Chapter 32 The End
At the Gosling residence, Lila was pressed against the dining table. She hai gained som: weight since before.
“I won’t eat!” She shoved the plate and utensils away, sending them crashing to the floor with a loud clatter.
The servant froze in fear. Everyone knew Lila had a fiery temper.
The sound of the front door opening echoed through the house. The moment Lila heard it, her whole body started trembling.
After she was released from prison, Kyler had brought her to his place. He had promised to cover her mother’s medical expenses. With her criminal record, no one else was willing to help her. For her mother’s sake, she had no choice but to accept Kyler’s offer.
Kyler was a madman. The worst part was, whenever he looked at her, Lila always felt like he was seeing someone else. If he were still the Kyler she once knew, maybe she could have been with him. But now, the Gosling family was bankrupt.
J–You’r
“You’re not eating?” Kyler tossed his suit onto the couch. He had been working non–stop, desperately trying to make a comeback.
Lila pressed her lips together, saying nothing.
“You’re being difficult,” Kyler motioned for the servant to bring another set of utensils. Then, he sat down beside her, taking her cold hand into his. “You know you can’t catch a cold, right?” His gaze lingered on her chest.
Every time he looked at her like that, Lila felt a strange tingling sensation run through her body.
“Why do you never let me eat cold food?” She bit her lip.
Kyler’s eyes remained indifferent. He took off his glasses and massaged the bridge of his nose. “Your heart is weak,” he said with a faint smile. But Lila knew that smile wasn’t for her, just like the concern in his voice wasn’t meant for her either
The servant had just placed down the new utensils when Lila knocked over another plate. She shot up from her seat. “Are you using me as a replacement for Shelby?”
Kyler’s expression darkened. He stood up, his lips barely parting. “Shel’s heart is inside you. You have to protect it. Lila, you have no right to be angry.”
“I can’t take this anymore!” Lila felt like she was losing her mind.
This dmn heart! It’s all because of this heart! I don’t want it anymore!
She bent down to pick up the broken porcelain pieces, but Kyler grabbed them before she could. He pinned her wrists down, dragged her upstairs, and tied her to the headboard. Then, he left the room.
When he returned, he brought food with him. Lila was sobbing uncontrollably.
Kyler didn’t acknowledge her tears. Sitting beside her, he scooped some oatmeal into a spoon. “Open your mouth.”
Even as tears streamed down her face, Lila obeyed. She was terrified. She didn’t know what Kyler might do if she disobeyed.
His expression softened as he watched her eat, bite by bite. “I don’t love you, so don’t test my patience. But don’t worry…”
He continued, “As long as you’re alive, I’ll treat you well.”
Because Shelby’s heart was inside her..
Lila choked up. She should never have gotten this heart transplant. She would have been better off without it. Maybe she would have been better off dead. She was trapped, bound to Kyler for the rest of her life. He didn’t love her. She was just a stand–in.
1/4
Cood girl Kyler gently stroked her face, his voice soft and affectionate. “Be good, Shel.”
Lila bit slown hard on her lip, drawing blood. Kyler pressed his finger against his wounde” lip, leaning closer to her. “You’re bleeding. Does it hurt? I know how much you hate pain.
Lila trembled all over, agony twisting inside her chest. Kyler fetched the first aid kit and carefully treated her wounds. Lila shut her eyes, refusing to look at him.
“If you don’t like the housekeeper’s cooking. I’ll hire someone else,” Kyler murmured, gently pinching her waist. “You’ve lost weight. I don’t like it when you’re too thin”
She was too thin. Every time he saw her, he was reminded of Shelby’s final days, when she had wasted away, barely recognizable. He never wanted to feel that helpless again. He didn’t want to remember it.
Slowly, Lila opened her eyes. Tears rolled down her cheeks, falling onto the blanket like raindrops.
I’m skinny!
Since coming to the Gosling house, she had gained nearly thirty pounds. Whenever she refused to eat, Kyler’s gaze would turn terrifying.
“I’ll make sure you have a good life. I won’t always have nothing.” Kyler chuckled, pinching her check.
“Can I see my mom?” she asked, desperate to escape this suffocating place.
Kyler nodded. “I’ll take you.” He untied her and handed her a change of clothes. After getting dressed, Lila followed him downstairs.
The drive to the outskirts of the city took two and a half hours.
The moment she stepped out of the car, the neighbors all cast strange looks her way.
Growing up, Lila had been the golden child–the one everyone compared their kids to. She had good grades, a bright fanse Who would have thought things would turn out like this?
Especially after she went to prison.
People gossiped that she would never get married. But to their surprise, someone had actually married her. And not anyone. The man was tall, strikingly handsome. Though the Goslings had lost their fortune, he still carried an air of authority.
Lila entered the house. Her mother sat by the window, sewing. Her eyesight had worsened, and she struggled to thread the needle. Lila picked up the needle and thread, threaded it, and handed it to her.
Seeing her daughter, the older woman’s heart swelled with joy.
“Have you eaten? There’s food in the-
“I don’t want to hear the word ‘food!” Lila covered her ears, her expression shifting dramatically.
Her mother fell silent, stunned. Lila’s heart clenched with guilt. She had frightened her mother. The poor woman had. suffered enough.
“Mom, I’m sorry.
“Where’s your husband?” Patricia asked, glancing outside.
Lila clenched her jaw. “He’s outside. Don’t let him in. I don’t want to see him.”
“Who don’t you want to see?” Kyler’s voice came from behind.
Lila shuddered. She pressed her lips together.
2/4
Let’s go home,” Kyler said, checking his watch.
Lila glared at him. Kyler smirked. “You don’t want to?” He wasn’t unreasonable. But it was ovious she was scheming something.
Gao Ze was not unreasonable or insensitive, but it was clear that Jian Yi could not hide her thoughts. It was obvious the was concocting some sort of plan in her head.
Before she could speak, Patricia quickly urged her. “Go back. Hurry and go back.”
“Mom!” Lila looked at her in frustration. Her mother had always been stubborn. If only she had divorced her stepfather years ago, they wouldn’t be in this mess.
She remembered how her stepfather had treated her when she was a child–always hitting her or berating her. And yet, despite everything, her mother refused to leave him. He always had an excuse. He claimed he hadn’t been like this before, blaming his temper and violence on the alcohol.
If only Patricia had been clear–headed enough to divorce back then, she wouldn’t have suffered so much. She wouldn’t have been left sick from all the beatings.
It wasn’t until Joel got into trouble and ended up in prison that her mother could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Since she was young, Lila had often envied other children. They always had new clothes, new backpacks, new shoes. Their textbooks were covered neatly in colorful book wraps. During breaks, they sat together, laughing, sharing snacks with their friends.
And her?
People always whispered about her, mocking her for being poor, for being unrefined. She had only one way to escape- studying. So she buried herself in books, pushing herself as hard as she could.
One time, she had asked her family for money. They beat her for it. That day, she realized–there was no one she could rely
Patricia spoke sofily. “Be good. Go home now.”
After saying that, she bent over to pick up the needle and thread, quietly mending her clothes.
Kyler reached for Lila’s hand, pulling her outside. “Let go of me.” Lila yanked her hand back, her defiance drawing the attention of the neighbors.
Kyler casually slipped one hand into his pocket, towering over her. “Are you getting in the car yourself, or do you want me to help you?” His voice was calm, but his lips pressed into a thin line.
Lila’s face turned pale. She bit her lip, took a shaky step back–and suddenly dropped to her knees before him. “Please, I beg you, let me go,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I don’t want Shelby’s heart anymore. I’ll give it back to you. Just take it
out
Kyler glanced back. “Joel is about to be released from prison.”
Patricia had just stepped into the doorway. The moment she heard Kyler’s words, the needle and thread slipped from her fingers and fell to the floor.
Kyler crouched down, gently lifting Lila’s chin between his fingers. “As long as you behave, I can get your mother out of here,” he said. “I can even make sure she divorces Joel. But let’s not talk about taking out your heart anymore. Even if you remove it. it won’t bring Shelby back to life. Do you understand? I don’t want to hear you say something like that again.”
Tears welled up in Lila’s eyes. She turned her head away, but not before she caught sight of the glimmer of hope in her mother’s gaze. Her fingers clenched into fists. She took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. After a long pause, she finally spoke. “All right,” she said, her voice hollow. “I’ll go home with you.”
Shelby had once been her closest friend. She had treated her with nothing but kindness. And yet, Lila had betrayed her
3/4
If only she hadn’t fallen for Donovan. If she hadn’t been so greedy, things wouldn’t have turned out like this.
Lila felt dazed, lost in her thoughts.
In her entire life, the person she cared about the most was her mother. When Joel was imprisoned, neither she nor Patricial had ever visited him. They knew the kind of man he was–his temper, his cruelty. The moment he got out, his rage would fall squarely on her mother’s shoulders.
She had to find a way to get Patricia to divorce him.
Kyler was no longer the powerful man he used to be, but right now, he was the only person she could rely on. “You have to keep your word,” Lila said urgently, grabbing onto his arm.
Kyler pulled away. “I always do.”
Patricia let out a long, shaky breath. Without another word, she turned and walked back into the house. She sat on the bed, staring at the fallen needle and thread. For a long time, she didn’t move. Then, slowly, she covered her face with both hands,
It began to rain. At the cemetery, a man climbed the steps, a black umbrella resting against his shoulder. He took a few strides before stopping in front of a gravestone.
The woman in the photo was smiling, her expression as warm as a blooming flower. The man crouched down, his slender fingers brushing against her face. Raindrops drummed steadily against his umbrella, pooling at his feet, soaking into his leather shoes.
“Shelby Donovan let out a quiet chuckle. “I’m starting to… lose my grip.
Three months later, the news shocked the world.
Donovan, the CEO of Mayer Group, had passed away unexpectedly.
