Chapter 6

Julie’s voice cut through the phone, sharp and contemptuous.

“Ethan, I will find a way to make Rose sign the papers tonight.

“After she gave birth to Nina, I never had any intention of letting you stay by her side. I only tolerated you for that child’s sake, and nothing more.

“Now that Nina is gone, do yourself a favor and get lost. No one wants you here anymore.”

Before he could respond, she slammed the phone down hard. Only the dial tone echoed in his ear.

His fingertips, which were still gripping the phone, turned pale. A heavy weight pressed down on his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Rosalind stepped out of the adjacent VIP ward and spotted Ethan standing there in a daze with his phone in hand.

She had caught fragments of her mother’s words from the call, and her face tensed.

She strode over to him with a frown and said, “Where do you think you’re going? What are you plotting this time?”

He simply glanced at her and turned to head back to his own ward.

She refused to let it go. She fixed her gaze on him, carrying the cold resentment that had been building up over the past two months.

“You were the one who pushed me into his arms and made me feel like I meant nothing to you. I was so completely disappointed in you that I ended up falling for him.”

Her words hurt him to the core.

“Listen, the baby I’m carrying could very well be Nina’s little brother.

“If you truly care about Nina and know what’s good for you, then drop this obsession with Sam. Stay put in the hospital and focus on getting better.”

Without sparing him another glance, she added, “My mother wants me to come home. She has something to discuss. Just stay put in the hospital and don’t cause any more trouble.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

He lay back down to rest.

As he drifted in and out of sleep, he heard a familiar cautious and hesitant voice from the VIP ward next door.

His heart stopped for a second. He must be imagining things.

Still, he got up and found himself walking toward the door. Then, he nudged it open just a bit.

The moment he saw what was inside, his eyes instantly filled with rage.

Sure enough, Mabel was there, standing in the ward with a heavy insulated food container.

Samson lounged on the hospital bed, looking full of himself. He shot her a look of pure contempt.

“What is this trash that you brought me? Are you trying to ruin my appetite?”

He then raised his hand and struck the container in Mabel’s hands, sending it flying across the room with a loud crash.

The insulated food container hit the floor. The scalding chicken soup splattered everywhere and spilled all over Mabel’s face and body.

Mabel let out a muffled groan of pain. She did not dare to lash out when she thought of Rosalind’s threat. She simply scrambled to clean up the mess on the floor.

“Mom!”

Ethan’s eyes were wide with fury. He rushed in, grabbed Mabel, and shoved her protectively behind him.

He saw the burn marks on her face, and they hit him like a punch to the chest. He was trembling, and his eyes were stinging with tears.

Even so, Samson stayed unrepentant. He let out a derisive snort.

“What are you crying about? Rose told me Mabel makes the most amazing chicken soup.

“She had her bring it here for me, but look at the garbage she made. She obviously made it out of spite!”

Ethan reached over and took the remaining soup in the food container from Mabel’s hands and hurled it straight into Samson’s face without a second thought.

With the soup dripping down his hair and cheeks, he let out a pathetic, bloodcurdling shriek. His face went pale.

Just then, the hospital room door swung open. Rosalind was back, just in time to see it all.

The moment he spotted her, Samson slumped against the bed. He sobbed loudly as he stretched out a hand toward her.

“Rose, you’re finally back. I got hurt while drinking the soup.”

Her face darkened. She hurried forward and carefully lifted the blanket off him.

She shot an icy glare at Ethan and Mabel.

“If anything happens to Sam, I’ll make you both pay!”

With that, she turned to rush Samson to the emergency room.

Before she left, she gave a sharp order to the bodyguards stationed at the door.

“Watch them! Don’t let them take one step! If anything happens to Sam, I don’t care that they’re my mother-in-law and my husband; I’ll have them locked up for life!”

The bodyguards stepped forward and blocked Mabel, who was just trying to get up.

Ethan clutched her hand as he watched Rosalind hurry off. His chest throbbed with a dull ache.

Just then, his phone vibrated. It was a message from Julie.

[The divorce agreement has been signed. I’ve asked someone to send it over. Don’t you dare plot another scheme.]

He called Julie back immediately.

The moment the call went through, Julie’s impatient voice came through.

“What now? Didn’t I already tell you I’m sending the agreement over?”

He responded in a calm voice, “Your daughter’s bodyguards are holding me here. I can’t get out. Tell them to let us go.”

Julie paused and sighed heavily, clearly frustrated and disappointed.

“She has always been so stubborn. I’ve never understood what she sees in you. Look what it has gotten her into. Her life is a mess.”

Without saying anything more, she told him to hand the phone to the bodyguards.

Ethan handed the phone to one of the bodyguards. The bodyguard took it and listened for a moment. Then, his expression shifted.

He then returned the phone with a respectful nod and stepped aside.

Ethan pocketed the phone and took Mabel’s hand.

She walked beside him, studying his pale, gaunt profile, and said softly, “Ethan, are you sure you want to go through with this?”

Ethan paused for a moment. A trace of bitterness flickered in his eyes.

He simply tightened his grip on Mabel’s hand and let out a firm “Mm-hmm.”

There was no point in looking back.

Ethan and Mabel walked out of the inpatient building together.

As expected, a car sent by Julie was waiting at the hospital entrance.

The driver stepped out as they approached and handed over the signed divorce agreement.

After that, the car pulled away slowly and disappeared from view.

Ethan stood there, holding the thin stack of papers.

A black sedan then stopped in front of them. The window rolled down, revealing a familiar, gentle face.

Meanwhile, Rosalind leaned against the wall by the emergency room window on the fourth floor. She was frowning, agitated.

She instinctively glanced down toward the hospital entrance.

In a daze, she seemed to catch a glimpse of Ethan’s figure. There was also an unfamiliar woman supporting him.

She peered down for another look, but the entrance was crowded with people coming and going.

There was no longer any sign of him anywhere.

She chuckled bitterly at herself, thinking she was imagining things.

The bodyguards were still holding him. He could not possibly have left.

However, a second later, the bodyguard’s voice came from behind her.

“Ms. Lourdes.”