Love My Friends with Benefits

I was shocked and hurriedly tried to look for somewhere to hide.

Unfortunately, the nurse had just taken away the bedsheets. I couldn't even hide under the bed as I'd done previously.

Grandma was anxious as well, looking like she wanted nothing more than to jump out of bed.

Bell seemed to try to push the door open. Aunt Nancy pretended to sound angry and called out, "Who's there?!"

"It's me."

The door's handle jiggled a few times. When Bell found that he couldn't open the door, he asked impatiently, "What are you doing?"

Aunt Nancy signalled to me to hide in the wardrobe. "I'm helping Mum change! Hold your horses! Why don't you come in and do it for her if you're so impatient?!" Due to her anxiety, she sounded almost hysterical.

Bell fell silent, seemingly stunned. After a while, he said angrily, "Do all the changing you need to! There's no need to take that tone with me!"

Taking this opportunity, I quickly hid in the cupboard and pulled the doors shut.

There was a thin slit between each door.

Through the slit, I saw Bell walk in and say, "Later, Titan Group's Young Master is coming to see Mum. Nancy, help her get ready."

I was so flustered that all I could hear was the sound of my heart pounding. I didn't even really notice what Bell had said.

Aunt Nancy sneered and said unceremoniously, "What does that have to do with me?"

Bell's expression turned ugly.

Aunt Nancy continued, "You might be willing to be Titan Group's stooge, but I'm not! I'm an upright woman who would never sell a daughter off to latch onto someone!" Bell flew into a rage. "Nancy Jones, you!"

"That's enough!"

Grandma couldn't take it anymore and slammed a hand on the table.

Bell shut his mouth reluctantly, looking furious.

"Bell, do you still treat me as your mother?" Grandma stretched out a finger and pointed it tremblingly at Bell.

This was a serious accusation.

Bell probably felt a little guilty and hurriedly tried to free himself of blame. "Mum, what are you saying?!"

"Tell that Young Master to leave, then." Grandma was firm.

Bell was taken aback. After a long while, he asked cautiously, "Mum, do... do you detest him so?"

"I don't." Grandma turned her head away. "I don't want to see him because he has nothing to do with me. I don't want to have anything to do with strangers at my age." Bell forced out a smile. "How can he be a stranger? He's Phoebe's ex-fiancé..."

"What a good-for-nothing!" Aunt Nancy's lip curled.

Bell glared at her.

"That's enough quarrelling." Grandma was as insistent as ever. "I don't want to see him, and that's that."

...

Bell had no other choice but to leave the ward dejectedly.

The moment he left, I felt all the muscles in my body loosen.

Aunt Nancy walked towards me, wanting to open the door to let me out. She was only a few steps away from me when Bell's voice rang out again. "It's this ward, right here." Stunned, Aunt Nancy whirled around and stood in front of the cupboard.

Leonard walked into the ward, holding a bouquet of pale orange gladiolas. Behind him, Phoebe and Gail had bright smiles on, looking victorious.

Leonard put the gladiolas into a vase on the bedside table and smiled at Grandma. "Old Mrs. Jones, it's nice to see you again."

His attitude was gentle and respectful. It was the complete opposite of the prideful, arrogant, domineering Leonard that I knew.

I grasped at the divider in the cupboard, gradually recalling details that I'd neglected.

Earlier, after coming in, Bell had said that Leonard was coming to see Grandma.

If Leonard was unwilling to, not even a thousand Bells could change his mind. This meant that...

Leonard was the one who wanted to come!

Once I figured this out, I felt like my heart had gone cold.

I hadn't expected Leonard to be so vengeful.

It was just a dish, wasn't it? I could've just apologised to him, yet he'd had to come here with Bell in tow. He knew very well what I would be in for if Bell were to catch me here.

He'd already gotten everything that I'd promised him. How could he just go back on his word like this?

I didn't know how to react. I heard Grandma say, "Thank you, Mr. Nell. I heard that you're the CEO of a large organisation?"

Gail couldn't suppress the delight in her eyes. "That goes without saying!"

It wasn't easy for her to come across an opportunity to show off in front of Grandma. She had to milk it for all it was worth.

Phoebe nodded bashfully as well. Leonard, on the other hand, responded humbly and said, "It's not as grand as it sounds. My title's just for show."

Bell took the chance to praise him. "I heard that Mr. Nell made a profit of more than five hundred million dollars last year. If that's what you managed to earn just for show, I'd love to be able to do that too." After that, he laughed heartily, sounding pleased with himself.

Aunt Nancy walked towards the window, her expression frosty.

I supposed that she couldn't stand the sucking up anymore.

From beginning to end, Leonard stood there with a smile on his face. I just couldn't tell what he was up to.

"I suppose that means you must be very busy, Mr. Nell?" Grandma said indifferently. "I'm just an old woman on the brink of death and I feel bad about taking up your time. Please, feel free to leave." Bell's face fell. "Mum!"

He wanted nothing more than for Leonard to linger so that he could suck up to him.

Leonard nodded politely and made some more small talk before leaving the ward.

He didn't even ask Bell to send him off.

The moment Leonard left, Bell's expression changed. He said reproachfully, "Mum, you should feel honoured that Mr. Nell came to see you. How could you treat him like that?"

Grandma had yet to say anything when Aunt Nancy pounced on him. "Do you hear yourself, Bell Jones? Isn't it only normal for a young man like him to come to visit an elder like Mum? How could you say that it's Mum's honour?!"

Bell merely snorted, fully aware that he was in the wrong. He didn't quarrel with Aunt Nancy.

Gail couldn't stand for it, though. She screeched, "Nancy, one needs to know how much they're worth! How can we compare to someone like him? You need to take a good look at yourself in the mirror!"

I saw Grandma trembling with rage. Tears started to flow from her eyes and down her wrinkled face.

"Get lost!" Aunt Nancy roared.

She was so loud that my ears started ringing despite being cramped up in the cupboard.

Phoebe's knees weakened, almost kneeling on the floor. Gail was about to say something else when Aunt Nancy roared, "All of you, get the f*ck out of here!"

"Fine! Don't you dare beg for me to come back!"

Bell felt humiliated and let out a snort. He left with Gail and Phoebe.

The moment he left, I jumped out of the cupboard and flew to Grandma's side.

Grandma was sobbing woefully. I teared up as well and grabbed some tissues from the bedside table, silently wiping her tears away.

"What misfortune befalling the family..." Grandma mumbled. "How could I have had a son like that?!"

Aunt Nancy forced out a smile. "Mum, don't be sad. Bell's a terrible person, but you still have Queena, don't you?"

Grandma shook her head in silence.

She remained depressed for the rest of the day. She didn't say another word, not even when I was leaving.

I knew that Bell had shattered her heart.00