4.Chapter 4 A Chance
Whitney was getting her wound treated in the hospital’s emergency room as Jonah’s loud voice filled the room. “Are you sure this was an accident? ‘Cause it sure doesn’t look like one. Did Thiago do this to you? If he hurt you, I’m not gonna let him off easy!”
His incessant questions irritated Whitney. Frowning, she muttered weakly, “Really, I’m okay. Could you give it a rest for a sec?”
“All right, all right. Whatever you say goes,” he answered.
In an instant, the emergency room was so silent that one could hear a pin drop.
As soon as she was patched up, Whitney made a beeline for the nurses’ station. Being that the hospital was the closest to the Mackenzie place, she figured Tatiana might be here. “Hi, is there a patient named Mackenzie here? She would’ve come in yesterday afternoon?” Whitney asked.
Tatiana was pretty much the only Mackenzie Whitney still cared about.
The whole hospital had been treating Tatiana with the utmost diligence since she was hospitalized, so the nurse already knew the answer without needing to check.
The nurse sizing up Whitney said, “And who might you be? You need to prove you’re family to see Mrs. Mackenzie.”
Whitney expected that much. Even if the nurse had said yes, the Mackenzies probably wouldn’t let her into the room.
After a moment of silence, she asked softly, “Is she… How’s Grandma Mackenzie doing, then?”
“She fell temporarily unconscious due to shortness of breath, but she’s fine now,” replied the nurse.
Upon hearing this, Whitney breathed a long sigh of relief.
Suddenly, from behind her came stomping feet and a sharp, mean voice. “No way, am I seeing things?” Megan barked. “Why are you here, you troublemaker? Wasn’t it enough messing with Grandma once?”
“Hey, back off! Do you talk to your mom with that mouth? It’s ‘Ms. Collins’ to you—” Jonah was about to rip into Megan when Whitney cut in.
“It’s okay. Let’s just go.” Since Whitney was firm about the divorce, she did not want to disclose her identity now lest it complicate matters unnecessarily.
Without giving Jonah a chance to refuse, she dragged him away.
Megan laughed sarcastically, “What? Ms. Collins? What’s the big deal about her, and why do you think I’d care? I’m a Mackenzie for crying out loud!”
Jonah still looked extremely disgruntled as they entered the elevator. He didn’t believe that Whitney would do what Megan accused her of. Besides, with her status, Whitney could get whatever she wanted. There was no reason she’d need to stoop that low.
Hence, he absolutely would not allow anyone to slander her.
“That was Thiago’s sister, right? You’re just going to let it go after what she said about you?” he asked indignantly.
Contrary to Jonah’s fury, Whitney was completely calm, so much so that it was as if nothing happened earlier.
She looked up and replied flatly, “I’m planning to get a divorce, so I can’t reveal my identity for the time being.”
‘Divorce?’ Jonah parroted that to himself, almost not believing his ears.
He could still remember how Whitney had looked when she insisted on marrying Thiago. At the time, she had been absolutely firm and resolute. ‘But now…’ he pondered.
“Wait, are you kidding me? You want a divorce? Was that your call?” Jonah drilled her. A burst of elation showed in his eyes.
Whitney nodded, smiling bitterly.
As they got to her floor, she said, “I’ll deal with the Mackenzies when the time is right.”
Rooted to his spot, Jonah narrowed his eyes as he stared at Whitney’s retreating figure.
Somehow, he felt that she had changed.
But no matter what, he’d back her up. And, if she was really getting divorced… maybe this was his chance.
