When Lucille asked Jess if she loves him, despite her already giving him an answer, he somehow still wishes Jess would give Lucille an answer but she didn't. And that hurts.

He swallowed the disappointment in his chest, pushed the door wider, and acted like he just came back to the room and had no idea what happened.

"Daddy!"

Lucille yelled excitedly the moment she saw him. He was expecting her to tell him about what happened between her and Little Miss Jessie, however, Lucille didn't talk about it.

He picked up his daughter and held her in his arms. He released a soft sigh after inhaling her scent. "Ready to go back to Soraya's room?" he asked in a small voice.

Lucille tilted her neck to watch his expression and creased her eyebrows with what she saw.

Noah stepped forward to stand next to Jess' bed. "Say your goodbye and thanks," he instructed Lucille in his arms.

"Thank you, Little Miss Jess. Hope you get better soon," she said what she was told before she hooked her arm to his father's neck and turned her face to Luke. "Uncle Luke, visit me at the villa tomorrow, please."

"Sure. I can cook you the best waffles in the world!"

"Waffles! I would love that!"

Noah's heated gaze was glued on Jess who was being quiet in bed as Luke and Lucille discussed waffles.

"Thank you, Miss Zimmerman."

He tried to catch her eyes but she averted her gaze. She happened to see Noah eavesdropping on the door when Lucille asked her the question of liking her daddy. She couldn't open her mouth with the notion that Noah was listening.

Her heart skipped a few beats in her chest. Maybe she should ask the nurse to bring her back to the lab to have another ECG. She's pretty sure her heartbeat is abnormal.

It's clear that Jess won't meet his eyes. With Lucille in his arms, he turned around to return to Soraya's room, "Goodbye, Jess."

"Bye, bye, Little Miss Jessie."

She waved her hands to her, but before they reached the door, she stuck out her tongue to her. Jess laughed softly with Lucille's antics. She stuck her tongue too, but then Noah turned around and caught her acting like a child.

Luke snickered in the armchair.

She blushed, "Thank you for visiting. Send my regards to Soraya." She tried to keep her voice steady despite the fact that she wanted to disappear, right at the moment that Noah raised his eyebrow at her.

She chuckled awkwardly.

Noah said nothing and left the room.

When the door closed behind them, Luke roared in laughter. She grabbed the pillow and smothered her face with it.

"Ugh! Why do I have to do that?"

She glanced over Luke who was dying in laughter in the chair. She threw the pillow she was holding in his direction, "Stop laughing!"

He caught the pillow before it hit the floor, "How can you tell to me to stop laughing when that was just so hilarious." he threw the pillow back to her.

"Ahhhhh --- "

Luke just shook his head and finished the flower arrangement he has been doing. When he was done, he stood up and put the flowers on her bedside table.

**

At that time, Noah took Lucille to the cafe on the first floor of the hospital in the pretense that they needed to buy some snacks for Soraya and Jin.

While Lucille was picking snacks for Soraya, he casually inquired what she did with Jess while he stepped out to answer a call.

"Nothing, daddy," she shrugged her shoulders and dropped the snacks she had chosen in the basket for him to pay.

His eyebrows furrowed but didn't push her.

After dropping the snacks at Soraya's room where Jin will stay the night to watch over Soraya. He and Lucille went back to their villa at the resort because he promised Nicole that Lucille would call using the secured line.

When they arrived at the villa Briare was waiting for them. Looking at the time, nearing her bedtime, he had Antonio take care of Lucille to call her mother as he took Briare to his bedroom slash his makeshift study.

"I would assume that you're here regarding the investigation?"

"Yes. How was your daughter?"

"She is fine." He opened the brandy on his table and poured him a glass. "The investigation?"

He accepted the glass and took a sip, "We found one of the crews of the speedboat. He admitted the fact that someone paid them some money to do the 'accident'.The captain was still on the run, but I assure you that we will find him and he will get what he deserved."

Noah glanced at Briare's cold demeanor. While he disliked how he handled the situation with Jess, he was grateful that he managed the investigation of the accident at sea efficiently.

"I want to talk to the captain of the speedboat, Briare, no matter what," he said in clenched teeth.

"May I ask why?"

He is good at judging character and he knew despite Briare's indifference he was a man that can be trusted and values honor above else, "This 'accident' wasn't the first one. And until now, we don't have an idea who was behind it."

"I understand," he muttered under his breath, finishing the alcohol he served him. "I won't take much of your time. That's all I came here for." He maneuvered his electric wheelchair out of Noah's room.

Noah followed quietly, "Mister Tiefenbacher, I apologize in advance for my assumption, but with this so-called 'accidents' of your daughter, and not catching the culprit, have you considered looking not too far away?"

Noah narrowed his eyes on Briare, "I can assure you, that I had already turned all the stone in regards with these assholes." He spat the words with the frustration and the rage he felt towards whoever was it that wanted to harm his daughter.

He nodded solemnly, "I see. Well then, Mister Tiefenbacher, have a good evening."

Noah walked Briare out and saw a beautiful woman waiting for him outside.

The words Briare said echoed in his mind, "Look not so far away," he murmured to himself.