Their eyes locked.


    At that moment, it felt like a vast ocean had suddenlye between them, even though they were right before each other.


    Tegan turned her face away, ignoring Uriah''s words.


    But the next instant, Uriah gently but firmly turned her face back to him, forcing their eyes to meet again. "Tell me. Have you seen Forrest again?"


    Tegan narrowed her eyes. "Don''t me everything on Forrest. The issues between us have nothing to do with him."


    "Then what are they about?" Uriah''s voice rose, frustration boiling over.


    The air around them seemed to freeze.


    Tegan looked at Uriah silently, saying nothing.


    Uriah''s grip on her wrist tightened. "Tegan."


    "I need some space, and right now, I don''t want to see you. Can I have that?"


    Tegan spoke thest few words through gritted teeth.


    Uriah''s entire demeanor became even more dangerous.


    It was the first time Ste had witnessed such tension between the two. From everything she knew, Uriah had always been protective of Tegan. But now, what had happened between them?


    As things seemed about to escte, Ste stepped forward. "Uriah, Tegan''s just been through a lot and got hurt. She might not be clear-minded. Would you give her some time and space?"


    Uriah was teetering on the edge of fury, and Ste was genuinely worried he might hurt Tegan.


    The mention of Tegan being ''hurt'' seemed to pull Uriah back to his senses. He looked at Tegan, slowly releasing his grip.


    Ste sighed in relief.


    "Let me talk to Tegan alone, okay?" she suggested.


    This resistance towards Uriah was new for Tegan. Even when they discussed Uriah in the past, she had only been resistant to his family. But towards Uriah himself...


    No, Ste remembered now. She had sensed something was off between Tegan and Uriah even then. Her gaze tightened as she looked at Tegan.


    Uriah stood up and nced at Ste. His eyes had regained their rity, but he said nothing and turned, striding down the hallway.


    Ste turned to the frightened nurse. "Please, take her to her room."


    Uriah''s presence had been so intense that no one, not even the chief doctor, dared to interject during the confrontation.


    Now that Uriah had left, the doctor quickly instructed, "Take Ms. James to her room."


    Despite the Horner family''s disdain for Tegan, everyone knew she was Uriah''s cherished one.


    ...


    Ste had the butler with her, and Ronald just left after taking her to the hospital.


    Now, in the hospital room, it was just Ste and Tegan.


    Ste took Tegan''s hand. "What''s going on between you and Uriah?"


    They used to be so close. And then there was that other thing: "Who is Helena?"


    Ste had overheard Uriah on the phone, mentioning handing Helena over to Archer.


    Helena? In all her years in Portis City, Ste had never heard of her. She


    only knew Mrs. Horner had been trying to set Uriah up on blind dates recently.


    Was Helena one of those dates? If so, it was ridiculous. Going on a date and then acting like this toward Tegan. Who did she think she was?


    Tegan replied, "Uriah''s distant cousin. No blood rtion."


    Technically, she was a cousin, but distantly so, with generations in between.


    Ste asked, "Did she have something to do with the ident?"


    Tegan closed her eyes, weary of the Horner family''s endless drama. She didn''t want to deal with it anymore. "Let''s not talk about them, Star. I want to leave Portis City. Can you take me away?"


    At that moment, as Tegan mentioned leaving Portis City again, Ste knew she meant it.