Chapter 5

Isabella instinctively shot back. "Stop bossing me around!"

But out of the corner of her eye, she saw that pile of documents. Even with a healthy hand, signing all of these would probably give someone tendonitis.

What if Michael really did hurt himself signing and tried to blame her for it?

After thinking it over, she said to Lyanna, who was already stunned at the door. "Lyanna, you should head back. I'll make up the leave form tomorrow. Thanks for today."

Lyanna nodded blankly. "Okay."

As she left, she didn't forget to close the door behind her.

The room suddenly fell quiet. Isabella felt a bit uncomfortable and sat back down. "Let's get started."

She opened the top document. "It's the Zenith Real Estate project, already in the final stages."

"Just sign it." Michael pinched the bridge of his nose, looking somewhat tired.

Isabella's lips moved, wanting to say something, but seeing how exhausted he looked, she swallowed her words and picked up the pen to sign with a flourish.

The handwriting matched Michael's own signature one hundred percent.

"This is the advertising proposal for next quarter's new products, version ten. I can see they've made quite a few improvements and fixed all the problems from the last version." Isabella unconsciously started processing the work, casually offering her suggestions.

"Sign it." Michael closed his eyes and leaned back against the headboard.

Isabella's voice was very gentle, introducing the content with a calm, measured tone.

Work that would normally get rejected was getting special approval from Michael today.

"Are we still working with this advertising agency?" Isabella wondered aloud, then let out a light laugh as she read further.

Michael didn't know the content, but he was drawn to smile, too. "Is it the one that did our wedding planning?"

"Yes, they used that cute little mascot again. Looks like it's their signature thing. It actually goes really well with your new products this time." Isabella nodded, her smile deepening as she casually signed.

After signing, she suddenly remembered their current relationship, and her smile dropped.

Michael seemed to remember, too. His smile faded, his closed-eye posture no longer relaxed, his brow tightening again.

Isabella fell abruptly silent, and their exchanges became much briefer.

"Vanguard Enterprises Group's bid proposal."

"Send it back."

"Planning department reorganization list."

"Sign it."

"Secretary department appointment letter."

"Sign it."

Two hours passed, and only a third of the documents were done. Completion was still far off.

And Isabella's hand was too tired to lift anymore.

Michael hadn't opened his eyes, but he sensed her mood. "Take a break."

"No need. The sooner we finish, the sooner I can leave." Isabella had been losing steam, but hearing Michael's voice, she instantly perked up again.

Michael pressed his lips together in frustration.

A nurse knocked outside. "Ms. Taylor, it's time to change your dressing."

Isabella. "Okay, I'll be right back to my room."

"If you go back and come again, how much time will that waste? Didn't you say you wanted to finish signing quickly?" Michael said flatly.

Isabella gritted her teeth silently. "Nurse, please come in."

The nurse came in with the medicine and couldn't help glancing at Michael several times. He really was the heir of a prominent family—so handsome!

Isabella was struggling to lift her leg onto the edge of the bed.

After finally managing to get it up there with great effort, the nurse noticed and said awkwardly. "Ms. Taylor, it's best to lie down for the dressing change."

Isabella. "Please mention that earlier next time."

She looked at this VIP room—there was only the one bed Michael was on.

After thinking it over, Isabella stood up. "Then I'll just go back."

Michael shifted over imperceptibly, making room.

The nurse also had impeccable timing and immediately said. "You can use this bed."

For the sake of saving time, Isabella finally gave in. She propped herself up to sit on the bed, and when she lifted her broken leg onto it, she lost her balance and fell backward.

Michael raised his hand just in time, and she crashed into his rock-hard chest, bumping the back of her head painfully.

Isabella was both angry and flustered, but with the nurse present, she couldn't make a scene. She sat back up and adjusted her position.

As the nurse changed the dressing, Isabella watched curiously—this was the first time since the accident that she'd seen what her injury actually looked like.

When the gauze came off, her lower leg was bloody.

As the nurse cleaned it, Isabella's leg twitched from the pain. She instinctively turned her head away, and by sheer coincidence, Michael's shoulder was right there, making it look like she was burrowing into his arms.

Michael naturally raised his left hand to cover her eyes, blocking her view.

The wound was long and deep. Michael frowned tightly. That hit-and-run driver better be grateful the police had locked him up.

The dressing change process was painfully long. Isabella was almost numb to the pain by the time the nurse finally wrapped the gauze back up.

"Ms. Taylor, you absolutely must stay in bed. It's best if you don't walk a single step, or the wound will tear open again. If the wound heals slowly and you can't get the cast on, your recovery will take even longer." The nurse gave stern instructions.

"I understand." Isabella agreed quickly with her mouth, but in her heart, she didn't take it seriously. At worst, she'd just hop on one foot.

The nurse had dealt with many patients like this and immediately saw through her thoughts, adding. "We've had many patients with single-leg fractures who insisted on hopping around showing off, then slipped and broke their good leg too—and it was even worse."

This warning killed Isabella's idea.

After the nurse left, Isabella frowned in distress. She couldn't just stay in this bed forever, could she?

As she thought about it, she looked at Michael. "Mr. Johnson, please move to another room."

Michael had expected this and raised an eyebrow. "This is my room."

Isabella was silent for two seconds, then turned to get off the bed.

Michael quickly reached out with his left hand to stop her, but pulled his wound in the process. He let out a low sound of pain, successfully stopping Isabella's movement.

"Finish signing the documents."

Michael reluctantly compromised.

"I'll get down after we finish signing."

Isabella reluctantly accepted this outcome.

She lay back down and pulled all the documents within reach in one go, opening them one by one.

Now that they were sitting closer, there was an advantage—at least she didn't have to explain everything verbally. Sometimes when she opened one, Michael could decide with just a glance.

Isabella passed him documents, and as she kept passing them, her upper body gradually leaned toward Michael's side.

Her hair fell down, blocking Michael's view, but he didn't speak up to remind her.

He looked at the document content through her hair, gave his answer, then his attention would drift back to Isabella's fragrant hair.

Her hair was very soft, brushing against his neck with a ticklish sensation.

Gradually, Michael's mind wandered mainly to Isabella.

This person still had a fatal attraction for him.

Isabella opened another document and asked a question, but got no answer. She looked up in confusion and crashed into a pair of deep eyes, the desire in them so intense it scared her.

She instinctively looked away, tucking her hair behind her ear, her earlobe burning.

"Isabella." Michael called her name, his voice husky.

Isabella felt his breath gradually approaching until it stopped by her cheek.

Her heart jumped to her throat.

"Isabella, what are you expecting? Do you really think I'd be as pathetic as before?"

Michael's voice suddenly turned cold, laced with mockery.

Isabella felt like she'd fallen into an ice cave.