Chapter 3 The new servant of the Hayden family

Patrick's eyes shimmered with the captivating hue of the deep sea, accentuated by a delicate mole nestled at the corner of his eye. Although he had been confined to his bed for an extended period, his once fair complexion had turned pallid. Nevertheless, Aimee couldn't help but believe that this man was the epitome of beauty.

She found herself momentarily stunned.

Perhaps sensing her gaze, Patrick's eyes shifted, locking onto Aimee's with remarkable precision.

In an instant, a surge of anger, tinged with speechlessness and disappointment, ignited within his previously composed gaze.

Patrick averted his eyes, directing his attention towards Camdyn, as he uttered, "Grandpa, please let it go. Many doctors have already handed down a death sentence. Don't persist."

When he heard these words, Camdyn's initial joy of seeing his future granddaughter-in-law dissipated.

With patience, he urged, "Pat, please refrain from such talk. As long as there's even a glimmer of hope, I will never give up. Don't give up on yourself, alright?"

Patrick looked away, unwilling to witness the old man's worried and helpless expression.

Since the accident, he had witnessed his grandfather age by a decade in mere months.

Over the past six months, his grandfather had exhausted significant resources seeking medical treatments, even delving into the black market and secretive websites.

Patrick had observed it all.

Yet, the more this transpired, the more hopeless he felt about finding a cure. If it weren't for his paralysis, he would have contemplated ending his own life so that his grandfather could enjoy his remaining years in peace, free from the burden of worry.

Observing Patrick's self-imposed silence, Camdyn understood the thoughts that plagued him.

Summoning his resolve, Camdyn addressed Patrick, "Pat, don't overthink it. I didn't bring a doctor here to see you this time."

Hearing this, Patrick glanced back, regarding Camdyn with suspicion. What could possibly bring Camdyn more happiness than finding him a doctor?

Camdyn introduced, "Pat, this is Aimee, the third daughter of the Read family. I've decided to arrange a marriage between the two of you. She will be your wife from now on."

Finishing his statement, Camdyn noticed Patrick sneering, intensifying the anger in his eyes.

He didn't look at Aimee but coldly declared, "Grandpa, I don't need a wife."

In his current state of helplessness, how could he possibly deserve a wife?

"Pat, all I want is to find someone to care for you. The men in this household cannot provide the meticulous care you need. Can you please accept my arrangement?" pleaded Camdyn.

His plea tugged at Aimee's heart, filling her with envy. Mason possessed a similar loving demeanor, but she could never be the recipient of his affections.

Aimee desperately wanted to say something to Patrick. She was, in fact, a doctor capable of professionally tending to his needs, if only he would accept Camdyn's proposition.

She couldn't bear to witness Camdyn's profound sadness.

However, she could discern Patrick's strong aversion towards doctors. Earlier, when Camdyn introduced her, he intentionally omitted mentioning her profession. Aimee understood why.

After contemplating for a moment, Aimee spoke up, "Mr. Hayden, you don't have to consider me as your wife, but simply as a new servant to the family. You can direct your anger towards me upon seeing me."

Aimee aimed to advocate for herself. She yearned to explore the intricate precision instruments within this room, necessitating an agreement with Patrick beforehand. Otherwise, as she would frequent this room in the future, it was highly probable that she would face his wrath before having the chance to study the instruments.

She refused to let her enthusiasm be squandered.

Patrick stared up and down at Aimee, almost wanting to make an ironic comment about being forced into a marriage with a useless person. He doubted whether the Read family's business was in trouble, and that was probably why they had arranged for Aimee to marry him. It was unexpected, however, that she had offered to be a servant of the Hayden family in exchange for being able to stay. When he saw Aimee's clear eyes, though, he decided not to say anything at all.

Camdyn, on the other hand, took Patrick's silence as an agreement. He thanked Aimee for her willingness to take care of Patrick and marry him. Aimee felt guilty for keeping the real reason hidden from the old man, but she appreciated the warmth and kindness that he and his family had shown her.

Camdyn warned Aimee not to reveal her job as a doctor to Patrick, as he despised doctors. Aimee promised to keep it a secret, and Camdyn patted her hand and said he was optimistic about her and Patrick. Despite his irritable personality, Camdyn could see that Patrick had not gone out of his way to make things difficult for Aimee. In fact, he seemed to be tolerating her presence, which made Camdyn think that maybe she was the one who could change Patrick's mind.

As Aimee left with her new task to take care of Patrick, she couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. She knew that marrying him would be a big responsibility, and she was hesitant to grow closer to someone who despised what she did for a living. But as she thought about the warmth and kindness that the Hayden family had shown her, she felt a sense of belonging and hope that maybe, just maybe, she could make things work with Patrick.