NovelOnlineChapter 201 Hidden Thoughts
Sloane glanced at Lucas, who stood not far away, and shook her head. “I don’t think
50.”
Jill pouted, clearly not convinced. “Con. I've never seen Mr. Hawthorne this invested in anyone. He's been
coming to the hospital every single day and hasn't even been paying attention to the company. Uncle Samson's
been covering for him.”
Sloane didn’t respond. She simply lowered her head and smiled.
Seeing her reaction, Jill didn’t press any further. Instead, she reached into the fruit basket and pulled out an
apple. “Want an apple? It might help keep your energy up.”
She grabbed one and reached for the plastic knife from the hospital tray. But her first few attempts were clumsy-
her slices cout jagged and uneven, sbarely hanging together.
She looked down at the mess she'd made, clearly embarrassed, then held it out with a sheepish grin. “Um... it’s
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtnot the best. Don’t judge me, okay?”
Sloane took it without hesitation, took a bite, and smiled casually. “It’s fine. Still tastes like an apple.”
Jill scratched her head, a little embarrassed. “Hehe, next tI'll ask Cameron to do it. He's way better at this.”
Sloane smiled but didn’t say anything.
Jill stayed and chatted with Sloane a while longer, but when Cameron reminded her she had class, she stood up
reluctantly. “Rest up, Sloane. I'll cback and visit tomorrow!”
Sloane waved her off. “Be careful on your way out.”
Once Jill and Cameron left, the room fell quiet again. Sloane leaned back against her pillows and went back to
reading her medical textbook, completely focused.
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Not long after, Lucas walked over with a plate of apple slices and set it gently on the table beside her bed. The
slices were cleanly cut and evenly spaced out, looking surprisingly neat for something so simple.
Back when they were stuck together after the cliff accident, Sloane had already learned that Lucas, despite
coming from a powerful family, was surprisingly skilled at just about everything. She picked up a slice and bit
into it. Crisp and sweet. “Thanks, Mr. Hawthorne.”
Lucas frowned at her words. His gaze lingered on her face before he hesitated and spoke. “Since we're partners,
you can just callby my name.”
Sloane looked up at him and blinked. “Alright, Lucas. Then you can callSloane too. No need for all the ‘Ms.
Rivers’ formality.”
“Sloane.” Lucas said her nslowly, his deep voice calm and deliberate. His eyes lingered on her, a flicker of
warmth and something unspoken behind them.
Hearing him say her ncaught Sloane off guard for a second. Then she smiled and nodded. “Yeah, that does
sound a lot more natural.”
Lucas’s lips curved into a faint smile. He looked pleased as he pulled out a chair and sat down beside her.
Sloane glanced at him, puzzled. “Lucas, don’t you need to be at the office? You just regained control of the
company—shouldn’t there be a ton of work waiting?”
Lucas let out a short laugh, laced with contempt. “If | had to oversee every little thing myself, then what's the
point of having a team? If they can’t handle the basics without me, they don’t belong at the Hawthorne Group.”
Sloane paused for a moment, then laughed softly. “That's... pretty bold of you, Mr. Hawthorne.”
Lucas left to grab her medication. On his way back, he spotted someone entering the hospital room-Larry,
holding a bouquet of fresh flowers.
Larry wore his usual gentle smile. “Ms. Rivers, | heard you were hospitalized, so | cby to see how you're
doing.”
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Sloane was a little surprised, but she smiled and nodded. “Mr. Larry, that’s really kind of you. Please, have a
seat.”
Larry stepped closer and handed her the flowers. “These are for you. Wishing you a speedy recovery.”
Just as Sloane reached out to accept them, Lucas stepped forward and took the flowers before she could.
“Thanks for the kind gesture, Mr. Larry.”
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