Chapter 444 Eavesdropping

• Rhea Wood wasn’t being melodramatic or trying to stir up trouble. It wasn’t about those corny lines on life, love, and freedom. She just no longer felt like herself. She had changed too much for Casper Frost, and she had bent too far for his obsessions. She didn’t want to keep forcing this broken way of living. She wanted to leave. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Casper. She did. But she wanted the freedom to love him her way. The thing with the baby only made her wake up. Rhea got dressed. The heavy stone in her chest finally dropped, and a light rush of relief filled her. A nurse came in to do the routine check. Casper shot Lucas Fray a look, motioning for him to step outside. Lucas paused, thinking Casper might be ready to settle scores about him blurting “Rhea” earlier in panic. He sighed and followed. Rhea watched them walk out, her eyes flickering. What were they talking about? Was the test result still bad? When it came to this, she didn’t trust Casper Frost. Casper didn’t care about the baby. To make sure she carried to term safely, he’d do anything. Rhea stood up fast and told the nurse, “I need to use the restroom.” The nurse set down her pen and nodded. “Turn left outside. Do you need me to take you?” Rhea shook her head. “No, I can find it. I’ll be right back.” She stepped out of the exam room and headed straight for Lucas Fray’s office. At the door, she leaned in, quietly, to catch what they were saying. She was scared the result was bad, and she wanted to hear if the baby had any other issues. Casper hadn’t imagined Rhea would eavesdrop, so he didn’t bother keeping his voice down. He spoke like ice. “Lucas Fray, I warned you. Cut your thoughts about Rhea.” Lucas knew Casper was here to settle scores. He gave a wry smile. “Casper, you got it wrong. I don’t have anything like that. I was just nervous, worried something might be wrong with your baby.” Rhea frowned at the door. Lucas had a thing for her? She had come to hear the truth about the baby, but this whiplash made her feel awkward. Luckily, no one noticed her listening, and the topic inside shifted fast. Casper’s voice stayed cold. “Is the baby really fine? Or did you tell her what I said to tell her?” “Casper, the baby’s really fine. Relax. We ran it carefully. Not a single issue.” “I’m not worried. Just remember this. Rhea’s body cannot have any problems. That baby in her belly—no matter what happens, it can only be ‘no problem.’ I want her to deliver with a happy heart.” Rhea felt cold sweat dampen her back before she even realized it. So she’d been right. No matter what, Casper would tell her the baby was fine. If the baby really had a defect, and she hadn’t thought of leaving or come to listen, what then? A few months later, she’d give birth to a child with a defect, and that child would live in pain. The thought sent sweat rolling down her spine. Her decision to leave hardened like steel. Casper was too obsessive. If they kept going like this, their fights would only grow. They’d sour, bit by bit. Her chest hurt, and before she could step away, the office door swung open. Casper narrowed his eyes. “Rhea, what are you doing here?” Caught eavesdropping, Rhea’s heart leapt. Her limbs locked tight. But she reacted fast, tipping her chin up with a guileless look. “Casper, I was looking for you. I need the restroom. I’m not done with the check. Give me a minute.” Casper’s eyes stayed narrowed. He wasn’t sure how much she’d heard. Rhea acted like she didn’t notice his probing look. She stripped off her coat and shoved it into his arms, whining a little. “It’s too thick—boiling hot. Hold it for me. I’m going to the restroom.” Her face was flushed. Tiny beads of sweat dotted her nose. She really did look overheated. Casper’s tension eased a notch. He nodded. “Yeah. I’ll hold it. Go.” Rhea rushed into the restroom and locked the stall, finally daring to draw a deep breath. Close one. He almost caught her. She stood there for a long time, waiting for her breathing to steady, then stepped out. She splashed cold water on her face, woke herself up, and walked out of the restroom—only to jump. Her voice pitched high. “Casper, why are you standing outside the ladies’ room?” A grown man standing at a women’s restroom door—yeah, that looked weird. Casper held her coat in his hand and said calmly, “I’m waiting for you.” Rhea’s nerves prickled. Had he noticed anything off? They walked out together. Bit by bit, her heart settled. Casper didn’t look suspicious. Back in the exam room, Lucas was there too. Rhea sat down. “Anything else to check?” Casper stacked the papers in his hand, tucked them all into a file folder, and spoke with a clipped, businesslike tone that felt distant. “That’s it. We checked everything. It’s all fine. From now on, just your regular checkups at the right times.” Rhea looked at the folder in Lucas’s hand and asked, “Dr. Fray, can I have those records?” She figured she’d need these tests if she went somewhere else. She had to find a way to keep a copy. She kept it casual so Casper wouldn’t notice anything. At some point, she’d stopped calling him “Brother Lucas” and switched to “Dr. Fray.” Casper liked that. Lucas felt a twinge of loss. He knew that keeping distance was better for everyone. He swallowed the small sting and asked, “What do you want them for? You’ll deliver here at our hospital. You don’t need to take the records.” Rhea scratched her cheek, embarrassed. “I want them for a keepsake.” “Got it. That’s fine. I’ll copy a set for our files and give you the originals.” “Thanks, Dr. Fray.” “No… no problem.” The space between Rhea and Lucas had grown a lot colder, which made Casper very happy. Rhea kept things looking normal. Since Casper was satisfied, he didn’t suspect a thing. She gripped the folder tight, knuckles pale. They didn’t linger at the hospital. The two of them walked out to wait by the doors. Sean Wilson went to get the car. Casper planned to head back to Mirage. Rhea suddenly said, “Casper, I want to go shopping. I need a few clothes.”