Chapter 56 I Love You

'So it's because of him after all!'

What John Winters did was much lesser than what she had expected him to do, but she could not tolerate the fact that he had asked Sean to leave the medical world forever.

She knew very well that Sean Quinton was a medical genius. Losing him would be a tremendous blow to the entire medical world.

She trembled with anger. "He's gone overboard!"

Sean was composed throughout the entire incident, a stark contrast to Natalie's reaction. "To be frank, I've always dreamed of going to that hospital as a visiting surgeon. If I choose to leave the medical world instead, I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

Then, he said the words that he had been trying to hold back for the past three days."Do you truly love him, Nat?"

"…"

Natalie Snowden was speechless. She did not expect the conversation to take on such a tangent. Her hands that were resting on her thighs gripped her pants tightly.

Words were not necessary. He knew her temperament and understood what she implied.

Sean Quinton felt pity for her, perhaps because he knew her too well. "I won't believe you even if you say that you love him. You married him abruptly without a courtship period. There must be a peculiar reason, right?"

"Yes…"

"How about him? Does he love you?"

"…"

'How is that possible?'

However, that was not appropriate to tell Sean. So, she chose to remain silent.

"I understand that even if you don't say it. If he loves you, he wouldn't feel so pressured when he saw me with you that night."

Even so, the one who truly felt pressured was Sean Quinton.

That was a rare opportunity, even if it was forced. He just had to take it…

Sean Quinton looked at the woman whom he had silently loved for a long time and blurted. "That's why I don't want to leave, Nat!"

"Didn't you say that you've always dreamed of becoming a visiting surgeon at that hospital?"

"Why do you think so?"

"…"

He bounced the question back to her, but she did not dare to answer the question. Sean Quinton saw how she reacted and laughed bitterly. "I thought I'll be rewarded for my patience after a long eight years!"

"Director… Quinton…"

Sean waved his hand to stop Natalie from speaking. He seemed to be on his last-ditch effort. "It's been so many years. I didn't want to say it because I didn't want to trouble you. I thought that you needed time to recover from how Luke treated you. I am willing to give you time to heal, but, it's been eight years…"

He lowered his head and sighed. "Why? Even when Luke Shears is no longer between us, why is there suddenly a John Winters?"

"I'm sorry!"

"I don't want your apology!"

Otherwise, he would not have waited eight years to tell her his true feelings. He could not hold back his emotions anymore, and they gushed forth like a raging torrent.

"Since you're here anyway, I think I should ask for your opinion. Do you think I should go to Country Y to further my studies?" He decided to grasp the rare opportunity.

Natalie immediately waved her hands. "How can I make such an important decision for you?"

"Of course you can decide for me. If you can accept me for who I am, I don't mind laying down the scalpel for the rest of my life."

Natalie immediately screamed, "No…"

"Is that a 'No' to accepting me for who I am, or to me leaving for Country Y?"

"I mean, there must be some other way. Even if you don't wish to go to Country Y, you shouldn't give up on your talents…"

She looked at him profoundly. "Would you abandon your talents so willingly anyway?"

"I wouldn't be agonizing over the decision if I were willing!"

"I am truly sorry, Director Quinton!"

She felt responsible for what happened to Sean. She knew that even if Sean said that he wanted to go to the hospital in Country Y, being forced to leave carried a different sentiment.

That was why she apologized to him, but…

"I like it when you call me Dr. Sean. 'Director Quinton' sounds so detached."

Looking into his eyes, Natalie Snowden did not know how to reply to him…

She could not accept his feelings, but she could not reject him as well. She rubbed his hands. "I… I'll go back and talk to him. In any case, if you want to go to Country Y, then you should treasure the opportunity. Otherwise, I cannot accept that you will have to resign."

She immediately stood up and left after speaking.

She had reached the door when her wrist was violently pulled back by Sean Quinton. She reflexively turned around, and she was pulled into his embrace.

She yelped frantically as her face landed on Sean's chest.

Sean Quinton closed his eyes as he hugged her tightly. His voice was full of repressed emotions. "Can't you at least tell me that you want me to stay, even if you might not mean it, Nat?"

"Director Quinton…"

Sean Quinton abruptly yelled, "Don't call me Director Quinton. This isn't the hospital."

"But I…"

"I love you, ever since the day I met you!"

"…"

She was at a loss for a reply. All the words that were on the tip of her tongue disappeared.

She was not aware of how she left Sean's house, nor did she know how she got on the cab.

The driver asked her a few times about where she wanted to go, and she finally came to her senses. She immediately blurted the Winters house address.

Then, she pressed her lips tight and did not say anything throughout the entire journey…

Sean Quinton had finally confessed to her.

She would be lying if she said that she was not shocked, though it was truly something out of her expectation. Without John Winters giving him that final push, Sean might have remained as her silent guardian angel.

Now, though…

How should she face him from now on?

It had been eight years. She would be lying if she said that she did not know about Sean's affection for her. However, she had never thought of accepting him after so many years.

It was not that he was not good enough. Rather, he happened to be Luke Shears's best friend.

All the things that happened to her in the past, from Luke Shears to that incident with that man…

Sean Quinton knew everything about her, except for the fact that the man eight years ago was John Winters.

It was a good thing and a bad thing at the same time for a man to understand a woman so well.

Given her checkered past, she had hoped to start anew in her relationships. She was not pressured if Sean and she were mere friends. However, she did not dare to bring that relationship to another level. She was afraid that she might lose the friendship.

That was why she pretended to be oblivious over the past eight years, as long as he did not say anything.

Did she hurt his feelings for doing so?