C10 Kieran Turned a Blind Eye 

Kieran, who had been watching from the side, paid no heed to the sight. Instead, he glanced over at Regina. "Why aren't you resting?"

Regina smiled brightly at him. Pulling him by the corner of his shirt, she leaned against his chest. "I slept too much during the day and I couldn't sleep. Why are you here?"

"I came to see you." As he spoke, Kieran turned toward me. He frowned as he saw my hand. "Go and take care of it!"

There was no pity or concern in his voice.

Regina winced. "I was too careless. I burned her accidentally—I'm so sorry."

Kieran stroked her silky hair. His expression was bright and emotionless as if he couldn't really blame her.

I felt as if I had been pushed to the cliff. My heart trembled in my chest as I struggle to breathe. Every step out of the ward felt like more sand was added to my feet.

I knew that I would lose the bet, but I was holding into the slightest bit of hope that Kieran would care. I thought that he'd listen to me—or at least support me.

However, in the end, he had given me nothing.

In the corridor, I was immediately blocked by a broad chest. Raising my head, I saw none other than Schaffer. He was gazing at my hand, and his expression appeared restrained.

"Dr. Wheeler!"

"Does it hurt?" He looked at my hand.

A tear the size of a bead fell to the floor, and that was the only sound that could be heard across the hall. The corridor seemed emptier now—lonelier.

"Does it hurt?" That was something that someone close would've asked.

A part of me wanted to take my hand, but he had only pulled it even tighter.

"I'm a doctor. Let me look at it." It was obvious that he wasn't the type of man to be refused. He was a doctor, so he obviously couldn't stand by and watch.

However, I also knew that he had only cared about me because I was Kieran's wife.

Schaffer assisted me toward the emergency room where he spoke with the nurse. After a few minutes, he turned to me. "Bandage it well."

I nodded. "Thank you!"

The nurse slowly washed my scalded hand. However, as she saw the white blisters that had grown, she couldn't help but frown. "My dear, who had done this to you?"

"It's fine." It was just a lesson that I needed.

"Still!" The nurse sighed, still hesitating on whether or not she should protest against what had happened to me.

"This will hurt a lot," she then warned. "I will use a different ointment to clean the abscess—to prevent an infection. You would just have to bear with it."

"Yes!"

The pain really was out of this world. But even then, the pain in my heart still affected me even more. I took a deep breath, thanked the nurse, and moved back to my ship.

I was about to head back to Regina's room when I heard a faint noise on the stairs. I froze.

"The old man has already left. When do you plan to divorce her?" Was that Schaffer?

"You mean Teresa?" That was Kieran.

As I neared the stairs, I could see Kieran leaning against the railing. His hands were shoved into his pockets. Schaffer, on the other hand, was leaning against the wall with a cigarette between his fingers.

"You know that she hasn't done anything because she loves you."

Kieran raised an eyebrow. "Since when did you start thinking about her?"

"You're thinking too much." He scoffed. "I'm just reminding you so that you wouldn't regret it in the future. Even the deepest of love can be taken from you if you haven't thought about it enough."

"Huh." Kieran sneered. "I've never cared about her love."

I didn't continue to listen to his other words. I took a deep breath. Now, I knew. I had known before, but why did it feel like the realization had only hit me now?