Rural Belle & Three Heirs
Chapter 48 The Demeanor of the Eldest Sister-in-law

When Grant asked Chloe to feed him oatmeal, she got mad right away. She thought, 'Seriously? He's really pushing it now. I dragged him downstairs, took him to the hospital, paid the bills, signed all the papers, and now he wants me to feed him? What's his deal?' Chloe grabbed the bowl, wishing she could just dump it on his head.

Grant seemed to catch on. Looking all weak and pitiful, he started pleading with her. "If you don't feed me, I'll just get worse. Our families go way back, and if Nicholas finds out you didn't help me when I was really sick, what would he think? I've been good to you since you joined the Martin Family. It's just feeding me some oatmeal; no big deal."

Grant's words tugged at Chloe's heartstrings. After a moment, she reluctantly picked up a spoon and started feeding him.

Seeing his plan work, a faint smile crept onto Grant's face.

A few spoonfuls of sweet oatmeal later, Grant felt a lot better. His stomach felt warm and comfy, and his mood lifted.

Tonight, he had a sudden gastrointestinal spasm. If Chloe hadn't acted fast and taken him to the hospital, who knew how much pain he'd be in.

As Chloe fed him, she reminded him, "Grant, the doctor said your stomach's in bad shape. You need to be more careful and stop drinking so much. Take it easy at work too. You're still young; you can't afford to mess up your health." Listening to Chloe, Grant felt a wave of warmth. Years of running the Martin Group had worn him out, always on the go with no rest. Though many women showed interest, he knew their intentions. But Chloe's words felt like a breath of fresh air, warming his heart.

He stared at Chloe's face, not wanting to look away. He had to admit, Chloe looked really beautiful tonight, especially with that butterfly painted on her face, so lifelike it seemed ready to fly away.

Feeling Grant's intense gaze, Chloe felt a bit embarrassed. She put down the bowl and asked, "What are you staring at? Is there something on my face?"

As she spoke, she reached up to wipe her face.

Grant quickly stopped her, saying, "Your face isn't dirty. I just think you look especially beautiful tonight."

Grant's words made Chloe's face instantly turn red. She turned around in a panic, feeling uneasy. She thought Grant must have noticed something about her. Otherwise, why would he say she looked beautiful?

With her face full of birthmarks, freckles, and moles, even the lady in The Frog Prince would avoid her. How could she be considered beautiful? Was Grant so sick that he was confused?

The vibe between them got a bit awkward.

Just then, Michael and Liam burst in, out of breath.

"Grant, you okay?"

"Grant, what happened? Is it serious?"

They asked, worried.

Before Grant could say anything, Chloe stood up and started laying into them. "You two, it's been almost an hour since I texted you, and you're just now getting here? If Grant had something serious, you wouldn't be any help, would you?" Liam tried to defend himself, "Sorry, I had something to do tonight."

"What could be more important than Grant being sick? Liam, do you even have a conscience? Hasn't Grant treated you well?" Chloe seized the chance to scold Liam.

Normally, if Chloe dared to talk to him like that, he'd probably lose it. But today, he just stood there quietly, like a scolded kid, letting Chloe rip into him.

Seeing Liam get chewed out, Michael thought he might be off the hook. But Chloe soon turned her attention to him. "And you? The party ended a while ago. What were you doing? On a date?"

Michael quickly denied it, "No, I wasn't on a date. I just didn't have my phone with me and didn't see your message."

He thought saying he didn't have his phone would get him out of trouble. But Chloe shot back, "Not having your phone is your excuse? It's late, and you're still not home? If you'd come back earlier, you'd know Grant's in the hospital. Grant's always good to you, but when it counts, you two are nowhere to be found."

Watching Chloe scold Liam and Michael with such authority, Grant couldn't help but smile from his bed. He had to admit, Chloe scolding them had a bit of a sister-in-law vibe.

Usually calm, Grant felt a bit unsettled at the sudden thought popping into his head.

After scolding Liam and Michael, Chloe yawned. She looked at Grant and said, "Now that they're here, can I go home?"

Grant nodded. "Sure, let them take you home. You should get some rest."

Hearing Grant suggest Michael and Liam take her home, Chloe quickly waved it off. She said, "No need. They just need to take care of you. I can just call a ride and get home. Liam, I probably won't be able to get up early tomorrow. Can you help me take a leave from school?"

Liam thought for a moment and nodded. "Okay, I'll take care of it. You go get some sleep."

With Liam's assurance, Chloe grabbed her small bag and turned to leave.

After taking a few steps, she seemed to remember something and turned back. To the surprise of the three brothers, she pulled out a bunch of items from her bag and placed them on the small table next to the bed.