Forbidden Passion
Chapter 601 Phoebe Played Dumb

Cindy plopped down next to her, eyes glued to the blue veins on the back of her hand. She felt that familiar pang in her chest. "Look at you, you're all skin and bones." "What's up with Theodore? I heard he saved Vanessa first after coughing up $500 million?" Cindy blurted out.

Phoebe just sat there, speechless.

Cindy noticed Phoebe's eyelashes drooping and realized she'd put her foot in her mouth. She quickly covered it up. "Phoebe, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm just so pissed. If he's so into Vanessa, why won't he just let you go?" Phoebe didn't want to get into who Theodore liked. "It's cool, I don't care about that."

Cindy paused, sensing something was off with Phoebe. She looked the same on the outside, but her eyes were missing that usual spark.

"Phoebe," Cindy called out.

"Tell me about the fun stuff that happened when you went home for the holidays," Phoebe quickly changed the subject, not letting Cindy dig any deeper.

Cindy's mind shifted gears. She started talking about being forced into a blind date at home, it turned out to be the young professor who had taught a college course at Kedora at the time.

Cindy animatedly recounted the blind date, and Phoebe watched her, feeling a deep sense of emptiness inside.

After finally seeing Cindy off, Phoebe got a moment of peace.

Not long after, Theodore showed up. He sat down and said, "I just talked to the doc. She said you can be discharged. Once you're out, let's head back to West Mountain Villas. The place is huge, and there's a garden. You can go outside whenever you want."

Phoebe acted like she didn't hear him.

Her current stance towards Theodore was all about ignoring and not responding.

Theodore looked up at her, his eyes full of pain. "Phoebe, can you say something to me, please? Just one word, please?"

Phoebe turned her head away, looking elsewhere.

The hope in Theodore's eyes slowly faded. He lowered his gaze, staring at her bound wrists. "It's okay. If you don't want to talk to me, then don't. I've asked Lawton to handle your discharge papers. We'll go home tonight." Phoebe's fingers curled slightly, the veins on the back of her hand bulging. She didn't want to go back with Theodore. She wanted to resist, to scream, but in the end, she stayed silent like a lifeless doll.

Lawton quickly wrapped up the discharge procedures. Theodore packed Phoebe's stuff, bundled her up in a thick coat, and carried her out of the hospital.

Upstairs, Vanessa stood in the circular corridor, watching Theodore carry Phoebe out of the elevator. A bunch of people followed them, lugging Phoebe's luggage. A whole entourage left the hospital in a grand procession. But she was left behind.

Vanessa's eyes filled with deep resentment. Why had she lost everything and still couldn't win Theodore back?

Why was Phoebe so lucky to have survived? If she had known, she would've whipped Phoebe a few more times that day, finishing her off.

It was all Bishop's fault for not doing his job right, leaving this mess behind!

Theodore brought Phoebe back to West Mountain Villas. Despite his usual need for privacy, he had hired servants and bodyguards, making the villa feel less empty.

Phoebe was super cooperative, not making a fuss. She followed Theodore's every command like a puppet, obedient to the extreme.

Theodore carried Phoebe from the car straight to the master bedroom and helped her out of her coat. The room was set to the perfect temp, so she wouldn't freeze in just a single layer.

He tossed the coat over the foot of the bed and heard a knock on the door. He got up to open it. A servant stood there with dinner. Theodore grabbed the tray and headed back to the bedside.

He plopped down by the bed, picked up the porridge, and got ready to feed Phoebe. "We got a new chef. Try this and see if you like it. If you do, I'll keep him around to cook for you every day." After the hospital ordeal, Phoebe was super compliant. Whatever he fed her, she ate without a fuss.

Theodore watched her finish a bowl of porridge, a hint of relief flashing in his eyes. It seemed like Phoebe didn't mind being back at West Mountain Villas.

After all, they had spent a pretty cozy three months of their honeymoon here. If the baby hadn't been lost, they might've been happy here forever.

Just as Theodore let his guard down, Phoebe suddenly puked everything she had just eaten.

Theodore's face went pale. Ignoring the mess on the bed, he leaned over and patted her back, asking nervously, "Phoebe, what's wrong? Get the family doctor here."

After vomiting, Phoebe weakly leaned against the headboard. Theodore wiped her mouth with a wet tissue, looking at her in pain.

The family doctor arrived quickly. Theodore had already ordered someone to clean up the vomit and change the bedsheets.

The family doctor examined Phoebe for a long time but couldn't find anything wrong. Under Theodore's intense gaze, he quickly said, "It must be that her stomach got cold on the way back. She should stick to light porridge for the next couple of days."

Theodore pinched the bridge of his nose, raised his hand, and waved, signaling the family doctor to leave quickly.

The family doctor didn't dare stay any longer and left with his medical bag.

Theodore sat by the bed, looking at the pale and listless Phoebe, his tone sorrowful. "Phoebe, what am I gonna do with you?" Phoebe showed no reaction.

As night fell, Phoebe grew sleepy. She yawned, and Theodore, who was working beside her, noticed. "You're sleepy. Let's hit the sack."

With that, he closed his laptop, placed it on the nightstand, and lay down, holding Phoebe.

Phoebe neither struggled nor resisted, letting him hold her from behind as they slept. Theodore's anxious heart eased a bit.

Phoebe was still willing to let him hold her while they slept. Did that mean things weren't so bad between them?

However, Theodore's relief was short-lived.

In the middle of the night, the bedroom was suddenly filled with screams. "No, don't hit me, I beg you. I have money, you can have it all, just don't hit me!"

Theodore was jolted awake by Phoebe's screams. He quickly turned on the light, making the room as bright as day.

He looked at Phoebe, who was screaming hoarsely in his arms. Cold sweat and tears streamed down her terrified face, soaking her nightgown.

Theodore held Phoebe tightly. "It's okay, Phoebe. I'm here. I'll protect you. No one will dare to hit you."

"Take all my money, please don't hit me." Phoebe, like a frightened rabbit, struggled to escape from Theodore's arms and curled up at the head of the bed, trembling.