Ariana lifted her head, offering him a gentle smile.

"Not too bad."

Theodore held her hand even tighter. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. To confirm his suspicions, he asked, "Are you hungry? Would you like something to eat?"

Ignoring him, Ariana lowered her head once more, returning her attention to her cell phone. She absentmindedly toyed with it, scrolling through the same two headlines multiple times.

Even in her boredom, she refused to engage with him. Theodore felt a rising panic, leaving him at a loss.

Unaware of the underlying tension, Horace chimed in, "There are several restaurants near the hospital. What would you like to eat, Mrs. Anderson? Well, I could have our cook prepare some nutritious dishes for you at home."

Ariana lifted her head again, inquiring, "Can you recommend any good restaurants nearby?"

Theodore interjected, "Horace is from Corwyn. He isn't familiar with Eleymond.

Allow me to recommend some excellent dining establishments."

Horace nodded and added, "Yes, Mr. Anderson must be acquainted with many fine restaurants."

Unexpectedly, the smile on Ariana's face vanished as she declared, "I have no desire to eat anything. I'm not hungry."

Even the most oblivious person could sense that something was amiss, let alone Horace, an astute veteran of the workplace and a seasoned expert in matters of love.

He felt a pang of awkwardness and pondered how to diffuse the tension.

Though he didn't understand why Theodore had once again managed to upset Ariana, he knew he had to assist him in winning Ariana back.

Theodore gave him a significant glance, and Horace instantly comprehended his intention. He feigned sadness and addressed Ariana, who lay on the bed, saying, “Mrs. Anderson, I'll have the cook at home prepare nutritious dishes for you. Both you and Mr. Anderson have been through so much. To save you, Mr. Anderson bravely lifted the charred metal chandelier with his hand, severely burning his palm."

Theodore let out an awkward cough and subtly winked at Horace. Horace had exaggerated a bit by saying Theodore's palm was burned severely.

Swallowing nervously, Horace continued, "In any case, the injury was quite severe.

The doctor even mentioned the possibility of amputation."

Finally, Ariana reacted. She turned her gaze toward Theodore's other hand resting on the wheelchair's armrest, which was wrapped in a bandage. Softly, she inquired, “Is that true?"

Theodore was relieved when Ariana responded to him. Seeing she was reaching out to him, he placed his injured hand on her palm.