffrey had the guts to say.

For the sake of thoroughness, the officer accompanied Jeffrey to the hospital to hear Everett himself declare he wouldn't press charges. Only after Everett had signed the settlement did they agree to release Dorothy.

She was injured, too.

Her red dress was torn at the chest, revealing a wound underneath where the blood had already dried. It was clear from the cut that Dorothy had truly wished for death.

She followed Jeffrey to the car with a vacant stride, silent and head bowed.

Thankfully, Jeffrey was certain she no longer had any weapons; otherwise, he'd still be worried she might try something drastic again.

"Hospital?" Jeffrey finally broke the long silence with a probing question.

At the sound of his voice, Dorothy lifted her head slightly, "No."

"What about your wound? It looks... pretty deep," Jeffrey coughed awkwardly, shifting his gaze away. The location of her injury was somewhat awkward, and he couldn't very well keep staring.

"I won't die from it."

"Don't talk about dying! If something happened to you today, Karen would have her baby right now!" Jeffrey shuddered at the thought. "I just don't get it! How did I not see this extreme side of you before?"

Who in their right mind would think about a murder-suicide?

The case was only at the first trial; it wasn't as if there was no chance to turn things around!

Even Jeffrey knew that once Everett saw the verdict of the first trial, he'd definitely get involved. He might say he was done with Dorothy and didn't care if she lived or died, but his true feelings were almost written all over his face!

Speaking of Karen, Dorothy's expression finally showed some life.

"Did you tell Karen?"

"Of course not! She's in her third trimester and was already on bed rest! If she found out, she might go into premature labor!"

"Don't tell her."

Jeffrey snorted, "You don't have to tell me that."

"Mhm." Dorothy murmured in response, then fell silent again.

After a long while, Dorothy spoke up again. "How is he... doing?"

"How is he doing? He’s in big trouble!" Jeffrey surely knew she was asking about Everett.

Dorothy looked up at him, her eyes clearly filled with concern.

Jeffrey nearly rolled his eyes hard enough to toss them at her.

"My buddy just recovered from old wounds, and now he's got new ones. Knife wounds would be one thing, but on top of that, he's been diagnosed with late-stage cancer!"

Dorothy's mind went blank for a moment, "Everett has... late-stage cancer?"

"Yep! No misdiagnosis! Pure, unadulterated love-struck cancer."

Dorothy fell silent.

"Well. Right now, practically the whole Lopez family is at the hospital, so it wouldn't be right for you to go. Wait until they leave, then I'll take you to see him."

Jeffrey had been tasked with keeping an eye on Dorothy, so he couldn't let her out of his sight.

Everett was worried she might despair again.

"I'm not going to see him," Dorothy said after a moment of silence.

Jeffrey was taken aback, "Why not?"

"I have nothing to say to him."

Knowing that he was alright and commanding Jeffrey to watch her was enough for her.

"Ah! In the end, you did stab him. Isn't it only right to go see how he's doing?"

"I didn't do it for him."

"I know! But the guy lying in the hospital is him!" Jeffrey rubbed his temple and let out a heavy sigh. "Dorothy, let me be frank. I know you're struggling and exhausted, but Everett... he's always going to suffer more in those respects!"

Dorothy still refused to talk.

"Just be a little patient. Make your decision after the final verdict, okay?"

Dorothy's pale lips quivered, "There's no final verdict. I'm not appealing."

"You might not be appealing, but Everett is appealing on behalf of his mother!"