The Surrogate He Discarded

Kristoff stood by the door of Isobel’s hospital room for several seconds before finally stepping inside.

His expression was unusually dark.

In his hands, was a large bouquet of flowers, carefully arranged and wrapped in elegant paper. He had clearly taken his time choosing them.

But the moment he stepped inside, his eyes landed on Richard.

More specifically, they landed on the bouquet of flowers sitting on the table beside Isobel’s bed.

Kristoff’s expression darkened another shade.

Without saying a word, he walked straight to the side table.

Richard watched him. Isobel watched him too, slightly confused.

Kristoff picked up Richard’s bouquet.

He moved it toward the back of the table. Then, with deliberate care, he placed his own bouquet directly in front.

Richard stared at the flowers. Then at Kristoff. Then back at the flowers.

His brows slowly drew together.

”Are you serious?”

Kristoff ignored him.

Instead, he turned toward Isobel with an expression that was noticeably softer than the one he had worn a moment ago.

”How are you feeling today, Isobel? Does your wound still hurt?”

”I’m much better and it doesn’t hurt. Took a painkiller this morning.”

Kristoff nodded.

”That’s good.”

He wanted to sit beside the bed but there was only one chair and unfortunately, Richard was already sitting there.

The two men stared at each other. Neither moved.

For a few seconds, the room fell completely silent.

Isobel looked from one man to the other.

”Richie was just—”

”I know,” Kristoff interrupted.

His eyes dropped briefly to the half-eaten apple on the plate in Isobel’s hands.

”You’ve already eaten?”

Richard immediately took the plate.

”She just finished an apple. I was about to peel her another fruit.”

Kristoff glanced at him. He forgot to bring a fruit basket.

”She doesn’t need to eat that much at once.”

Richard raised an eyebrow.

”She needs to eat nutritious food if she wants to recover faster.”

”I know.” Kristoff said sharply.

”Do you?”

Kristoff’s eyes narrowed.

Richard calmly smiled.

”I took care of her for years.”

Kristoff’s expression became even colder.

”And I’ve known her long enough to know when she’s hungry.”

Isobel blinked.

She had a strange feeling that the temperature in the room had suddenly dropped several degrees.

”Both of you...”

Neither man seemed to hear her.

Richard picked up another apple.

”I’ll peel a pear instead. Pears are easier to eat.”

Kristoff immediately reached for the fruit basket.

”I’ll do it.”

Richard stopped.

”I can manage.”

”So can I.”

Their hands landed on the same pear.

Then silence. Neither released it.

Isobel stared at them in disbelief.

”...It’s just a pear.”

Kristoff looked at Richard.

”Let go.”

”You let go.” Richard insisted.

”Why should I?”

”Because I brought this fruit basket.” Richard gave him a faint smile.

Kristoff’s eyes narrowed.

”And you already give it to her.”

Isobel covered her mouth, trying desperately not to laugh.

These two were acting like children fighting over a toy.

Finally, Richard released the pear.

Kristoff immediately picked it up.

He took the fruit knife and began peeling it.

His movements were surprisingly careful.

Richard watched him for a moment before looking at Isobel.

”Bel, would you like some more apple?”

Isobel shook her head.

”Not anymore. I’m full.”

Richard nodded.

”Then you should rest.”

He adjusted the blanket around her legs.

Kristoff glanced at him. Then at the blanket.

Without saying anything, he reached over and adjusted the pillow behind Isobel’s back.

”You’ll be more comfortable sitting this way.”

Richard frowned.

”Her pillow was fine.”

”She said it was uncomfortable earlier.”

”She didn’t say that to me.”

”Maybe because you didn’t ask.”

Richard’s jaw tightened.

Isobel sighed.

”Really, both of you...”

Kristoff placed the peeled pear on a small plate and handed it to her.

”Just have a few bites.”

”I told you I’m full.”

”Then save it for later.”

Richard immediately took the plate from her.

”Don’t force her. She can eat when she’s hungry.”

Kristoff looked at him.

”I wasn’t forcing her.”

”It sounded like you were.”

”I was encouraging her.”

”It sounded like an order.”

Isobel rubbed her temples.

Why did taking care of her have to become a competition?

Before she could say anything else, Kristoff noticed the bouquet Richard had brought.

”Those flowers are from you?”

Richard glanced toward the table.

”Yes.”

”They’re nice.”

Richard smiled.

”Thank you.”

Kristoff looked at his own bouquet. Then at Richard’s. Then back at his own.

His bouquet was significantly larger. He seemed satisfied.

Isobel couldn’t help noticing.

”Kristoff, did you really have to bring so many flowers?”

”I didn’t know which ones you liked.”

He looked at her seriously.

”So I bought the ones I thought were pretty.”

Richard quietly added, ”She likes roses.”

Kristoff turned.

”How do you know?”

”I just knew. She liked it since she was little.”

Kristoff’s expression tightened.

”She likes sunflowers too.” Richard added with a smile.

This time, Kristoff’s eyes narrowed.

”You seem to know quite a lot about her.”

Richard leaned back in his chair.

”Didn’t you already know that I watched her grow up?”

For a moment, the two men simply stared at each other.

Isobel looked between them.

She suddenly felt like she had somehow wandered into a battlefield.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

A dietary aide entered carrying Isobel’s lunch.

”Miss Isobel, your lunch has arrived.”

Before the aide could place the tray on the table, both men stood at the same time.

”I’ll help her.”

”I’ll help her.”

The dietary aide froze.

Isobel stared at them. Richard looked at Kristoff. Kristoff looked at Richard.

The aide slowly looked between the two men.

”...Would you like me to leave it here?”

”Yes,” Isobel quickly answered.

She pointed toward the table.

”Please just put it there.”

The aide hurriedly placed the tray down and escaped.

Isobel let out a long sigh.

”You two are unbelievable.”

Richard smiled innocently.

”What did I do?”

Kristoff sat back down.

”Nothing.”

But the look he gave Richard clearly said otherwise.

A few minutes later, Isobel reached for her spoon.

Richard immediately moved the tray closer. Kristoff adjusted the juice beside it.

Isobel looked at both of them. Then she burst out laughing.

The two men froze.

”What?” Richard asked.

Isobel shook her head, still smiling.

”Nothing.”

She looked at the flowers covering the table, the fruit Richard had peeled, the pillow Kristoff had adjusted, and the two men now sitting on opposite sides of her bed as if neither intended to surrender an inch.

For the first time in a long while, the hospital room didn’t feel cold or lonely.

It felt almost warm.

And, judging by the looks passing between Kristoff and Richard, Isobel had a feeling her peaceful recovery was about to become much more complicated.