Chapter 15: Byee Uncle Ikenna!

    As she watched him leave, Nnenna couldn''t help but smile. She had gained more than just good points today. She had gained his attention, and perhaps, a little bit of his respect.

    Physical therapy time had long passed, and Ikenna was preparing to leave for his other duties. His irritation, however, was evident in the sharp tone of his voice.

    "If you keep skipping physical therapy, you might never walk again. I''m going now, but you better be ready to start moving when I get back here."

    Four''s only response was a fleeting glance in Ikenna''s direction, his silence louder than words. He then turned his piercing gaze toward Nnenna, clearly signaling that she should follow the man who had brought her in.

    But Nnenna, ever the master of feigned ignorance, acted as though she hadn''t noticed. Instead, she directed her attention to Ikenna, who was at the door, and gave him a cheerful wave. "Byee, Uncle Ikenna!"

    "By-wait, uncle?!" Ikenna roared in disbelief as the door shut firmly behind him. He spun around, his hand reaching for the door handle to address this audacious anomaly.

    Before he could make any progress, however, the two male nurses stationed outside stepped forward.

    One of them spoke with an apologetic bow. "I''m sorry, sir, but our boss has left strict instructions. You''re not to re-enter unless it''s urgent or absolutely necessary."@@@@

    Ikenna "..."

    For a moment, Ikenna was speechless, his face contorting into a mix of frustration and amusement. "That... brat," he muttered under his breath.

    Director Ikenna was well known among the staff, not only for his high position but also because of his friendship with their boss.

    However, a few days ago, their boss had declared, almost offhandedly, "Ikenna talks too much. Unless it''s urgent, necessary, or I personally allow it, he is not to be let back in if he steps out."

    It was an odd and overly strict rule, one that the staff found unreasonable, but what could they do? Orders were orders, and their boss''s word was absolute.

    His indifference was piercing, but Nnenna wasn''t so easily dissuaded. She was tempted to call out to him again, but a small part of her hesitated. Would she push him too far?

    Meanwhile, Four considered his options. If he called for someone to drag her out kicking and screaming, it would certainly create an unwanted commotion.

    And if there was one thing he hated more than uninvited guests, it was unnecessary noise. So, for now, he chose the lesser evil, silence.

    The girl, undeterred by his icy silence, kept up her one sided chatter as though they were the closest of friends.

    "You know," she began, her tone light and conversational, "I heard that my elder brother was the only one who visited me.

    And get this, he came four times while I was in a coma! Nurse Courage said he visited once a month. She''s really a good woman, you know."

    She paused briefly, her expression thoughtful. "Although," she added with a sly smile, "I noticed you don''t have any women on your staff. So, I guess I won''t recommend her to yo—"

    Her words trailed off, not because she stopped talking, but because Four''s mind latched onto a specific piece of information she had mentioned.

    ''Somto visited her?''

    Four''s hands tightened subtly around the edges of his book as he mulled over this unexpected revelation. His sharp mind didn''t take long to connect the dots.

    He knew this eldest prince well. In fact, they weren''t just acquaintances, they were allies united by the same mission.

    Their paths had crossed several times during joint operations, and Four had come to respect Somto''s unyielding focus and sense of duty.

    But Prince Somto was known for being a man who lived for his mission and little else.