Semua Bab Dead at Heart: Bab 701 - Bab 710

Leonard's gaze drifted toward Jayson, and he immediately stopped himself from finishing what he was about to say. Perry, with a knowing look in his eyes, gave a slight nod.Meanwhile, Jayson slowly lifted his gaze, appearing completely oblivious to the silent exchange between the two men. He didn't ask any questions either.Perry acted as though he hadn't noticed Leonard's hesitation. Just then, someone came over to greet him. Perry's gaze briefly landed on Ariel before he turned around to speak to the newcomer.Ariel, uninterested in small talk, led Katie and Leonard over to where Betty was.Once Ariel had left, Matt stepped closer to Jayson. "Judging by your interactions… the two of you haven't reconciled yet?"Jayson lowered his gaze. "We're getting divorced soon."After what happened to their child, Jayson had become convinced that Ariel no longer had any feelings for him.Without another word, he walked away to another spot in the hall, leaving Matt standing there, stunn

Janice's remarks instantly shattered the tense silence that surrounded the group. Jayson immediately turned toward Ariel, staring hard at her slightly pale face. For a fleeting moment, he hoped he had misheard Janice.As the murmurs died down, Betty and most of the guests were left utterly flabbergasted by what they had just heard.Katie and Leonard rose to their feet almost simultaneously. "What do you mean? What's wrong with Ari?"Janice's eyes grew redder as she thought about Ariel's condition. She glared at the Larkins one by one before fixing a frigid gaze on Cecilia, who furrowed her brows."Ari hasn't done anything to deserve this from any of you! Especially you, the Larkins—you shouldn't act like you're her benefactors or that it was some tragedy to let her marry into your family. If it weren't for you, maybe she wouldn't have—""Jan!" Chad finally snapped out of his daze. Striding forward, he slipped an arm around her waist, pulling her back from the table before she co

The sudden silence was suffocating, heavy with agony. Ariel had finally spoken about the suffering she had been enduring. Katie's and Leonard's faces turned pale at her words.Not wanting to see them so devastated, Ariel forced a wry smile. "I have endometrial cancer. But don't worry. I've been receiving proper treatment and consulting an experienced doctor. I'll… I'll do my best to make a full recovery."Somehow, her steady voice eased the tension in the room, if only slightly.Betty, still stunned, sank onto the couch, unable to react.Evelyn furrowed her brows in disbelief. Endometrial cancer meant Ariel might struggle to conceive in the future.Jayson's face was as white as a sheet. His lips moved, but no words came out at first. After a long pause, he finally managed to speak. "When did you find out?"Ariel met his gaze and noticed his eyes were red. To her surprise, beneath the calm mask of the man who always seemed invincible, she saw raw despair and misery.Jayson's gr

The room buzzed with movement. Medical staff came and went, but to Jayson, the only sound that rang clearly was his own heartbeat.Liam calmly recounted the events as someone who had witnessed them from the sidelines. He didn't need to exaggerate—every detail was enough to make Jayson's hair stand on end.Jayson's face was deathly pale. Something within him was crumbling, reflected starkly in his eyes."She was forced into many things," Liam said evenly. "Even if Ariel had chosen the abortion, you had no right to blame her. It was her life on the line. She had no choice if she wanted to live."Jayson had been there that day, waiting outside the operating room, though his mind had been clouded by misunderstandings. Judging by Janice's remarks, Liam could already piece together Jayson's attitude. Jayson and Ariel had even gone so far as to part ways because of it.Yet, the truth was plain—Ariel had been the greatest victim. She had suffered both physically and mentally, despite doin

Ariel was slowly regaining consciousness. She felt the back of her hand was wet. Her lower abdomen no longer hurt as much.Familiar with both her condition and these sudden attacks, Ariel could tell they had probably given her a shot of painkillers. She turned her head and met Jayson's reddened eyes.When he noticed she was awake, Jayson opened his mouth but no sound came out. He swallowed before finally asking in a gentle voice, "Do you feel better now? Does it still hurt?"Ariel shook her head. Her gaze shifted to the hand Jayson was holding. She realized the dampness on the back of her hand came from his tears."I'm alright."Jayson stiffened at her response—the same words she always used no matter the situation. He could not imagine how she had endured such awful, painful moments all on her own. Ariel had stayed strong, facing everything in silence. Even Katie and Leonard didn't know about her illness.Ariel never complained about her hardships or struggles.When she tried t