Abner departed without uttering a word. The two individuals following him failed to perceive his unusually pale countenance, nor did they catch the flicker of concealed distress etched between his brows.
As Abner exited the private room, Caroline's countenance twisted into an unsightly expression.
She had believed her second marriage to be a harmonious one, with unwavering support and indulgence from her husband's family. Yet, today's rejection by her eldest son caught her entirely off guard.
Jerry's gaze lingered on Abner's retreating figure, tainted with resentment and discontent. "Mom," he voiced with frustration, "Big Brother simply refuses to assist me. Their company is the main rival in this bid. You must step in to help me."
Caroline regained her composure and addressed her youngest son, saying, "I can't comprehend what's going through your mind right now. Regardless, you remain his biological brother. Rest assured, I will talk to him again."
Jerry was slightly relieved to hear that.
Abner went out and called the driver. As the driver pulled up to the entrance and saw Abner coming out, he realized that something was wrong with him.
"Are you feeling unwell, sir? Should I take you to the hospital?"
Despite his forehead being covered in cold sweat, Abner maintained his posture, his back straight.
Assisted by the driver, Abner entered the car and said, "Let's head directly to the hospital."
The driver did not dare to say anything else and sped towards the hospital.
On the way there, Abner called his assistant. Abner made a call to his assistant. He deduced that he might be suffering from acute appendicitis and would likely require surgery. Consequently, he would need assistance with the hospital admission procedures.
No one at the old residence cared if Abner returned or not.
In the past, Audrey would have assumed that Abner was merely staying at his own house. But given his recent visits, she knew he wouldn't be back today. Anxiously, she inquired with Gary, "Uncle Gary, is Big Brother not coming home today?"
Gary didn't think much of it and only said, "It's already so late. I don't think he'll be coming back."
Audrey wanted to say something, but seeing that Gary's attention was completely on the newspaper, she didn't want to disturb him anymore.
Still, a sense of unease gnawed at her. She contemplated making a call to clarify.
Upon opening her contact list, Audrey was stunned to find that she didn't have Abner's contact information at all.
Only then did Audrey find it unbelievable. The Host had moved in with her mother when she was fifteen and had lived here for more than seven years, but she didn't have Abner's number.
Audrey suppressed the absurd feeling in her heart and found the butler to get Abner's contact information.
Abner was already at the hospital when he received the call.
"Hello, who's this?" Abner strained to sound composed, but the pain from his acute appendicitis made his voice quiver.
Audrey could tell. She frowned slightly. "Brother, what's wrong?"
Abner did not expect it to be Audrey and was stunned for a moment.
However, Audrey, not catching his surprise, grew more concerned. "Brother, are you feeling unwell? Where are you now? On your way home? If you are, stop driving. Pull over by the roadside and call 120 first. I'll head out to pick you up immediately."
Audrey spoke very quickly and immediately said a bunch of things.
Abner understood. She probably called to ask because he hadn't returned home.
The worry in her voice sounded real.
Abner couldn't describe this feeling and emotion, but he could not help but laugh.
"Brother?" Audrey called out in puzzlement when she heard his laughter.
With one hand pressing on his painful abdomen and the other holding the phone, Abner managed to speak. At this moment, his assistant had already accompanied him to the hospital's emergency department.
"I'm at the hospital. I won't be coming back home today. You should get some rest early." Abner's tone was very calm, as if he was not seeing a doctor in the hospital but eating with someone outside.
Audrey couldn't help but feel a strange bitterness. She persisted in asking for the hospital's name.
The emergency service queue moved swiftly, and Abner's turn was approaching. Sensing the anxiety in Audrey's voice, he spoke in a composed manner, "Don't worry. It's likely appendicitis. They'll call me in shortly. I'll end the call now."
After conveying this, he waited briefly for Audrey's response before ending the call.
As soon as he hung up, he couldn't help but close his eyes. It wasn't the first time he'd been in pain, but this was a lot worse than the last few times.