Chapter 164: I Heard It From Him
"Thea..." her name was called.She glanced back and found Ryder approaching her. She walked towards him.
"What happened Ryder?"
Ryder extended his hand, holding out the small pouch. "You left this."
Thea’s eyes widened as she took the small pouch from Ryder’s hand. "Thank God you found it!" she exclaimed. "If I’d lost it, Grandma would definitely scold me."
The small pouch contained her vital belongings, including her identity cards and house keys. Losing it would have been nothing short of disastrous. Thea couldn’t even begin to imagine the consequences.
Thea believed she might have knocked the pouch out of her bag while grabbing a tissue, causing it to fall.
"What are you waiting for here?" Ryder asked.
"I had left my suitcase in hurry when I came to the hospital and a young boy brought it here." Thea explained. "He was the one who called the ambulance and was waiting to return it to me."
Thea glanced around, but the young boy was nowhere to be found. "He already left?" she wondered.
Ryder grabbed the suitcase from her and proposed, "I will take you home, alright? "
"I’m actually going to Charlotte’s house.." Thea said.
Ryder smiled. "Okay, I’ll drop you there."
They walked to the car, and once inside, Ryder started the engine.
"Is your grandma doing well?" he asked.
Thea nodded. "Yeah, she’s good. Today I dropped her off at my great-uncle’s house."
Ryder glanced at her. "So, you’ll be staying alone?"
Thea shook her head. "No, tomorrow Charlotte and I are heading to Canada for a wedding. Grandma thought it would be a good opportunity for her to stay with her older brother while we’re away."
"What a coincidence to encounter Liam’s grandfather in this manner! "
"How did you run into him? "
Thea clarified, "I was waiting for a taxi when I saw an older man had fallen on the street. Fortunately, a young boy named Nash was present and called for an ambulance. "
"Thank goodness that. . . Liam called his grandfather’s phone at the perfect moment," she responded. "Otherwise, I wouldn’t have been aware of the elderly man’s family relationship. "
"How’s his father? "
She hadn’t had the opportunity to inquire with Liam about it earlier, and now she was decided to ask him.
He went quiet, his gaze locked on the road in front of them.
"Did you.."
Thea chimed in, "Yes, Liam mentioned that his father had surgery recently. I heard it from him."
While Ryder focused on driving, Thea found herself sneaking a look at his profile. His jawline was firm, and his eyes remained glued to the road.
After a brief pause, Ryder answered softly, without turning to her, "He’s recovering. "
A gentle smile emerged on Thea’s face as her gaze held on Ryder’s profile, his face reflecting a sense of calm contemplation.
Thea couldn’t help but experience a recognizable flutter in her chest whenever Ryder was nearby. Even after knowing him for years, she still felt herself attracted to his presence, her eyes instinctively seeking him out.
It felt as though her gaze had a will of its own, naturally wandering toward him whenever he was present in the same space. She wasn’t even conscious of it herself, but her eyes appeared to be inextricably connected to his, perpetually searching for a glimpse of his face.
Thea’s intrigue with Ryder’s features was a long-standing one, and it showed no indications of diminishing.
Even after all this time, she still found herself enchanted by him, her attraction to him remaining strong and unwavering.
Thea’s mind wandered back to the mystery of Ryder’s romantic interest. "He likes someone. Who could she be? " Yet, before she could think more, Ryder’s voice broke into her daydream.
"We have reached our destination." he declared, bringing the vehicle to a stop.
Thea exited onto the sidewalk, inhaling deeply as she extended her legs. Ryder exited as well, opening the trunk to grab her suitcase. He passed it to her, their fingers making brief contact as she grasped the handle.
"Thanks, Ryder." Thea replied, beaming up at him. With her suitcase in tow, she turned to depart, her gaze directed downward to evade Ryder’s eyes.
Thea pressed the doorbell, and an instant later, Lorie’s warm smile welcomed her as she opened the door. "Miss Thea...Miss Charlotte is expecting you in her room. "
Lorie extended her hand to take Thea’s suitcase. "I will carry this up to your room for you." she offered.
Thea smiled in gratitude and passed over the suitcase, allowing herself to head upstairs to Charlotte’s room.She ascended the stairs and approached Charlotte’s door.
As Thea approached Charlotte’s door, it swung open before she could even knock. Charlotte’s beaming face greeted her, and with a mischievous grin, she pulled Thea inside.
"Ah, hmm, who came to drop you off, huh?" Charlotte teased, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Ryder," Thea replied, a hint of a smile on her lips.
"Did you have any problems on your journey?"
Thea shook her head, and a concerned expression crossed her face. "Actually, something unexpected happened. As I was waiting for the cab to come to your house from the subway station, I met Liam’s grandfather. He collapsed on the road."
"What? Oh my goodness!Then .."
Thea took a deep breath before continuing. "I didn’t know it was his grandfather at first. As soon as I saw someone collapsed on the road, I approached him. I accompanied him to the hospital, and that’s when Liam called his grandfather. Fortunately, I was able to inform him about his grandfather’s condition."
Thea paused, collecting her thoughts before concluding, "But who would have thought that it would turn out to be Liam’s grandfather?"
Charlotte’s expression turned concerned. "Is he alright?" she asked.
Thea nodded. "He’s receiving treatment. Hopefully, he’ll be okay."
Thea nodded in agreement as Charlotte suggested she take some rest. "You must be exhausted.Why don’t you get freshened up and then take a nap? I’ll come check on you later."
Charlotte led Thea to the adjacent room.The room was painted a soothing light blue, with creamy white trim and furnitures.
A plush, white area rug covered the floor, and a comfortable-looking armchair sat in one corner, piled high with soft, colorful cushions. A beautiful, dark wood dresser stood against one wall, adorned with delicate, crystal knobs that sparkled in the soft light.
Thea’s gaze wandered to the bed, white duvet and a sprinkle of colorful pillows. A delicate, lace canopy hung above the bed, adding a touch of whimsy and romance to the room.
As Charlotte closed the door behind her.She took a deep breath, feeling the tension and fatigue of her journey begin to melt away. With a contented sigh, she began to make her way to the bathroom, eager to freshen up and then surrender to the allure of the cozy bed.
Thea opened her suitcase and began to unpack, pulling out the clothes she planned to wear after her bath. She grabbed the bathrobe and towel, and headed to the bathroom to take a refreshing shower.
As she emerged from the bathroom, feeling revitalized and refreshed, she heard the faint sound of her phone ringing. She quickly made her way to the bed, where her phone lay, but just as she was about to answer the call, it ended.
She saw that it was her grandma, Grandma Grace, who had called. This was the second time she had called.She quickly dialed Grandma Grace’s number, and as soon as she answered, Thea said, "Grandma!"
"Thea,Have you reached safely?"
"Yes, Grandma, " Thea reassured her. "I was taking a shower and didn’t hear your call."
Grandma Grace’s tone softened. "Okay, dear. Take some rest. I’ll call you later."
Thea smiled and ended the call and placed her phone on the bed. Then, she picked up the clothes she had laid out earlier and headed to change.
"Thea, it’s time for lunch!" Thea turned to face her, her hair wrapped in a towel. Charlotte’s gaze landed on the towel, and she said, "You should dry your hair. Let me get the hair dryer."
Charlotte walked over to the modern dresser. She opened a drawer, revealing a neatly organized collection of hair care tools and accessories. From the drawer, Charlotte retrieved a high-tech hair dryer.
"Sit down, and I’ll dry your hair for you." Charlotte said, gesturing to the stool in front of the dresser.
