The Billionaire's Temptation: Love, Family and Revenge-Chapter 44: A Passionate Hug

Jane felt a jolt of shock at Ford’s words. She knew they weren’t very close, but she never expected such a cold and distant response from him. His tone carried no warmth, no hesitation—just a clear dismissal. It stung more than she wanted to admit.

Annoyance bubbled up inside her, making it hard to stay calm. As she tried to process his reaction, her eyes met Elena’s. Unlike Jane, Elena showed no visible reaction. Her face was blank, void of any emotion, as if she were watching something completely unimportant.

That blank stare only made Jane angrier.

"What are you looking at?!" Jane snapped, her voice sharp with frustration.

Elena didn’t even flinch. She didn’t reply, didn’t show any sign of being affected by Jane’s outburst. She just kept looking at her, as if Jane’s presence didn’t matter enough to respond to.

Jane inhaled deeply, forcing herself to stay composed. Her body felt tense, her emotions in turmoil, but she couldn’t afford to lose control. She had to try again.

Turning back to Ford, she softened her voice into something gentle, almost pleading. "So what about her? Is she going to stay while you send me away? That’s not fair," she argued, her tone laced with sadness. "I just want to be with you."

She hoped that speaking in a soft, feminine voice would make him reconsider, would somehow touch his heart and make him change his mind. But Ford remained unmoved.

"The last time I checked, we aren’t close enough for you to be by my side," he said coolly. His voice was steady, firm, and distant. He didn’t even bother looking at her. His eyes stayed glued to the television screen in front of him, as if Jane’s presence was nothing more than background noise.

Jane clenched her fists at her sides. She didn’t mind leaving if that’s what he wanted, but what frustrated her most was the fact that Elena wasn’t being told to leave as well. Why was she allowed to stay? What made her different?

Before she could say anything else, her mother gently placed a hand on her arm. "Baby, let’s go. You can come see him another time," she said, her voice soft and consoling.

Jane turned to her, pouting like a child. "But Mom, can’t I just stay?" she whined, her frustration clear in her voice.

Her mother sighed but kept her tone gentle. "No, my dear. Sir Ford wouldn’t like that," she said kindly. She was trying hard to act as if everything was fine, as if Ford’s words hadn’t stung both of them. But Jane could tell—she could hear the slight hesitation in her mother’s voice, the way her words were carefully chosen to keep the peace.

Even so, Jane couldn’t shake off the irritation she felt. The way Ford had dismissed her so easily, the way Elena stayed without a word—it all felt unfair. But what could she do?

After the tense encounter with Jane and her mother, Ford had expected them to leave without further discussion. What more did they want from him?

"Sir Ford, you wouldn’t mind if Jane comes around later to check on your health, right?" Jane’s stepmother asked, her voice carefully measured. She was clearly hoping for a positive response, but Ford remained indifferent.

He didn’t bother to reply. His gaze stayed fixed on the television, uninterested in their request.

Just then, Elena coughed softly.

The moment the sound reached his ears, Ford’s attention shifted. His eyes moved instantly to her, studying her face. She looked uncomfortable, almost as if she wanted to disappear. Her posture was stiff, her expression uneasy.

Noticing this, Ford finally turned toward Jane and her stepmother. With an uninterested tone, he muttered, "Whatever."

That was all they were going to get from him.

"Thank you, Sir. We will come around later," Jane’s stepmother said quickly, not wanting to push any further.

She reached for Jane’s arm, pulling her gently but firmly. Jane, however, didn’t budge immediately. Her angry eyes remained locked on Elena, as if trying to burn holes through her with her gaze.

Still, she had no choice but to leave. As the door finally closed behind them, the room became quiet again.

Ford let out a small breath before turning to Elena. His tone changed as he asked, "Are you alright?"

It was the first time he had gotten up from his bed since being brought in.

"Oh, yes, I am," Elena replied quickly. But Ford wasn’t convinced. He could see how tense she was, her hands slightly trembling, her forehead damp with sweat.

Before he could say anything else, the door opened again.

A cleaner walked in and spoke politely. "Good day Sir, Good day Doctor Charles. You called for me?" She managed to speak even though her voice was laced with fear for whom she had just seen.

"Oh yes, clean up these broken glasses on the floor," Doctor Charles instructed, gesturing to the shattered pieces scattered nearby.

The cleaner nodded and hurriedly got to work, sweeping up the mess with practiced efficiency. Within moments, she was done and quietly left the room.

Ford, however, had already made up his mind. He was done with the hospital. There was no reason for him to stay any longer.

Turning toward Doctor Charles, he gave his next order. "Sign me out. I think I’m done here."

There was no hesitation in his voice—just firm resolve.

Then, shifting his attention to his driver, he added, "Get my clothes. And get the car ready. We’re leaving now."

The driver, who had been waiting nearby, immediately responded, "Yes, Sir!"

Within seconds, he placed Ford’s neatly folded clothes on the bed and hurried off to prepare the car.

Ford wasted no time. He was ready to leave this place behind.

"Sir Ford, just wait a few more days so we can monitor your recovery," the doctor urged, hoping to convince him to stay.

But Ford wasn’t listening to him. His eyes were locked on Elena, who stood silently, refusing to even glance his way.

After a long pause, he finally turned his gaze toward the doctor. His expression was cold, his tone firm. "I wish not to repeat myself. I am done here."

There was no room for argument.

The doctor sighed, knowing better than to push any further. Ford was not someone who liked being told what to do.

"Alright," the doctor relented. "If that’s what you want. But what about your medication? Will you take it before you leave?"

Ford barely spared him a glance. "My butler will collect it from you. You can leave now." 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

His words were final.

Understanding that there was no point in arguing, the doctor gave a small bow before quietly exiting the room. He knew Ford wasn’t joking—when he said he was done, he meant it.

As soon as the door clicked shut, Ford turned his full attention back to Elena. The room felt quieter now that everyone else was gone.

"They’re all gone," he said softly. "Will you please look at me?"

His voice was unusually gentle, almost pleading. But Elena kept her gaze downcast, her hands fiddling nervously with the fabric of her gown.

Ford could tell she was shaken. Her posture was tense, her once-bright presence now dulled by the weight of everything that had happened.

She had been caught off guard—both by his family and her own.

She hadn’t expected things to unfold this way.

Ford missed her smile. He had always loved the way it lit up her face, how it made everything around her feel warmer. But now, that smile was gone.

He wondered what he could do to bring it back.

Elena wanted to look at him. She wanted to say something, to push through the emotions swirling inside her. But she couldn’t.

She felt dismayed.

Powerless.

When she had stood before Ford’s parents, she had been unable to speak. The people she had once called family had treated her like a stranger, as if she didn’t belong.

As if she was nothing.

The feeling of being an outsider overwhelmed her. It weighed heavily on her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to smile.

Her mind kept circling back to the same question—

How did she end up here?

She hated feeling insignificant.

"Elena... Elena, are you listening to me?" Ford’s deep voice cut through her thoughts.

She felt a light shake, snapping her back to reality. She blinked, realizing that she had been lost in her mind again, drifting far away from the present moment.

"What were you thinking about? I’ve been calling your name," Ford said, concern evident in his tone. His sharp eyes studied her face, searching for answers. "Are you sure you’re fine?"

Elena hesitated for a moment before forcing a small smile. She didn’t want to worry him.

"Umm... I’m so sorry," she murmured. "What were you saying?" She tried to sound normal, as if nothing was wrong.

Ford didn’t look convinced. His gaze didn’t waver as he watched her carefully.

"What do I do with you?" he muttered, half to himself. He could tell something was weighing on her mind, something deep enough to pull her completely away from reality.

Without another word, he reached forward and pulled her into a hug.

Elena’s eyes widened in shock.