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MillionNovel > My Husband Wants An Open Marriage > Chapter 72

Chapter 72

    CHAPTER 072: Emotional Support


    Ryan O''Brien~~


    It''s been a week since the lump was surgically removed from Ryan''s chest, and he''s at the hospital, waiting for ine Jenkins, Julie''s mother.


    The hospital parking lot feels like purgatory-just endless rows of cars and the low hum of fluorescent lights that turn every reflective surface into a pale green.


    Ryan is sitting in the back seat of his car, fidgeting with the leather strap of his watch. He doesn''t know why he called ine of all people. Maybe because her number is there, wedged between hiswyer and his financial advisor, or maybe because she looks a lot like Julie.


    The thought of Julie sends a pang through him. She hasn''t been taking his calls. Yeah, he did say he''d let her have the divorce, and he might have threatened her while doing it. But she should know he doesn''t mean any of that. Even if she''s leaving him, they could be friends, right? Friends are allowed to call each other when they''re falling apart.


    He catches sight of ine''s car-a white convertible-pulling into a spot two rows down. Even her parking is aggressive, the wheels jerking to a halt. She steps out of the car, and Ryan holds his breath, already feeling like this was a bad idea.


    Now that he thinks about it, she is Julie, but cranked up a notch: a sharp zer in hot pink with exaggerated shoulder pads, a pencil skirt, and sunsses that probably cost more than she can afford. Her heels click as she struts over, radiating the energy of a woman who takes no prisoners.


    ine opens the backseat door, slides in, and crosses her legs as if she''s about to negotiate a hostile takeover. She removes her sunsses and folds them, setting them in herp. Her piercing eyes fix on Ryan. "Alright," she says. "What''s this about?"


    Ryan opens his mouth, but nothinges out. Why did he call her? The truth is there, tangled somewhere in his chest, but saying it feels like trying to cough up barbed wire. He rubs the back of his neck, staring down at the faint stitching on his jeans.


    "I just... There''s a probability I have cancer," he says.


    ine blinks. Then she tilts her head, her expression unreadable. "A probability? I don''t follow. Do you have it


    or not?"


    "I don''t know yet."


    "So you''re telling me you dragged me all the way here for potential bad news? What do you want? Money for chemotherapy? Now you want me to repay all the money you''ve spent on me? Because I''m going to be honest with you-" "ine."


    -you''d have to throw me in jail, because I don''t have it."


    Ryan exhales, the sound almost a growl. "Can you stop talking? Jesus Christ, I called you here because I needed emotional support. They removed a lump from my chest. I''m getting the results today. I just... didn''t


    CHAPTER 072, Emotional Support


    want to do this alone."


    "Emotional support?" she says, looking like she''d just tasted bile. "Where''s your mother?"


    "If I wanted my mother, she''d be here, wouldn''t she?"


    "So what, then? You want a shoulder to cry on? Someone to hold your hand while you wait for your scary little test results? I must warn you, I don''t do emotions very well."


    Ryan runs his hands down his face, muffling a groan. "God, why did I think this was a good idea?"


    "I''m wondering the same thing."


    "You know what? Forget it. I''ll go in alone."


    She sighs, the sound is more theatrical than necessary. "Oh, stop being such a baby. I''m already here. Might


    as well use me."


    "Right."


    ine''s expression shifts, softening just enough to be noticeable. "All this is because of Julie, isn''t it? She''s the one you want holding your hand down the hospital''s hallway, but you kind of fucked that up, and now I''m the next option. You know, Ryan, if you''re lonely, I could give you another daughter. It seems you have a thing for the Jenkins. And I promise you, this one won''t leave you."


    "Gosh, you''re even worse than Julie said. I''m not in love with your genes, ine. I''m in love with Julie. And


    she''s the only one who ever cared about me."


    "That''s not true," ine says. "I care."


    Ryan snorts. "You care about my money."


    "Touché."


    For a moment, they sit in silence. Ryan''s fingers drum against his knee, his nerves fraying with each passing


    second.


    "I''m scared," he admits.


    "Of course you are. Anyone would be."


    He swallows hard, staring at his hands. "What if it''s bad news? What if-"


    "Stop," she cuts him off. "You''re getting ahead of yourself. You don''t know anything yet. And sitting here, spiraling, isn''t going to help."


    "I just... I can''t stop thinking about all the times I could''ve done better, been better. And now, what if it''s too


    ine reaches over and ces a hand on his arm, surprising him. Her touch is firm. "Ryan, you''ve made your fair share of mistakes. Hell, we all have. But if there''s one thing I know, it''s that you''re not the kind of man who gives up. So whatever this is, you''ll face it. And you''ll figure it out."


    He blinks, taken aback by the unexpected pep talk. Julie once swore her mother doesn''t have a conscience.


    "Don''t look so shocked," she adds with a smirk. "I can be nice. asionally. When the mood strikes."


    CHAPTER 072: Emotional Support


    "Well," he says, "I''ll be damned."


    "Yes, you will. But not today."


    For the first time since Ryan got the news about the lump, Ryan feels his chest loosen, just a little. ine Jenkins might be a walking headache, but in this moment, she''s exactly what he needs.


    "Alright," he says. "Let''s go see that doctor.".


    The hospital''s hallway smells like antiseptic and faint despair. It''s bright, too bright, just enough to set Ryan''s nerves on edge. He''s walking beside ine, who, in her towering heels, strides like they''re heading to a cocktail party instead of a potential death sentence. ine looks over. "You''re awfully quiet. Having second thoughts?"


    "Maybe."


    "Toote."


    When they arrive at the reception, Ryan mutters his name and appointment time while ine leans against the counter, inspecting her manicure.


    "Have a seat," the receptionist says without looking up.


    ine tosses her hair over her shoulder. "Charming. I''ll make myselffortable in your five-star waiting area."


    Ryan steers her toward a row of hard stic chairs. "For once, could you not antagonize someone?"


    "Antagonize? That was me being polite," she says, sitting down.


    He doesn''t bother responding, too busy staring at the door that leads to the doctor''s office. Every second feels like it''s being stretched on a medieval rack. He nces at ine, who''s now scrolling through her phone, her face impassive. "How are you so calm?" he blurts.


    She doesn''t look up. "I''m not the one dying."


    "Really?"


    "Mm-hmm."


    "You''re unbelievable."


    "I know." She puts her phone away and looks at him. "Rx. Whatever it is, you''ll deal with it. Or you won''t. Either way, panicking isn''t going to help."


    Before he can respond, a nurse steps out. "Mr. O''Brien? The doctor will see you now."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Ryan''s stomach lurches. His legs feel like rubber as he pushes himself up from the chair, each movement heavier than thest. Beside him, ine stands too, brushing imaginary dust off her skirt.


    "You don''t have toe," he says.


    +25 BONI


    CHAPTER 072: Emotional Support


    "Don''t be ridiculous." She links her arm through his. "I''ve already invested my time. I''m seeing this through."


    He doesn''t argue. What''s the point? ine isn''t the type to back down from anything once she''s decided. Together, they head down the hallway. He feels like he''s marching to his doom, his shoulders slumped, every step reluctant.


    The doctor''s office is modern and spotless, all clean whites and calming grays. A massive mahogany desk anchors the room, polished so perfectly it réflects the overhead light like a mirror. Diplomas and certifications line the walls. To the side, a towering window offers a breathtaking view of the city skyline, the kind of view that feels out of ce in a moment like this


    Behind the desk, the doctor stands to greet them. He''s a man in histe fifties, with a kind, rounded face framed by a neatly trimmed salt-and-pepper beard. His eyes are sharp but warm, and his suit-a perfectly tailored navy number-suggests he''s not just a doctor but someone who believes in making an impression.


    "Mr. Ryan O''Brien, wee," the doctor says. Then he nces at ine. "I see you brought someone. Your wife?"


    Ryan freezes. He notices ine has stopped too. For a split second, her face betrays her-eyes wide, jaw ck, like someone just dumped a bucket of ice water over her head. It''s rare to catch ine off guard, and Ryan wouldugh if he wasn''t feeling nervous. ine recovers quickly. "Oh, please, doctor," she says. "Stop ttering me. I''m his mother."


    Ryan turns toward her, his jaw dropping. "What the hell"


    "Oh," the doctor says. "Nice genes."


    ine beams, her usual confidence snapping back into ce. She practically glows under thepliment, shing the doctor one of her signature smiles. "Aren''t they? I was just saying that to him some minutes ago!"


    Before Ryan can process what''s happening, ine unlinks her hand from his, glides over to one of the chairs in front of the desk, and sinks into it, crossing her legs. She doesn''t even look at Ryan as she folds her hands in herp, her focus entirely on the doctor. ine waves Ryan over. "Don''t keep the good doctor waiting."


    Ryan walks forward and sits beside her. He hasn''t even gottenfortable before ine starts speaking.


    "So, tell me, Doctor," she says. "Is my son going to die?"


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