When I burst into the emergency room, it wasn't the chaotic scene I had imagined.

Ivy Winters was lying peacefully in a hospital bed, hooked up to an IV. Her complexion was rosy; she didn't look like she was suffering from any kind of medical emergency at all.

Chase Crawford was sitting by her bed, holding a bowl of porridge. He would patiently blow on each spoonful to cool it before bringing it to her lips.

"Drink slowly. Be careful, it's hot."

Ivy smiled, her eyes crinkling. "Brother Chase, you're so good to me."

The two of them were laughing and chatting, the atmosphere so warm it was like a picture-perfect scene.

And me? I was like an out-of-place clown, stumbling into a world where I didn't belong.

My gaze drifted past them to the neighboring hospital bed.

A man was slumped over the side of the bed, tightly clutching a woman's hand. Her face was pale, and she was hooked up to all sorts of tubes, clearly having just come out of major surgery. The man's eyes were red-rimmed and bloodshot, and he was muttering something anxiously under his breath.

That was real anxiety, real worry.

And Chase...

'It wasn't that he couldn't be gentle, or that he didn't know how to care for someone.'

'His gentleness and care just were never meant for me.'

Chase Crawford finally noticed me. He set down the bowl and walked over, his brow furrowed in a frown.

"What are you doing here?"

I looked at him, and he felt like a complete stranger. It was terrifying.

"So this is what you being 'tied up' means? Being here, feeding her porridge?"

He was at a loss for words, then quickly tried to justify himself. "The doctor said it wasn't serious, she just needed to be on a drip for observation. But she's scared all by herself. I couldn't just abandon her, could I?"

"Talia, can you stop being so unreasonable?"

'That line again.'

I looked at his self-righteous expression and suddenly started to laugh.

Without another word, I turned and walked away.

This time, Chase didn't come after me.

'I knew he wouldn't.'

'His Ivy still needed him to finish feeding her that bowl of porridge.'