When She Turns Her Back (Teresa and Charles) novel Chapter 83

Chapter 83

When Teresa entered the observation room, she saw Hector lying flat on the hospital bed, apparently asleep.

But he was sleeping lightly and his eyes fluttered open at the faint sound of her arrival.

Seeing it was Teresa, a flash of panic crossed his face, embarrassed to be seen in such a state.

He tried to sit up, but Teresa quickly placed a hand on his arm. “Stay put, Hector. Don’t move.”

He pushed himself up anyway, leaning against the headboard. His lips were pale as he looked at her and offered a weak smile. “Sorry you have to see me like this.”

Teresa’s eyes reddened and she looked down. “Don’t say that. This is because of me, you…”

“Did Charles Logan call you?” Hector interrupted.

Teresa gave a slight nod. “Yes.”

Hector’s arm was in a cast and there were fading bruises on his face.

He desperately hadn’t wanted Teresa to see him like this, but here she was.

Hector’s smile was gone, his voice low. “It’s about Jason Gould’s mother, isn’t it?”

Teresa looked at him, surprised. “How did you know? Did they contact you?”

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Hector shook his head and explained, “His mother came in for a check–up when I was on duty at the clinic. I told her then that she needed to be hospitalized, but she wouldn’t listen. She said I was too young to be a good doctor and accused me of making things up. I knew a relapse was just a matter of time.”

“So that’s what happened,” Teresa said.

Hector looked at her intently. “Did Charles threaten you?”

Not wanting to worry him, Teresa shook her head. “No.”

“The fact that you’re asking me means he did,” Hector stated flatly.

Teresa didn’t reply, her silence confirming his suspicion.

Hector saw it on her face and knew he was right.

After a moment, he asked softly, “Teresa, do you want me to do this surgery?”

Teresa shook her head. “I don’t know.

‘Saving a life is a doctor’s duty, she thought, but how could anyone just forget what Jason did to Hector?

But Hector just smiled faintly. “You know I’ll do it if you ask.”

Teresa glanced at his cast. “Even if you wanted to, you can’t with that arm. No matter what, you need to focus on getting better first. Hector nodded but didn’t say more.

Teresa didn’t ask how he’d been injured. She had no doubt it was connected to the rumors Jason had spread.

Jealousy could be deadly, and rumors could swallow a person whole.

After sitting with him for a while longer, Teresa got up to leave.

As she was about to go, she turned back to him. “Hector, whether you do this surgery or not, it’s your decision. No one can force you.” ‘Not even me Teresa thought.

Hector smiled at her, his voice gentle. “I know.”

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Chapter 83

Teresa left the hospital and went back to the Sullivan Mansion. Her father, mother, and her niece, Monica, were already asleep.

As usual, her brother, Theodore, was waiting up for her. Only after seeing she was home safe did he finally go to bed.

After chatting with Yvonne for a bit, Teresa didn’t sense anything was wrong with her family. She realized Charles was holding off, waiting to see if Hector would agree to the surgery before making his next move.

The next day, everything seemed to proceed as normal. People went to work, to school…

‘Charles probably won’t do anything to my family now, Teresa thought.

At ten in the morning, her phone rang. It was Charles.

In all the years they’d been married, she could count the number of times he’d called her on one hand.

If he had been this proactive in the past, she would have been over the moon.

But things were different now. Her heart felt nothing.

She answered the phone. “What is it?”

Charles got straight to the point. “Let’s have lunch.”

Teresa was about to refuse when he added, “Bring Hector with you.”

So it was about Jason’s mother’s surgery. Of course it was.

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‘When they don’t need Hector, they can slander him, crush him, and destroy the career he worked so hard to build with baseless accusations.

‘But now that they need him, they’re too proud to ask themselves. Instead, they want me to be the middleman.

The thought was almost laughable.

‘Was a rich man’s pride really that important? Was it so hard to admit they were wrong?‘

A bitter laugh: escaped Teresa. “I’m not your pawn, Charles, or someone you can summon and dismiss at will. So, no, I don’t think we’ll be having lunch. I can afford my own meals, thank you very much.”

With that, not caring what he thought, she hung up.

Just before the line went dead, she faintly heard Naomi’s voice in the background.

That afternoon, Teresa’s phone rang again.

This time, the call was from Joyacre Villa

Teresa knew it was Yolanda and hesitated to answer.

It wasn’t the first time Yolanda had broken her heart.

But she was still her daughter, and Teresa knew there was no point in holding a grudge against a child.

She picked up but remained silent, waiting for Yolanda to speak.

Yolanda was waiting for her to speak, too. A silence stretched between them.

Finally, Yolanda gave in “Mommy

Her voice was a soft, wheedling murmur.

Teresa’s reply was flat. “Yes.”

Yolanda asked cautiously, “Mommy, can you come home and stay with me? Daddy and Miss Naomi haven’t been back in two days.”

Teresa guessed Charles and Naomi were tied up with Jason’s mother and that’s why they hadn’t been home.

Even so, she had no desire to agree to Yolanda’s request. “Isn’t Sharon there with you at Joyacre Villa?”

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Chapter 83

Yolanda’s voice turned sullen. “But Sharon is just the help. I have a daddy and a mommy. I just want my mom and dad with me.”

Just your mom and dad?‘ Teresa thought. And what about Naomi?‘

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