Chapter 38: What She Should Have Done
Ella stormed out of the run–down apartment building, still furious. She wasn’t just angry at her surroundings but also at Chloe. After fuming for a while, her phone rang–it was Julian calling.
“Why are you calling me now? Didn’t the doctor say you needed rest?” Ella was still upset and couldn’t hide the harshness in her tone.
Julian had been aware that Ella planned to visit Chloe. He had known but chose to turn a blind eye,
curious about the outcome. When he woke up in his hospital bed, only Adam was there beside him, and his sister was nowhere to be found.
“Where’s my sister?” Julian asked.
Adam scratched his nose awkwardly. “She went out to find Chloe. Said she was going to bring her back to visit you. We couldn’t stop her.”
Julian fell silent for a moment after hearing this. Though he didn’t say anything, a subtle sense of anxiety settled over him as he waited. Even though he was a patient with no tasks to complete, he made it seem like he had pressing matters, constantly restless.
Adam watched Julian closely but chose not to comment on his behavior.
Unable to take it anymore, Julian finally called Ella.
“Where are you?”
“I’m out shopping. I’ll be back soon. Why?” Ella answered evasively, unwilling to admit that Chloe had refused to come with her.
Julian already had an inkling of the truth but couldn’t help pressing further. “You went to see Chloe, didn’t you? She didn’t come back with you?”
Ella fell silent, unsure how to respond. The truth was obvious, but saying it out loud felt too blunt.
“She… she’s not coming.”
Julian’s voice grew cold. “Why did you even bother going to her? My situation has nothing to do with her anymore. We’ve broken up, and we’re not connected in any way. Can’t you understand that? Don’t meddle in my business anymore. If she wants to come, fine. If she doesn’t, so be it. What, do you think I can’t live without her?”
Ella was even more upset after hearing this. Everything she did was for her brother, not for herself Yet Julian made it sound like she was acting selfishly, as if her efforts were pointless.
“Fine, fine. You’re right. It’s all my fault for meddling, went to see Chloe, and she said she doesn’t care about you anymore. If you die, she’ll come to your funeral. Is that enough for you?” Ella snapped, her frustration boiling over. She hadn’t intended to reveal what Chloe had said, but Julian’s words had pushed her to the edge.
Before Ella could finish venting, Julian angrily hung up the phone. Staring at the blank screen, Ella could only sigh in frustration.
Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Julian’s phone had once again met its fate against the wall, shattering into pieces. Megan, who had been watching silently, let out an exasperated sigh. She had just replaced the phone, and now it was broken again. If it weren’t for her duty, she would have refused to lend her phone to Julian In the first place.
July had brought intense heat, and people on the streets were suffering. The high temperatures had lasted for days, making many reluctant to leave their homes. Wyatt, having made some progress in his lab work, finally had a chance to take a break. Exhausted, he dragged himself home, but just as he was about to unlock his door, he heard a loud crash from Chloe’s apartment.
Something was clearly wrong. Concerned, Wyatt Immediately knocked on Chloe’s door.
“Chloe, are you there? If you’re inside, could you open the door, please?” Wyatt called out, his voice loud enough to reach her through the door. He waited for a response, but after a while, there was no answer. Worried that something serious might have happened, he considered calling the police. Just as he pulled out his phone, the door cracked open.
Chloe appeared, her face peeking through the small opening. Her expression was calm, but Wyatt could sense something wasn’t right. Her energy felt off–she seemed down.
Wyatt decided to change the subject. “I wanted to ask how your thesis is coming along.”
“I’ve finished writing it. It’s submitted now, and I’m just waiting for the results. I’ve been busy studying lately,” Chloe replied, her voice neutral.
Wyatt nodded thoughtfully, then asked, “I have a paper at home–it’s incomplete, but I think you’d find it interesting. Want to take a look?”
Chloe’s mood seemed to brighten at the mention of academic work. She agreed and followed Wyatt into his apartment, where he retrieved an old, yellowed manuscript.
The paper was about biological sequences, a topic Wyatt had written about during his undergraduate years. Though the subject wasn’t particularly groundbreaking. Wyatt had approached it from a unique angle, making the work stand out. However, it was only half–finished.
Chloe skimmed through the paper, feeling intrigued but wanting more.
“My god, you wrote something like this during your undergrad? The gap between geniuses is unreal. No wonder people made such a fuss when you switched to studying physics, Chloe said, half in awe, half joking.
Seeing what had once been unclear now made sense–Wyatt truly was a genius.
