Tempting Him to Lose Control

Chapter 142: Chapter 142: Feeling Wronged, Waiting for His Wife’s Call

Claire Kendall’s brows furrowed slightly as she calmly closed the folder.

"Ian Rhodes, who told you that?"

This was the first time Ian Rhodes had seen Claire like this. His confidence instantly deflated, but he forced himself to speak.

"I saw it with my own eyes. Claire, I don’t mean anything by it... it’s just, if you want a divorce, I can help you..."

Claire Kendall cut him off. "You were in such a hurry to get me back to the office today just to pry into my personal life?"

Ian Rhodes was rendered speechless, but a sense of bitter indignation swelled within him, his eyes filled with obstinance.

"Claire, I’m just worried about you! It’s common knowledge that Miles Warren has only ever had eyes for Stella Locke, the one he never got over."

"Claire, have you forgotten the days we fought side by side? You’re the top designer Nati. You don’t need to waste your time on a man who only has eyes for the one he never got over!"

His words were earnest, every one of them weighing the pros and cons on her behalf.

After his long speech, Claire simply said in a calm voice, "Ian, he’s very good to me."

"But the Warren Group is a tangled mess, surrounded by wolves. Even before Miles Warren was forced out, he couldn’t necessarily protect you! And now, Louis Warren is completely disappointed in him."

"I know," Claire said, her tone light, her gaze flickering but firm. "That’s why I’m protecting him."

She added seriously, "Ian, don’t say any of this in front of him again."

The last trace of struggle and hope in Ian Rhodes’s eyes shattered.

"I understand, Claire."

Beneath the table, he clutched his phone, thinking about the divorce papers. ’His Claire must have been completely bewitched by that man.’

That afternoon, Claire Kendall received a message from Miles Warren.

I have a department dinner tonight, so I won’t be able to eat at home. I’ve asked the housekeeper to make your dinner.

Claire Kendall stared at the screen, her eyes crinkling into a smile.

’Checking in on his own? Such a good husband.’

Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she replied, adding a sticker of a cute, nodding kitten.

Got it, Dr. Warren~

In the private room of a restaurant near the hospital, the internal medicine department was having a team-building dinner. The atmosphere was lively.

The young doctors and nurses were all seated at a table. Just as all the dishes were served, someone suddenly got an idea and began to rally the group.

"Let’s play a game! Everyone post on your social feed with the caption, ’Honey, I’m not coming home tonight,’ and set it so only your husband or wife can see it."

"The first person to get a call back from their partner gets to start eating! Anyone who doesn’t get a call isn’t allowed to touch their food and has to watch the rest of us eat!"

Everyone instantly cheered in agreement, pulling out their phones to join in on the fun.

Jonathan Keller’s brows knitted together, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"Is this game specifically targeting single people like me?"

"If you’re single, just make it visible to your friends!"

"Professor Warren, you’re married too, right? Come on, join in! It’s not often we all get together like this!"

The clamor to get him to join grew louder.

Miles Warren hadn’t planned on participating. ’If I post it, will she call?’

’It was childish and silly, but he wanted to know the answer.’

The man gave a slight nod. His fingertips tapped the screen as he posted an impeccably formal update.

"Honey, I’m not coming home tonight."

Visible only to Claire Kendall.

His gaze remained fixed on his phone, a faint sense of anticipation growing within him.

The phones were all laid out on the table.

In less than three minutes, an intern’s phone was the first to buzz to life. It was a call from her boyfriend. The young woman cheered.

"I’m starting, everyone!"

Then came the phones of an attending physician, a resident, an anesthesiologist... Ringtones began to sound one after another.

Laughter erupted around the table as phone after phone burst into ringing.

"My mom asked if I was staging a rebellion, daring to stay out all night and not come home."

"My girlfriend says she’s going to break my legs! What do I do? I think I took this too far! You guys better help me explain later!"

"Franklin, your wife really keeps you on a tight leash, huh? She’s already called a few times."

...

Even Jonathan Keller got a call from Lindsay Joyce, though it was just to chew him out for being so childish.

Of everyone at the table, only Miles Warren’s phone remained silent, its screen dark. It hadn’t lit up once.

He glanced down at it, his fingers tapping twice on the edge of the table before he drew them back.

Jonathan Keller paused, his chopsticks halfway to a dish. He spoke casually, trying to diffuse the awkwardness for him.

"She’s probably busy. You know how designers are—when inspiration strikes, they can’t be bothered to look at their phones."

"Oh, right!" the intern beside him quickly chimed in. "My sister’s a designer too. She’ll often draw for a whole day and just toss her phone aside, with no time to even glance at it."

"Exactly! It’s just a silly little game. No one should take it to heart!"

Everyone chimed in, making excuses for him, their voices laced with careful attempts to console him.

Miles Warren’s expression remained neutral as he gave a soft, noncommittal hum of acknowledgment.

The topic shifted, and the lively atmosphere at the table returned.

His gaze drifted back to his phone uncontrollably. ’Thirty-two minutes have passed. Has she not looked at her phone? Is she busy with work for OCHH?’

He recalled Ian Rhodes’s words from the phone call that morning—’Even if you get rid of Jacob Sinclair, can you compete with OCHH?’

He picked up his chopsticks, then set them down again.

The man picked up his phone again and opened WhatsApp.

The chat was quiet. No new messages.

He typed out a message.

What are you doing?

The cursor blinked in the input field for a few seconds. He stared at the words for a long time before finally deleting them, one by one.

He locked the screen, placed the phone face-down on the table, and didn’t touch it again.

The sky outside gradually darkened. Just as the dinner was winding down, large raindrops began to drum against the window without warning.

"Why is it suddenly raining?"

"It’s really coming down hard. Did anyone bring an umbrella?"

"In this weather, it’ll be impossible to get a cab. The ride-hailing apps are going to be overloaded!"

Everyone got up and left the private room, heading for the first floor.

Jonathan Keller nudged Miles Warren and asked in a low voice,

"I’m calling a car. I can give you a ride..."

"I’m not in a hurry."

Everyone stood at the restaurant entrance, trying to figure out how to get home.

Through the curtain of rain, a sweet yet exceptionally clear voice drifted closer.

"Dr. Warren, let’s go home!"

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