Chap8er 0023 Caroline’s POV : When the man behind the mask revealed himself , relief enveloped me like a warm hug . ” Martin , thank heavens , ” I whispered , embracing him tightly . Martin laughed and hugged me right back , a smile scrawled over his face . “ Yeah , it’s me , ” he replied softly . “ Don’t worry , I’ve got you . Now , what’s going on ? ” “ William is looking for me , ” I informed hurriedly , terrified that William would enter at any moment . “ He wants the doctors to give me a full physical examination , and if they do , he’ll discover my secret . Martin , I can’t let that happen . Martin was mercifully understanding and tried to dissuade me from hiding . Instead , I was given a comforting pat on the arm and a reassuring smile . “ Don’t worry , I’ll get you out of here ” With every day that passed , my admiration for Martin grew . No matter the issue , he always believed me , and honorably helped me through thick and thin . “ Give me a moment , ” he murmured , briefly disappearing from the room . After a few minutes of anxious waiting , my knight in shining armor returned carrying scrubs , a surgical mask , and a hair cover . “ Here , ” he announced , presenting them with a reassuring smile . “ Just wear these and pretend you’re a nurse . I’ll lead you out of here . “ Thank you , Martin . Truly , ” I whispered , fitting on the scrubs over my clothes . We slipped out of the room unseen , where I dutifully kept my head down and pretended I was simply common nurse assisting him on a call . “ Morning , Mr. Martin , ” kindly greeted his colleagues as he passed by . A few attempted to stop him for small talk , but he politely declined , saying he had some important business to take care of . My eyes remained nervously fixed on the ground to avoid being recognized by the more observant staff . When a pretty raven – haired doctor waved him over with more demanding gestures , Martin shot me an apologetic look and stopped by . “ Good morning , doctor , ” she greeted , cautiously examining her medical records . “ We have a family member saying he can’t find the patient . Her name is … Caroline , I believe . She’s due for a full physical examination , but he thinks she’s run off . Fear swelled in my chest , afraid that she might recognize me and inform William of his disobedient ” ex – wife’s location . He was actually looking for me ! I prayed that we wouldn’t stumble across him . Martin put his acting to the test and pretended to ponder the information . “ Hmm … the name doesn’t ring a bell , ” he lied with a shrug . “ Actually , I did see a female patient heading out to the cafeteria on her own . Maybe that’s the one you’re looking for ? ” Chapter 0009 C +25 BONUS “ Perhaps , ” she hummed , looking up from her clipboard . “ I’ll inform her family and we’ll have someone take a look . “ Fantastic ! ” Martin said , a bit too cheerfully . “ Now , if you’ll excuse us , we must get going . Actually , Dr. Martin , ” she interrupted , gently stopping him with a touch to his arm . Her smile was sugary sweet and her lashes fluttered with ulterior intent . “ I was wondering if … perhaps you were free tonight ? I have dinner plans , and I would be delighted if you would join me . My cheeks flushed with embarrassment and I had to look away as she leaned in close . I felt like I was witnessing something private between two lovers . Although Martin laughed , it felt awkward and fake , and he soon stepped back . “ That’s very sweet of you , ” he chuckled , his eyes crinkling With discomfort . Unfortunately , I have an appointment this evening . Maybe next time ? ” The other doctor’s face fell a tad , but she nodded in understanding . “ Yes , of course . Next time , ” she agreed . The look of loss on her face was impossible to miss , but Martin took no time dwelling on it . Instead , he hurriedly led me out of the hospital and took me to his car , giving a cursory glance around to ensure we weren’t followed . “ What happened ? ” he asked once we were on the road . I gave him a swift rundown of the eventful past couple days , from William’s strange behavior to the alarming information on his computer . “ That sounds awful , ” he murmured , sounding genuinely distressed by the information . “ I never thought William could be so controlling . “ He is , ” I replied , exasperation layered in my voice . “ But what about you , Martin ? How are you recovering from the car accident ? ” Martin shrugged my concerns off . “ Eh , just a few mild bruises , ” he brushed off , as though he hadn’t gotten into an ugly car crash . “ But I want to focus on you . What are you going to do next ? ” The question left me without a clue for what to say . What was I supposed to do when my home was partially ruined by a hurricane ? “ I suppose I’ll need to find a new place to live , ” I concluded . “ I’m pretty sure my old one is wrecked and flooded . I received an understanding nod and a swift suggestion . “ I actually have a vacant house , ” he mentioned . “ If you want , you can stay there for a while and hide away from William’s harassment . You can have your privacy back . Just consider it as some help from an old friend . Chapter 0028 The generosity of his offer astonished me . At fi the sincerity in his eyes and it warmed i though ? Today’s Bonus Offer Chapter 0028 The generosity of his offer astonished me . At first I thought it was a joke , but I witnessed the sincerity in his eyes and it warmed my heart . Could I actually take such a gracious gift , though ? Today’s Bonus Offer