Love at First Sight? Mr. Harrison Has Been Scheming All Along-Chapter 271: "Does He Have to Watch Me Die!

Rory Linden gently pushed away the hand holding hers and smiled. "I have my job. My life is pretty much a straight line between work and home. The hospital is always full of people; he can’t possibly do anything there."

Rory wasn’t worried about herself.

When she wasn’t away on business trips or at conferences, her life was a simple routine: hospital and home.

Celestria University Affiliated Hospital was one of the best hospitals in Veridia. With people constantly coming and going, there was no way Evan Hollis would try anything there.

"He has no family, so he’s got nothing to lose." Sean Harrison thought for a moment. "I’ll have a driver pick you up and drop you off for a while. At least until he’s caught."

"That’s..."

"Regardless, just let the driver take you, if only for my peace of mind. If something were to happen to you, what would Leo do?"

Sean Harrison looked at Rory Linden. "Would you feel at ease leaving him with me? His unreliable, unfamiliar dad?"

Rory couldn’t help but smile at his words.

A few days ago, when Leo had been staying with Sean, she’d had to resist the urge to call and check on him during every free moment at work.

After all, she had been with Leo constantly for the first four years of his life.

They had only been back for a few months.

Leo had met Sean fewer times than he’d met Ryan Sterling.

She was worried Sean would neglect some detail in his care.

But to her surprise, day after day went by, and the father-son duo got along swimmingly.

’Evan has no reason to hurt me,’ Rory thought, but she agreed anyway. "Could the driver you arrange just drive my car?"

Every one of Sean’s cars was worth a fortune.

Just having one parked at the hospital entrance would draw a crowd.

Her colleagues would definitely get curious if she started showing up and leaving in a car like that every day.

Gossip spread like wildfire in a hospital, and there was no telling what kind of rumors would start.

"Of course."

Sean was naturally willing to concede on such a small matter.

Rory glanced at the time on her phone. "Let’s go back and check on Leo."

When they got home, the nanny told them Leo was already asleep.

Rory went upstairs, opened her son’s door, and tiptoed inside.

She walked to the bed and sat down gently. After making sure he was sound asleep, she straightened his light blanket and slipped out of the room. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Sean was waiting right outside the door. When she came out, he said, "The nanny made some porridge before I left. Want to have some in the kitchen?"

Rory said, "Okay. Thank you."

Hearing her say those two words, Sean’s expression stiffened slightly. The corner of his mouth twitched, but he remained silent.

「Downstairs.」

Sean went into the kitchen and dished out a bowl of porridge for her, along with a freshly baked fish fillet.

The only sound in the dining room was the soft clinking of a spoon against a bowl.

Neither of them spoke.

Rory was the first to break the silence. "Um... are you going to visit Auntie Rhodes?"

She had been wanting to ask.

Other than the day of Charlotte Rhodes’s surgery, Sean hadn’t been to see her.

Of course, his absence was probably beneficial for Charlotte’s condition.

Charlotte Rhodes disliked her own son; she was always irritable whenever she saw him.

But now that Evan Hollis was on the run...

"Not for the time being."

Sean’s reply was curt.

Rory nodded. "That’s probably for the best."

The conversation stalled.

The dining room fell silent once more.

After a moment, Sean spoke up. "I’m thinking of taking Leo to visit a company that develops intelligent robots tomorrow. They’re also developing the same kind of medical robotic arm you use."

Rory hummed in agreement. "You can go ahead and arrange it."

Having failed to find a topic that interested her, Sean tried again. "There’s a three-day robotics expo in Austrell at the end of the month. I’d like to take him, if that’s okay with you."

"For three days?"

Rory finally put down her spoon.

Before this, Sean had only taken Leo to activities within Veridia.

Now he wanted to take him to Austrell for three whole days.

"Yeah. The organizers invited me to attend the opening ceremony, and the robotic dogs my company makes will be on display. The exhibits change each day, so I’d like to take Leo for the full three days."

Sean carefully explained his reasoning.

For an expo of this size, he didn’t need to attend the opening ceremony himself. He could have just sent any colleague.

Ultimately, he was doing it for Leo.

"Okay, you two should go. I won’t be able to make it. I’m too busy with work to get away."

Rory had never regretted her decision to become a doctor.

But there were times she felt frustrated by how busy her job was.

If it weren’t for Leo, she wouldn’t have cared how busy she was—pulling all-nighters, traveling for work, attending meetings, working around the clock... it all would have been fine.

But with a son, she had another role to play.

’A child only gets one childhood. If I only focus on myself, I’ll definitely regret it in the future.’

"Okay."

Sean agreed.

Rory had just raised half a spoonful of porridge to her lips before setting it down again. "Is it inconvenient for you, having Leo with you every day?"

Leo had been with Sean for the past few days.

Her son came home every day saying how happy he was, but she hadn’t had a chance to ask Sean if it was causing him any trouble.

"Not at all." Sean’s lips curved into a smile. "You’ve raised Leo so well. He’s very sensible and well-behaved. Everyone who’s met him lately has told me how envious they are that I have such a wonderful son."

He added, "Besides, he’s very bright and genuinely interested in robotics and AI. If he decides he wants to pursue this field someday, I can help him."

Rory was becoming increasingly aware of just how important Sean was as a father figure for Leo.

Compared to what she could provide, Sean could offer more—and better.

It was what Leo needed most.

"That’s good. When Leo is a little older, he should spend more time with you. He’ll mature quickly and learn so much that way."

Rory genuinely believed this.

Sean looked at the woman across from him. "And what about you?"

Rory fell silent for a moment. "I can focus on my work."

"...Right."

Sean didn’t press her.

’At least,’ he thought with some relief, ’as long as we have Leo as a connection, we won’t drift too far apart.’

-

「The next day.」

Rory was busy all morning.

She was in a patient’s room, checking on their post-operative condition, when she heard two nurses hurry past the door.

Nurses didn’t usually rush like that.

Rory turned to the resident physician accompanying her. "Go see what’s going on."

A few minutes later, the resident returned. "The nurses said the patient in bed 137 hit the call button, so they went to check."

"Bed 137?"

Rory froze. ’That’s Charlotte Rhodes’s bed number!’ she realized instantly.

After giving a few brief instructions, she turned and headed straight for Charlotte Rhodes’s room.

"Ma’am, please calm down. Tell us what’s wrong, take your time. I’m sure your son has a good reason for not being here."

Rory had just reached the doorway when she heard a nurse trying to placate Charlotte Rhodes.

She walked inside...

"Rory Linden! You’re here! Get over here!"

The moment Charlotte Rhodes saw Rory walk in, she started yelling for her.

Her tone was clearly demanding.

Rory glanced at the monitor beside the bed and hurried over, about to offer some words of comfort...

"Call Sean Harrison right now! Tell him to answer my calls!" Charlotte Rhodes grabbed her hand forcefully. "He must be the one hiding Evan Hollis! He can’t stand to see me doing well, can he! Does he really want to watch me die?!"