Chapter 76
Courtney froze in place, staring at Austin in shock. Her hands trembled as she grabbed his collar. Austin definitely knew something.
ry demanded, picking up a wharbrand and shaking it at him.
“Mr. Anderson didn’t kill him
in looked away, avoiding her piercing gare
surtney pushed harder. “Yourknene the truth, don’t you?”
by half a brain could see there’s something off about Mr.
“Courtney.” Moun whispered, his voice heavy with quilt. “Please, don’t push me. Anyone with i Anderson is death. Cif course, Eve figured it out!
Aquam tracheilonil, trying to comfort Courtney, but she instinctively backed away, her fear and shock evident,
“So it’s mac, Courney thought, her mind væring. It has something to do with the Lewis family. But without evidence, there was nothing she could
“To get you to sign the settlement agreement, Marilyn has already resorted to some alespicable carries, Austin confessed, his voice lone “Do you have any idea what they-
Austin wanted to tell Courtney that Marilyn planned in accuse her of extortion and report her to the police. His words were interrupted by the shrill ring of his phone
The sound cut through the tense silence of the small room. The ringtone was the same song Courtney had loved before she disappeared all those
somehow, everything Ich unchanged yet irrevocably different
“Moms!” Austin said as he picked up, his face tightening with concern
You need to come home now? Austin’s mother, Alina’s voice trembled with urgency. “Phoebe’s fever won’t break–it’s been three days: The Leviti family says it’s gening worse. What do we do?
In the background. Phorbes weak voice cried out, “Mommy… I want Monty…
“I brought her to the hospital, Alina continued, her voice breaking “The doctor says it’s meningitis. She’s burning up. Austin, come back. She needs you
Austin stiffened, his body going rigid as he turned to look at Courtney Courtney.”
“Go” Courtney wrote, her movements firm and decisive. “Co take care of her
“Come with me, Austin pleaded, his voice barely above a whisper. “I can arrange for someone to take you somewhere safe.
Courney’s expression hardened as she wrote again, “Take care of your daughter. And I hope you’ve stayed out of the Lewis family’s crimes”
Austin funched, his face crumpling as he lowered his head, looking pained. He couldn’t meet her eyes, let alone respond to the words staring hack at hun from the whiteboard.
Austin couldn’t stay out of their crimes, not after marrying Vera.
“Courtney.. I never wanted to hurt you” Austin said softly, the words almost freaking him as he turned to leave.
Austin doesn’t want to hurt Courtney and has no intention of doing so. But reality doesn’t care what he wants. It’s already forcing his hand.
At Hensburg General Hospital, Marilyn was pacing in the hallway while Alina sobbed outside the patient’s room
“How did such a sweet child end up like this?” Alina cried, her voice trembling with anger and grief. “It’s all that Courtney’s fault! Why luve just stayed away? Why did she have to come back and ruin everything! My poor granddaughter has been sick, crying for her mother nonstop y couldn’t she
“Courtney refuses to sign the settlement agreement,” Marilyn sighed. “II Vera can’t come back, Phoebe will keep crying. What are we going to do Alina’s face twisted in rage as she spat curses at Courtney. I’ve been saying it all along–she’s nothing but a curse! Why didn’t she die out there! Now that she’s back, she’s faringing chaos to Austin’s life and tearing this family apart!”
To Alina, Courtney’s return was nothing more than a threat to her son’s claim to the inheritance left by Courtney’s parents. In her mind, that wealth was Austin’s by right, and Coundry’s existence was nothing but an obstacle
The depths of human delusion were fully displayed in Alina’s warped perspective.
1/2
11:00 AU
Chapter 76
“Alma, Marilyn sand urgently, we need to
În etute Courtney signs t
signs that agreement soon. If we delay any longer, it’ll be too late.”
Manlyn was just as desperate. Without the exposed. The media seoulid seize on the
the case would go to trial, and Vera’s crime of hiring someone to harm Courtney would be one who altrady resented the Lewis family would take full advantage of the opportunity to
The fallout wouldn’t stop at Vera. The entire Lewis family would be dragged down with her.
Marilyn had tied her fate to the family’s success, and the last thing she needed was Vera’s actions to ruin her carefully cultivated reputation.
After all, she hadn’t ver secured her marriage to the Reed family. Il Warren got wind of this mess, she couldn’t explain herself.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, Marilyn has to find a way to marry into the Reed family as soon as possible.
But the thought of her future husband–scarred and disfigured–still made her stomach churn.
What kind of person would willingly trade the life of a privileged heir to join the military and end up like that? Marilyn couldn’t help but sneer at the thought. To her, Warren Reed’s grandson was damaged goods, a broken man unworthy of her.
Without the Reed family’s influence and connections, she would never have stooped so low as to marry a damaged man.
“Mom. How’s Phoebe?” Austin rushed over, anxiously checking on Phoebe.
“The doctor says it’s meningitis,” Marilyn sighed. “Her fever is dangerously high, and she keeps calling for her mom.
“If Vera can’t come back, she added with another sigh. “there’s no way Phoebe’s condition will get better.”
Austin’s mom turned her frustration into fury. She slapped Austin on the arm. This is all that little witch’s fault! Why didn’t she just disappear good! If not for her, none of this would be happening to us. Why did she come back to ruin everything? She’s nothing but a curse!”
Austin frowned. “Mom, don’t talk about Courtney like that.
for
Just then, a doctor walked into the room. “Dr. Gilbert, we have the results. I’m afraid the situation isn’t looking good. The fever has lasted too long. The meningitis has increased intracranial pressure, and the child may suffer permanent hearing loss” His tone was apologetic but firm.
Marilyn stiffened, clearly taken aback by the severity of the diagnosis
Clenching her fists. Marilyn forced herself to focus. If this was an opportunity, she had to seize it.
“Austin, Marilyn said sharply. “Your daughter is in this condition, and you’re still defending Courtney? What are you waiting for? Are you just going to stand there and let Phoebe suffer? Do you even care about your child?”
Austin’s mom was instantly terrified at the mention of permanent hearing loss and collapsed onto the floor, crying. “Oh, dear Lord. What did we do to deserve this?”
Austin stood frozen, his entire body tense with exhaustion and despair. It was as if he’d been dragged into a dark abyss, the weight of the world pressing down on him. He couldn’t think. Couldn’t decide
On one side was his daughter. On the other was Courtney.
