Heiress' Househusband is a Secret Billionaire - Chapter 51

Chapter 51: Crossing Paths in the Hospital

As promised by Ruediger, he baked a few desserts for tea time at the rooftop garden. He asked for Lariette’s suggestions before making them.

“Can you make croissants and apple pie, Eddy? I crave some.”

With a confident smile on his lips, Ruediger easily accepted Lariette’s requests. He made them in smaller sizes for easy consumption.

Every piece of buttery and flaky croissant was baked to perfection. The taste of the apple pie was a heavenly balance between sweetness and tartness.

Lariette loved both of them. She had to remind herself to stop eating when she finished the third piece of apple pie and her fourth croissant.

On Monday evening, once again Ruediger and Lariette had tea time at the rooftop garden.

The newlyweds settled at a charming wrought-iron garden table set, tucked beneath an elegant archway. The metal frames were adorned with soft ivy and delicate clusters of flowers.

After sipping his tea, Ruediger came up with a suggestion.

“How about I bake something when you go to school later? You have a meeting after the wedding, don’t you?”

Lariette was munching on a matcha eclair when Ruediger said that. Her sapphire eyes stared at the crimson-haired man sitting before her.

Lariette was half-attentive because her focus leaned more toward the pastry. Nodding twice, she agreed with Ruediger.

“That’s a good idea,” said Lariette after swallowing the eclair, “I’ll tell my colleagues that my new husband made the pastries for them. What do you think?”

Amused, soft chuckles slipped from Ruediger’s lips. Leaning backward, he tilted his head slightly, the crimson fringes swayed on his forehead.

“Surely it’ll make our marriage more believable to outsiders.”

Lariette shrugged with a playful smile plastering on her face. She found no fault in Ruediger’s remark.

It was better to make their marriage look more authentic to everyone, including her colleagues who didn’t know much about her personal life.

Their marriage, albeit a contracted one, still should be pleasant for both of them.

On the next morning, Tuesday, Ruediger accompanied Lariette to Avalocare Private Hospital for her next checkup. He dropped her off on the porch before going to park the truck.

Lariette waited for Ruediger outside the hospital’s main entrance despite being told to seek the coolness of the lobby. She still had around forty minutes before her appointment.

‘Hehe, will Grandpa have stories to tell me today?’

Throwing her gaze to the clear sky, Lariette recalled her plan to visit Chairman Delaney after the checkup. Her maternal grandfather called last night, saying he wanted to have lunch with her and Ruediger.

‘The wedding is soon. I wonder what will happen.’

The wedding lasted for three days, from Friday to Sunday. Most guests would travel to the island on Thursday while some might arrive on Friday morning.

Either way, the private island belonging to Chairman Delaney would be livelier during the few days of the wedding celebration.

Every guest would be pampered with the greatest hospitality offered by the Elsher and the Silvera family, especially from the bride’s family.

Lariette had discussed the new arrangement with Chairman Delaney. Instead of going to the island with her family, including staying near them, she and Ruediger would follow the elderly man.

This new arrangement would make the days on the island bearable for her.

“Lettie.”

The familiar voice lured Lariette out of her trance. Turning to her left side, she saw Ruediger approaching. His steady and measured steps rhymed in the air, blending with the other casual and hurried footsteps belonging to the passersby.

“Why aren’t you inside?”

Curling up her lips, Lariette strode forward, meeting Ruediger in the middle. She gestured to the lobby with the tilt of her chin, “Waiting for you. Let’s go.”

Ruediger nodded once, his smile mellowed. Without hesitating, he offered Lariette his right hand. The hard lines of his coarse broad palm were presented to her sight.

“Oh?”

Lariette chuckled, amused by Ruediger’s action. Nevertheless, she received the offer by placing her palm on his.

Well, they had held hands already before. She didn’t mind this mild level of physical intimacy.

This kind of action helped them to get more used to each other thus, making their charade more believable.

Ruediger gently grasped Lariette’s hand, letting the coarseness of his skin graze her soft one. His heart was giddy with joy because she easily accepted the gesture.

“Where’s the doctor’s office? In the main building?”

Ruediger’s question came as he and Lariette walked past the entrance. His emerald eyes glanced at the spacious lobby before they returned to her.

“Let’s take that elevator,” Lariette pointed to the right side, “Dr. Carter’s office is on the fifth floor.”

“Okay.”

Lariette and Ruediger joined a few people inside the elevator. All of them headed to different floors. Two people remained inside when the newlyweds exited, most likely going to higher floors.

As they walked down the hallway, Lariette didn’t notice Ruediger’s eyes caught someone familiar. A frosty glint flickered in his emerald orbs as he purposely smirked at that person.

He didn’t expect to bump into this man so early in the morning.

“…Eddy?”

Lariette tilted up her chin, slightly surprised when Ruediger released her hand before placing his palm on the small of her back. He also walked a step behind, acting as if he was shielding her.

Curling up his lips, Ruediger whispered, “Someone’s watching. On our left, Lettie.”

“Huh?”

Lariette halted in her tracks, turning her head to find the person mentioned by Ruediger. The confusion in her sapphire eyes quickly changed to disdain upon seeing…

Alaric.

Far from where they were, Lariette saw a frowning Alaric standing within a small group of doctors. Seeing that he was in his white coat, she believed he was still on duty.

“It’s so ironic,” uttered Lariette, her voice lacking warmth, “I didn’t even see his shadows when I was hospitalized here before.”

Ruediger zeroed in his gaze on Alaric who returned his stare. The bespectacled man didn’t mask the suppressed fury reflected on his face.

“He looks annoyed when he sees us. Isn’t that great?”

Ruediger’s remark earned laughter from Lariette. Sneering, she tore her eyes away from Alaric.

“I can’t agree more. Come, Eddy. Ignore him.”

“Yes, milady.”

Ruediger still stared at Alaric as he and Lariette resumed their steps. The smile on the crimson-haired man’s face spelled warning as he enjoyed the funny glare shot by the blond man.