Grace Winslow’s lips twitched into a smirk. She pushed open the door to the hospital room and walked straight in.

Ryan York had just turned to leave when a young, rather pretty girl suddenly walked in. He frowned, his expression souring.

Grace Winslow looked Ryan York up and down for a moment before speaking. "You’re Sean York’s father?"

"And who are you?" Ryan York asked, his face cold and grim.

"I’m Joanne Chase’s sister. I hear you’re against her being with Sean York?" Grace Winslow didn’t mince her words.

’Just from his words, I can tell he’s no good. A complete scumbag who abandoned his wife and child to take care of someone else’s wife and child.’

’Does a man like that even deserve a wife and child?’

’Sometimes she felt like heaven must be blind, letting someone like him have such a smooth-sailing life. He has a wife to wait on him, a mistress on the side, enjoying the thrill of an affair while his wife serves him like a maid. He gets to have his cake and eat it too.’

’Men like him get all the good things in this world.’

’And yet, they’re never satisfied. They always want more.’

"So you’re that girl’s sister. I should have known—the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Since you’re here, I’ll be direct. I don’t approve of her relationship with my son. If you two know what’s good for you, you’ll break up on your own and stay away from my son. If you don’t, I’ll have no choice but to go to your school and talk to your teachers and the administration to demand an explanation."

"I’d like to see what happens. You students get into university and instead of studying, all you can think about is climbing the social ladder. Let’s see if the school will do something about it or not," Ryan York scoffed, cursing without a shred of courtesy.

Grace Winslow laughed. "Oh, really? I don’t think you’re one to talk. Look at you—abandoning your own wife and child to take care of another man’s family, and you seem so proud of it. How sanctimonious."

"But you know, your wife is a wonderful person. She raised your son very well. At least Sean York didn’t inherit that scumbag DNA in your bones and become a scumbag himself."

"And you. For the first twenty years of his life, you couldn’t care less about your son, didn’t fulfill a single day of your fatherly duties. Now that you’re old, you come running back to play the big, bad father, forcing your son to marry someone he doesn’t like. Where do you get the nerve?"

"And you have the audacity to say my family’s upbringing is bad? I don’t think you’re in any position to judge."

His sordid thoughts exposed so bluntly, Ryan York flew into a rage out of shame and anger.

Just as he was about to raise a hand, he saw Archer Rhys walk in, expressionless, and stand beside Grace Winslow.

The hand he had raised froze in mid-air. After a long moment, he slowly lowered it. "Archer Rhys? What are you doing here? Are you here to see Sean?"

"I’m here with my girlfriend. It seems Mr. York has a big problem with her?"

Ryan York’s face instantly turned ugly. "She... is your girlfriend?"

"Why? Do you have a problem with that? Or is it that Mr. York not only wants to manage Sean’s marriage, but wants to manage my affairs as well?" Archer Rhys said coolly, his hands in his pockets. His expression was placid, but his eyes held a threatening glint.

Ryan York was immediately put in an awkward position.

Archer Rhys was clearly standing up for Grace Winslow.

His own official rank was lower than Archer Rhys’s. Archer had just received a first-class merit award and might even get an exceptional promotion. Even without that, he already outranked Ryan.

Calling him "Mr. York" was a courtesy. If Archer chose not to be courteous, Ryan would have to be the one acting deferential toward him.

How would he dare meddle in who Archer Rhys chose as his girlfriend?

"His wound reopened. Call a doctor," Archer Rhys said calmly, glancing at Sean York, who was deathly pale on the bed.

Megan Dalton had composed herself by now. She wiped away her tears, her resolve to get a divorce hardening.

’Before, I didn’t get a divorce for the sake of the children. But now they’re all grown up, and they’re becoming victims themselves. I can’t keep being weak.’

’My eldest son hasn’t been home in three years because of his marriage.’

’He married the niece of that Fiona Vance. That woman has a terrible reputation—she was already pregnant with some other man’s child before the wedding. By marrying her, Owen York was just cleaning up someone else’s mess.’

’He hasn’t been home since the wedding. His marriage is one in name only.’

’That man has already ruined one son’s life. I absolutely cannot let Sean follow in his brother’s footsteps, be forced to marry a woman he doesn’t like, and be miserable for half his life.’

"Could I trouble you to look after Sean for a moment? I have some matters to attend to." Megan Dalton gave Grace Winslow and Archer Rhys an elegant smile, nodded, and then left with Ryan York.

Only after they left did Joanne Chase enter the room.

She was a little nervous and uneasy.

She had heard everything Ryan York said just now.

She cared deeply about her studies and couldn’t risk losing this opportunity over a man. So, she was hesitant, wondering if she should temporarily break up with Sean York for the sake of her education.

She hadn’t planned on being in a relationship during school in the first place.

This date had ended in disaster, leaving her with significant emotional trauma.

"I’m sorry. I must have scared you," Sean York said apologetically, looking at Joanne Chase’s pale face.

Joanne Chase quickly shook her head. "No, it’s not your fault. It was me. If I hadn’t gone out with you, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt. Are you okay? Does your wound still hurt?"

"I’m fine," Sean York said, shaking his head.

His wound had torn open, and he’d lost a lot of blood. Just after he finished speaking, he passed out.

The doctor arrived quickly, and Sean York was rushed back into the operating room for emergency treatment.

After more than four hours, they finally managed to save him.

Joanne Chase waited outside for over four hours.

This time, no one was there to get in the way or stop them from seeing each other.

Joanne Chase went into the room and sat by the bed. As she looked at Sean York, her sister’s parting words echoed in her mind: ’Don’t do anything you’ll regret. Think it through, and say what you need to say.’

She thought for a long time and about many things.

She truly did like Sean York. She had very strong feelings for him.

If circumstances allowed, she would choose to date him, and then, when the time was right, they would get married and build a life together.

But this incident was a rude awakening, making her realize something.

Love and marriage weren’t simply a matter of wanting it or liking someone.

Right now, neither she nor Sean York was in a position to be responsible for their future.

"Sean York, I’ve thought it over. I want to focus on my studies and not think about relationships for now. You can understand that, right?" Seeing Sean York open his eyes, Joanne Chase didn’t hesitate this time.

Sean York looked at her face for a long time before finally nodding. "I know. Don’t worry, I won’t pester you. And I won’t listen to him and marry a woman I don’t like. I’ll wait for you."

"You focus on your studies. You don’t need to think about anything else. And don’t worry about him going to the school to cause trouble for you. Archer is here. He won’t let that happen."

"Joy, I’ll always wait for you."