Forbidden Passion
Chapter 686 Hating Her

The black Maybach pulled up outside the pet hospital, taking up half the block. Phoebe stepped out, cradling Ollie, while Theodore gave her bag a quick glance before following her.

At the entrance, Phoebe tilted her head and asked, "You never thought about changing Ollie's pet hospital?"

This was the same place they used to come to, and even the receptionist, Trinity Price, was still there. It felt like nothing had changed.

Theodore shrugged, "Nope, let's head in."

He held the glass door open, waiting for Phoebe to carry Ollie inside before he followed. Trinity greeted them with a big smile at the front desk.

"Mrs. Reynolds, it's been ages! Mr. Reynolds said you've been swamped with work and traveling all the time. You look thinner; make sure to take care of yourself," Trinity said, sounding like she was catching up with an old friend. Phoebe was caught off guard.

She shot a quick glance at Theodore, thinking, 'We're divorced, so why did he tell Trinity I was on a business trip?'

Theodore stayed cool, "We're here for Ollie's vaccination and a full check-up."

"Got it, I'll get the paperwork ready." Trinity quickly sorted the paperwork and led them to the check-up area.

The pet doctor, Piper Flores, knew Theodore well. He'd been bringing Ollie alone for the past few years, looking pretty lonely.

Piper had heard from colleagues that Theodore and Phoebe used to come together, but Phoebe had been away for the past two years, so Theodore came alone.

Seeing Phoebe now, Piper immediately guessed who she was. "Mrs. Reynolds, you're finally back from Caneda."

Phoebe looked at Piper, surprised.

"Mr. Reynolds mentioned you were on a business trip. I even joked about how tough it must be for a young couple to be apart, but he said it wasn't. Mrs. Reynolds, Mr. Reynolds really loves you," Piper said, taking Ollie from Phoebe's arms. Ollie turned its head, eyes anxiously fixed on Phoebe, afraid she'd disappear again.

Phoebe felt a mix of emotions. Theodore and Ollie made it seem like she hadn't been divorced but just away on a long business trip, coming back to a family of three.

She wanted to explain but seeing Ollie's anxious face, she held back.

Phoebe rubbed Ollie's face, saying, "I'm not leaving; I'll be right outside."

Ollie seemed to understand and meowed before curling up in Piper's arms, letting her carry it into the examination room.

The room had transparent glass, so everything was visible from outside.

Unlike other cats that freaked out with unfamiliar instruments, Ollie lay quietly, letting the doctors do their thing.

Phoebe's eyes wandered around the hospital. In a nearby cage, a few sickly cats and dogs looked especially pitiful.

After a few seconds, she calmly asked, "Why did you tell them I was just on a business trip to Caneda?"

Theodore had been watching her. He admitted to himself that he had a selfish reason for bringing Phoebe to the pet hospital today.

They had adopted Ollie together, and Phoebe had been out of Ollie's life for almost three years. Now that she was back, she needed to step up again.

"Leaving me was no different from going on a business trip. The important thing is, you're back," Theodore said, his eyes intense and focused, like a predator zeroing in on its prey.

Phoebe's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't meet Theodore's gaze and looked away, watching Ollie being placed into an instrument.

"Does Ollie need a check-up every year?" she asked.

Theodore seemed to sense her discomfort. He shifted his gaze to the examination room. "Last year, Ollie got really sick. The doctor almost couldn't save him. Since then, he gets a check-up every six months." Phoebe's heart tightened. "How did it get so serious?"

"It's fine now," Theodore replied calmly.

He remembered that night vividly. Ollie had fallen ill in the middle of the night, and Theodore had rushed him to several pet hospitals. They all shook their heads, saying it was hopeless when they saw Ollie foaming at the mouth. Theodore didn't give up and brought Ollie to this hospital. Luckily, Piper was there and said Ollie could be saved after a full check-up.

Theodore had stood outside the operating room, watching Piper perform surgery on Ollie. It felt like he was being cut open, barely holding on.

He couldn't help but feel a deep sadness. He had walked out of the pet hospital and stood under the eaves, smoking half a pack of cigarettes before shakily picking up his phone and dialing the number he knew by heart but never dared to call.

At three in the morning, the other end of the phone emitted the cold, mechanical voice of customer service.

Theodore dialed again and again, only to hear, "The number you have dialed is no longer in service." His heart ached to the point of numbness.

Maybe his hatred for her started at that moment.

Phoebe's gaze shifted between the examination room and Theodore's face, finally settling on the small diagnostic instrument.

She looked genuinely apologetic, saying, "Sorry, I didn't know."

Adopting Ollie had been partly her idea. To completely sever ties with Theodore, Phoebe had hesitated several times but never suggested taking Ollie with her. She had left Ollie behind and walked away without looking back.

Theodore closed his eyes, hiding the gloom in them. His tone was so calm it was as if nothing had ever happened. "It's all over now."

Phoebe stood silently, feeling even more guilty towards Ollie.

The check-up continued, and half an hour later, Piper brought Ollie out.

"The test results will be out tomorrow. There shouldn't be any major issues. We'll give Ollie the vaccine today, and I'll send the results to Mr. Reynolds' email." "Thank you!" Phoebe said.

"You're too kind, Mrs. Reynolds. I'll go prepare the vaccine. Please wait a moment." Piper handed Ollie back to Phoebe.

Maybe because of Theodore's earlier words, Phoebe felt a surge of guilt. She held Ollie tightly and, with this feeling of guilt, looked over at the display area, wanting to buy some cat toys and food as compensation. Phoebe carried Ollie to the display area. There were many varieties of cat food.

Ollie, being too plump, had been banned from eating snacks for three months.

Seeing its favorite cat food, Ollie reached out with its front paw to grab it, like a greedy child. Ollie's behavior reminded Phoebe of Hubert sneaking snacks at the supermarket.