Chapter 39: Philip’s Suspicions
-Don’t bother, really. Leave the driver alone,” said Felipe.
-I don’t mind,” Dylan replied and left the room.
-What a child! If learning is a slow process, why are you trying so hard? -Felipe looked at Vanessa with great pity.
-Dad, I’m sorry. Don’t be angry, please,” Vanessa was quick to apologise and worried that Philip would blame himself for this.
Philip sighed as he looked at his daughter, stroking her hair as if she were a child, and said in a loving tone:
-Don’t do it again, you know I care about you a lot, okay?
-Yes, I promise!
-Then mark your words,” said Philip, relieved.
After a silence, Philip could not hold his suspicion and asked his daughter:
-Do Dylan and Orlando get along?
-What’s going on? Why are you asking so suddenly?
Vanessa was apparently calm, but she became very nervous, because she knew Philip would not ask her such a question for no reason.
“What if he finds out about my relationship with Dylan?”
-Nothing, I just wanted to ask, because I see that Dylan treats you very well. So, I think he gets on very well with Orlando.
“Dad is really getting suspicious of our relationship already!”
Vanessa said pretending to be calm:
-Dylan is very kind to everyone, although he seems a bit indifferent, he is always willing to help others. I think you have noticed his good personality during this time.
-That’s right.
Dylan had behaved politely and gently in front of Philip, so Philip was reassured to think that Dylan had taken such good care of Vanessa just out of kindness.
-Dylan is very good and it will be very beneficial for Orlando’s career if he gets on well with his uncle Dylan.
-Come on, daddy, don’t worry about these things. It’s late already, hurry home, mummy’s waiting for you.
-How can I go back in peace if my daughter is still in the hospital? -Felipe said with a straight face.
-It’s all right, I’m not a child anymore. Besides, my fever has gone down after the medical treatment, don’t worry, I can go back on my own…
Vanessa did not want Philip to stay and look after her after a hard day’s work, because she was old enough.
-What about Orlando? Ask him to come with you.
Philip was a little upset, because his daughter was hospitalised and he had not appreciated his son-in-law so far.
-I’ve already called him, and he’s coming. Don’t worry, go back and don’t keep mother waiting.Exclusive content © by Nô(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.
-Well, we wait for Dylan to come back and eat something.
-But if you don’t come back, mum will worry and call you. Mum’s not very well and I don’t want her to know I’m ill… Come on, Dad, will you do me a little favour?
-And you seem to know your mother’s condition! -Philip purposely scolded Vanessa, so that she would take her health seriously.
-Dad, I’m sorry,” apologised Vanessa.
Finally, Philip gave in to his daughter’s request and promise.
-Well, I’m going back.
-Goodbye, Dad.
Philip sighed helplessly, then pinched his daughter’s nose and left the room.
In the corridor, Philip met Dylan, who had just returned from buying mashed potatoes and onions for Vanessa, which was very good for patients with fever.
-Felipe, are you coming back?
-Yes, Mercedes is waiting for me at home and I don’t want her to worry. Please take a little more care of Vanessa for me, Orlando is arriving very soon.
-Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything here.
Dylan frowned in thought:
“Is Orlando coming for Vanessa?”
After saying goodbye to Felipe, Dylan returned to the living room with the mashed potatoes and asked the woman:
-Is Orlando coming?
“How do you know?”
Vanessa froze for a moment and then thought that it must have been her father who told Dylan, but Dylan knew it was a lie, because he knew about her real relationship with Orlando.
Vanessa was embarrassed that Dylan had discovered her lie and avoided his gaze so as not to look at this man.
Dylan smiled and said:
-Come on, have some of the mash.
Dylan helped Vanessa up, set up a small table to put the puree on and opened the lid of the food box.
It smelled so good of onions in the whole room that Vanessa’s appetite was whetted.
-Eat,” Dylan urged her, resisting the urge to tease his bunny.
-Thank you,” Vanessa thanked him and began to sip.
In an instant, an embarrassed silence reigned throughout the room with no one speaking.
“Why doesn’t this one go away?
Vanessa thought as she ate, Dylan’s presence in the room made Vanessa uncomfortable.
This man always appeared by her side without knowing when, often in her most vulnerable moments. Vanessa almost got used to this man’s company.
With this in mind, Vanessa felt it was her duty to keep her distance from him to avoid further discomfort.
And, being so pensive, Vanessa didn’t realise that she had finished her mashed potatoes.
Watching her move the spoon around in the empty cup, Dylan asked:
-Are you still hungry?
-What?
When Vanessa saw that she had been stirring the spoon in the empty cup, she blushed with embarrassment and coughed to hide her answer:
-I am already full.
-I thought you were hungry, since you were putting the empty spoon in your mouth,” said Dylan, smiling.
“Can’t you see I’m trying to hide my embarrassment, and why are you saying it out loud?!”
Vanessa growled inwardly and felt like throwing this Dylan out of the room.
-Aren’t you leaving yet? -Vanessa asked angrily.
-Well, I’m waiting for Orlando to change shifts,” Dylan arched his eyebrows and said unhurriedly.
Vanessa was speechless, because she couldn’t admit that what she had told her father was a lie, that Orlando didn’t know she was ill, let alone come to accompany her.
Even though they both knew the truth, Vanessa didn’t want Dylan to laugh at her for her self-deception, so she closed her eyes without saying anything else.
The room was silent again and Vanessa became alert to any sound around her. After a while, she heard the door close and there were no footsteps around the corner.
Vanessa wondered inwardly without daring to open her eyes.
“Has Dylan left?”
A good while later, just as she was about to open her eyes to confirm that the guy was gone, her lips were caught in a sudden kiss.