NovelOnlineChapter 202 When Rivals Meet
Larry’s hand paused awkwardly in midair before he pulled it back. His smile stayed polite, but something cold
flickered in his eyes.
He glanced over at Lucas and said with a casual edge, “Word is there’s a lot happening at the Hawthorne Group
these days. Surprised you've got tto hang around the hospital, Mr. Hawthorne.”
Lucas barely looked at him. His voice was even, but there was a chill underneath.
“If you're so invested in what's going on at the Hawthorne Group, maybe you should spend a little more time
managing your own company. | heard you tried pitching a partnership to Peak Corp but they turned you down.”
Larry’s smile didn’t waver, but the sharp flicker in his eyes gave him away. “Yeah, maybe the Houston Group still
has scatching up to do. They clearly preferred the Hawthorne Group instead. Looks like I've got a lot to learn
from you, Mr. Hawthorne.”
Sloane stayed quiet, watching it play out. Larry was clearly in over his head—Lucas had him cornered from the
start.
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Seeing the conversation wasn’t going in his favor, Larry turned his attention to her instead. “I asked the florist to
wrap up a bouquet of lilies for you. They're supposed to help you relax-thought they might be good for your
recovery.” Then, with a casual smile, he added, “By the way, when | saw you just a few days ago, you seemed
perfectly fine. What happened?”
Lucas’s brow twitched at that. Did they meeta few days ago? They met up recently?
Sloane kept her smile polite and distant. “The weather's been so unpredictable lately. | must've caught a cold.
But thank you for checking in, Mr. Larry.”
Larry was still a guest, and Sloane didn’t want to brush him off. She stayed polite, even if the conversation felt a
little stiff.
Lucas, on the other hand, wasn’t even trying to hide how he felt.
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Right as Sloane and Larry were mid-conversation, he walked over with her medication and interrupted flatly,
“Sloane, tfor your medicine.”
She blinked, surprised as he placed the pills in her hand. “Oh.”
Lucas gently handed her a cup of warm water. “Here. Just the right temperature.”
“Oh.” still dazed, Sloane took the pills without question. Didn't | usually take these after meals? Did they change
the schedule today?
Once she'd taken the medicine, Larry tried to pick the conversation back up.
But Lucas returned again, this tholding out a peeled orange segment near her face. “That medicine tastes
awful. Have sorange—it’ll take the edge off.”
Sloane stared at him, wide-eyed, before biting into the orange. It really was sweet.
Watching her cheeks puff up as she chewed, Lucas couldn't help but smile. The affection in his eyes was
impossible to miss.
Larry caught the whole thing—and it nearly wiped the smile off his face. His hand, resting on his knee, clenched
just slightly.
When Sloane finished the orange, Lucas didn’t waste any time. “Sloane needs to rest now. Mr. Larry, maybe you
can visit another time.”
Larry pressed his lips together, holding back whatever he wanted to say. After a moment, he stood slowly, turned
away from Lucas, and offered Sloane a smile. “Of course. Rest well, Ms. Rivers. I'll stop by again soon.”
Sloane nodded graciously. “Thank you, Mr. Larry. Take care.”
He walked out without sparing Lucas a glance.
Lucas couldn’t have cared less. He picked up the bouquet of lilies Larry had brought and muttered, “Pretty sure
lilies attract bugs.”
With that, he walked out of the room-flowers in hand-and returned a few minutes later empty-handed.
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He glanced out the window, then looked at Sloane with a soft smile. “The weather's actually pretty nice today.
Want to go outside for a bit?”
Sloane looked up at him, blinking. “I thought you just said | needed rest?”
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