Too Big To Fail Audiobook 소설 & 이야기

Kael looked up. The shelf was one of the tall outer wall units, floor to ceiling, packed tightly with old volumes. It had a slight lean to it that he had not noticed when he sat down. As he watched, it groaned again, and a faint creak ran up the wood from the base. Kael stood up slowly. The shelf leaned further. He took one step to the left. The shelf toppled. Not toward him. Toward the walkway railing on the other side, which it struck with a heavy crash that sent the railing's iron supports bending outward. Books cascaded in every direction. The sound was enormous in the quiet library. Several lamps swung on their hooks. Someone on the lower floor shouted in alarm.

The room fell into an uncomfortable silence that grated on everyone. Even friends who had been trying to mediate got up and left. My infertility was hardly a secret. Some people had even thrown it in my face to humiliate me, calling me impotent right to my face. For the sake of my family, I'd learned to brush it off and pretend it didn't bother me. But hearing those same words come out of Lilibeth Saunders' mouth suddenly made me question whether any of it had been worth it.

I heard whispers spreading through the crowd. I heard judgment. I heard curiosity. But I couldn't stop anymore. I had spent too long remaining silent. "You haven't touched me in months." The room fell silent. Complete silence. Lucas's eyes widened. I knew exactly what I had done. I had dragged our private misery into public view. Good. Let everyone see the truth. Let everyone know what my perfect marriage actually looked like. "You don't talk to me anymore." My voice trembled. "You don't look at me."

"You already know how this works, Mel. You understand there's nothing else we can do. If there were another option, we wouldn't be having this conversation." His words hit me harder than I expected. I leaned back in the chair and covered my face with both hands, trying to hold myself together. It felt like my whole world was falling apart all over again. Just when I thought life was finally beginning to get better, everything started crashing down. My son, Jayden, had been diagnosed with a rare medical condition that required a bone marrow transplant to save his life. We had tested everyone we could think of, hoping someone would be a match but none of them matched including me.

"If you did something wrong, you admit it. That's how you learn." My fingers tightened around the pages as my voice began to shake. "I have failed in my role as a wife and tried to challenge my husband's authority. I fully acknowledge my mistakes…" The words tasted like ash as I forced them out. Tears blurred my vision, slipping down my cheeks as I continued reading. He did not like the pace. After a moment, he stood and walked over, then crouched in front of me again. A freshly lit cigarette rested between his fingers as he leaned closer, his voice dropping near my ear.

He felt a suffocating feeling in his chest, followed by his vision slowly being taken over by an ominous darkness. Then, he collapsed to the ground. He lay still for a while to catch his breath before getting up again. He did not think much of the sudden fainting fit. After that, he went to a florist and ordered a year’s worth of flowers to be delivered to Ameera’s office every day. Then, he left Atlaia. As soon as he stepped off the plane, he was surrounded by a group of shareholders who insisted that he step down from his position. With a dark expression, he entered a binding contract with them.

Her brows lifted slightly, but she said nothing. "He's not doing well," the old man continued, his eyes reddening. "Ever since you left, he hasn't slept properly. He locks himself in the lab all day, using himself as a test subject, experimenting with drugs that aren't even mature yet… A few days ago, he collapsed. Acute liver failure. The doctors said… said unless a miracle happens…" His voice broke, and he couldn't go on. Beth was silent for a moment. The only sound in the air was the airport's emotionless female announcement.

“What?! Illegal substances were found and seized? Didn’t I specifically tell you not to—” Yasmine wasn’t spared either as she was responsible for the group’s finances. "Fifty million? How can we owe that much? We only borrowed five million! What have you people been doing?!" At that moment, a group of men in suits, all wearing ties, rushed into the hall. The man leading them, dressed in a black suit, introduced himself as a representative attorney for a certain bank. "Sorry, Mr. Thorne, your group has now been declared bankrupt. We need to seize all the assets under your name. We appreciate your cooperation."

Jacob flew down the stairs and blew through every red light on the way home. His grip on the wheel kept slipping, Zoe's blank stare burned into his brain. Panic twisted in his gut. He fumbled for his phone. Straight to voicemail. Just a flat, robotic voice. Panic hit—worse than anything he'd ever felt. Maybe he'd really blown it—underestimated how much she cared. About the baby. About him. He swerved into a luxury store, grabbed whatever looked expensive, then swung by a Michelin spot for dinner.

I didn't look back. Some people, some things, once gone, should stay gone. My new life was just beginning. No space for ghosts. *** That evening, the CEO called. "Dr. Ellington, heard you met your ex today?" "Strictly business. Two hundred million. I'm guessing that makes the board happy?" "Very," he chuckled. "Though... Ross Pharma just filed for bankruptcy. Your ex probably can't pay up." My grip tightened on the phone. "But don't worry," he added. "As a thank-you, we're bumping your R&D budget by 50 percent. You're our MVP, after all."