Chapter 3 His Gentleness And Concern For Xenia

A faint, defeated shake of Xenia's head accompanied her soft refusal. "It's not necessary, Dr. Hudson. I can pay for my own things."

Watching their little performance, Kaelyn couldn't summon even a trace of patience. For three years at Andrew's side, she had never once touched a cent of his money. Now that his true identity as the Hudson family's heir in Stellens had come to light, she saw no reason not to indulge herself a little.

Sharp-eyed as ever, Andrew picked up on her mood without a word.

While Kaelyn moved ahead, casually selecting one item after another, he trailed a step behind, settling every bill smoothly before she ever needed to ask.

Stepping into an upscale boutique, Xenia paused at the entrance, teeth pressing lightly into her lower lip as hesitation flickered across her face. "Kaelyn... Dr. Hudson's already spent quite a bit. Maybe we should check somewhere else?"

Kaelyn smirked. "What, feeling bad about spending his money?"

Xenia pressed her lips together and said nothing.

A quick glance slid from Xenia to Andrew before Kaelyn tipped her chin up, her voice edged with playful mockery. "Come on, money's hardly an issue for him. Right, Andrew?"

Without shifting his expression, Andrew gave a faint nod, his attention still fixed on Xenia. "Xenia, if anything catches your eye, just have them wrap it up."

Xenia blinked up at him. "Are you serious, Dr. Hudson?"

"I mean it."

Irritation curled in Kaelyn's chest, and she let out a quiet scoff before turning on her heel, drifting toward a display of handbags.

Xenia lifted her clear, innocent gaze to Andrew, as if being treated this way by Kaelyn was nothing new.

A faint crease formed between Andrew's brows as a flicker of concern crossed his eyes.

While Kaelyn busied herself chatting with the sales associate, Xenia lowered her gaze, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear before speaking in a soft, almost timid voice. "Dr. Hudson, the last time I fainted, you were the one who took me to the hospital. I never really got to thank you."

Gentleness slipped into Andrew's tone as he answered, "What mattered was that you were okay. I just happened to be nearby-nothing more than coincidence."

At those words, Kaelyn stilled, a quiet, incredulous laugh nearly escaping her lips.

Coincidence?

No matter where Xenia appeared, Andrew somehow ended up right beside her, ready to step in the second anything went wrong.

How many times could chance really line up that perfectly?

As Xenia chatted softly with Andrew, her eyes drifted toward the glass display, catching on a sleek handbag that made her breath hitch. "Oh wow... this one's gorgeous... and that one too."

Offering a polite, apologetic smile, the sales associate stepped forward. "I'm sorry, Miss, but both of those designs are currently unavailable. Would you like to take a look at some alternatives?"

"Oh, they're unavailable?" Xenia echoed quietly, the light in her eyes fading as she pressed her lips together and fell silent.

From a short distance away, Kaelyn glanced over, instantly recognizing the designs-limited editions reserved for a select few, pieces that couldn't be secured with money alone without the right connections. Memory stirred sharply. The last time she had stood beside Andrew, she had wanted those very bags. Back then, his response had been casual, almost dismissive.

Since they weren't available, he had told her to choose something else-after all, a bag was just a bag.

Noticing the shift in Xenia's mood, Andrew's expression grew thoughtful, his brows knitting slightly as he pulled out his phone and tapped out two quick messages.

Barely ten minutes later, the sales associate picked up a call.

Once the call hung up, she stepped toward Xenia with newfound deference, her smile warmer and more attentive than before. "Miss Reynolds, those two handbags you admired can be sourced from another boutique. Please follow me to the VIP lounge, and I'll go over the details with you personally."

Caught off guard, Xenia blinked in surprise, her fingers curling slightly at her sides as she tried to process it. "Wait... how did they suddenly become available?"

"Our location doesn't have any remaining stock, but our regional manager called just now. He insisted that since you like them, they should be secured for you-no purchase required."

A trace of envy slipped into the sales associate's tone as she added, "He mentioned the instruction came directly from Mr. Hudson, the heir of the Hudson family in Stellens. Miss Reynolds... I have to admit, I'm a little jealous."

Color crept across Xenia's cheeks, soft and unmistakable, her gaze dropping for a second before lifting again in confusion. "I don't even know Mr. Hudson. Why would he do something like this..."

"That means he's clearly got a thing for you." With a sugary smile, the sales associate piled on the flattery. "And honestly, Miss Reynolds, someone as stunning as you should be treated like this."

Warmth flickered openly in Andrew's eyes as he looked at Xenia, his tone soft as he added, "She's not wrong-you should be treated like this."

"You're all just saying that to make me feel good... If we're talking about looks, I'm nowhere near Kaelyn." Turning toward Kaelyn, Xenia lifted her head again, that gentle smile lingering as she spoke with practiced modesty. "Kaelyn, Mr. Hudson got me two bags-why don't we take one each?"

Leaning casually to the side, Kaelyn had been watching Andrew's every reaction with quiet amusement. Only when Xenia called her name did she shift her gaze over.

In her eyes, the two of them were perfectly matched-both masters of their own carefully crafted performances.

A sharp, humorless laugh slipped from Kaelyn's lips as she said, "If they were given to you, then keep them. Or better yet, take them with you when you're buried."

Blunt as ever, her words landed like knives, instantly wiping the color from both Xenia's and Andrew's faces. Sensing the tension spike, the sales associate hurried in with a practiced smile, deftly steering the moment away before it could turn uncomfortable.

Not long after, a handful of well-dressed socialites drifted into the boutique, their eyes lighting up with envy when they noticed Xenia securing those rare, limited-edition bags.

Once they learned the bags had been gifted by Mr. Hudson, their curiosity turned eager, and they began asking to add Xenia on WhatsApp.

Unused to being the center of such admiration, Xenia kept her posture demure, offering soft, modest replies, though the quiet glow of pride lingered unmistakably in her eyes.

Meanwhile, Andrew kept his eyes fixed on her, a faint smile lingering at the corners of his lips.

Kaelyn reminded herself over and over that none of this mattered-that everything she had shared with Andrew over those three long years had been nothing more than a meaningless illusion.

Still, a tight, simmering frustration coiled in her chest, threatening to spill over at any second.

Drawing in a steady breath, she turned on her heel and walked off without another glance.

Moving too quickly aggravated the injury, and a sharp ache flared through her left leg with each step.

Forcing herself to slow down, she pressed her lips together as her thoughts churned restlessly.

Back then, she had hired a personal doctor because of this lingering pain-regular treatments and careful hands had always brought her some relief.

Now, though, even putting one foot in front of the other felt like a struggle, while Andrew-both her boyfriend and that very personal doctor-was preoccupied with picking out bags for another woman.

Not once did he look up or notice that she had quietly walked away.

Was there anything more bitterly ironic than that?

A bitter curve tugged at Kaelyn's lips as the ache surged through her leg, sharp enough to steal her breath. Off balance, she staggered forward and nearly crashed into someone, catching herself just in time as she murmured, "I'm so sorry..."

"Are you blind or just careless? Watch where you're going. My mother's old-if she gets hurt, are you going to pay her medical bills?"

"You look polished enough, but that doesn't excuse your manners. Don't you know how to walk properly?"

"Everyone, take a look-this rich girl thinks she can push people around just because she has money!"

A knot of agitated family hemmed Kaelyn in, their sharp voices crashing over one another until a dull ache throbbed behind her temples, leaving her no space to speak.

Several steps away, Andrew strolled at an unhurried pace, shopping bags looped over his arm as he chatted easily with Xenia, oblivious to the chaos unfolding nearby.

Frustration finally snapped inside Kaelyn. Squeezing her eyes shut, she raised her voice and called out, "Andrew!"

Startled, the two glanced over, their attention at last drawn to the chaos.

Even so, he showed no urgency, taking his time to settle Xenia's purchases neatly into the car before making his way over, brows knitting slightly as he asked what had happened.

Sensing his composed, refined presence, the family-bold only when picking on someone weaker-quickly lost their nerve and shuffled off, grumbling under their breath.

Andrew inquired softly, "Kay, are you okay?"

Pressing her back against the cool metal of the car, Kaelyn felt the dull ache in her calf spike into something sharper.

Her eyes flicked to Andrew, then slid past him to where Xenia hovered behind, wearing that carefully arranged look of concern. A faint, cutting smile tugged at Kaelyn's lips. "Guess I disappointed you both. Still breathing, unfortunately."

Noticing where her attention had gone, Andrew's expression tightened, the crease between his brows deepening. "I'm sorry. Xenia's heart condition means she can't go fast. I had to walk at her pace, so it took us a bit longer."

"Don't worry about it. You don't owe me an apology," Kaelyn answered, her eyes cool and distant.

After a brief pause, she tilted her head, her tone sharpening with a deliberate edge. "She's got a heart condition, and you're a doctor. Honestly, even if you went as far as finding her a brand-new heart, I wouldn't be surprised."

Andrew's gaze sharpened, his eyes narrowing just a fraction as he searched Kaelyn's face, studying her with a quiet, probing intensity. "Why would you say something like that?"

"Did I say something off?" Not a hint of what she truly knew slipped through her expression. With a casual shrug and a trace of dry amusement, she added, "Aren't doctors supposed to care for their patients like that?"

Perhaps that was true for others.

In Andrew's case, every ounce of gentleness and concern had long been set aside for Xenia alone.

Deceit didn't seem to trouble him in the slightest-if anything, he would gladly carve out Kaelyn's heart valve just to keep Xenia alive.

That thought simmered inside Kaelyn's chest, slowly igniting into something darker, sharper-no longer irritation, but a cold, burning hatred. Drawing in a steady breath, she said, "I'm starving. Let's go."

"Kaelyn..." Xenia had just begun to speak when the roar of a motorcycle suddenly tore toward them.

Kaelyn's pupils tightened in a sudden flash of fear, her gaze darting instinctively toward Andrew at her side, yet he didn't spare her a single glance, his arms moving on reflex as he yanked Xenia into his embrace, turning his body to shield her completely.