Emily stared for a moment. "What are you doing here?"

Ignoring her question, Andrew picked up a digital thermometer and pointed it at her forehead. It beeped. He glanced at the reading. “38.2. It's down a little."

Emily scanned the area, looking for Emma.

Only then did Andrew casually answer her. "Am I not allowed to be here?"

Emily shot him a sideways glance. "This is a hospital. You can come and go as you please."

Just then, her eyes landed on Emma hurrying toward them, a plastic bag in her hand. "Here, eat some breakfast."

As she approached, she noticed Andrew. She paused, her old fear and distance toward him evident in her eyes. "Mr. Lane? What are you doing here?" Emma asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice as she slowly sat down on Emily's other side.

“Ma'am, I came to visit Emily," Andrew replied.

The simple, polite address stunned both Emily and Emma into silence. Emily's face remained impassive, but inside, she was exasperated.

Emma looked from Andrew to Emily, her expression a mix of surprise and uncertainty. "That's very kind of you, Mr. Lane."

Emily rubbed her forehead. "Mom, I'm hungry. I want to eat."

That snapped Emma's attention away from Andrew. She opened the bag and handed Emily a container of soup and a bread roll.

Emily ate her breakfast quietly, not saying another word. Andrew watched her for a moment before taking out his own phone.

None of the three spoke. Emma was too intimidated by Andrew to say anything, Emily was focused on her food and had no desire to talk to him, and Andrew was polite enough not to interrupt their meal.

As soon as Emily finished eating, Andrew stood up. She looked up at him. He was glancing at her IV bag.

After a moment, he met her eyes. "I have a meeting to get to, so I can't stay."

Emily couldn't wait for him to leave, though she didn't let it show on her face. She nodded calmly. "Okay, goodbye."

Andrew looked at her, a faint smile playing on his lips. "What, you want me to leave?"

"No, you've misunderstood," Emily said quickly.

"Alright, then I've misunderstood." A hint of amusement flickered in his dark eyes before he turned and walked away.

Only after Andrew was gone did Emma speak. "Why was he here? Did you call him?"

Emily shook her head. "He found out I had a fever and came on his own."

Emma's expression was complicated. “Emily, aren't you with Tristan now? So, what about you and him...?"

Emily couldn't bear the implication and immediately shut it down. "It's not like that. "We're just friends."

Emma let out a sigh of relief. "Oh, good. For a moment, I was worried you were going to be unfair to Tristan." She took Emily's hand and lowered her voice. "Andrew was Isabella's husband, after all. Even though..... Isabella is gone, he's still a widower. And with your history... you have to keep a clear head. Tristan is the right one for you."

Emily patted her hand reassuringly. "Mom, I know. Don't worry."

She had lived through her past with Andrew. Even an outsider would find it horrifying; for her, it was something she utterly despised. There was absolutely no chance of her ever going back to an ex. She would not repeat her past mistakes.

She was grateful for what Andrew had done recently, but it was just that—gratitude.