Chapter 2
The next day, the hospital called me.
“Miss Green, Mr. Crawford just called and said he will terminate all treatment for your little brother. Would you like to speak with him again?”
My entire body trembled with rage. Now, I finally understood what he meant by his parting words yesterday: “Don’t regret this.”
I called him repeatedly, but he didn’t answer. I sent him message after message, but he didn’t reply.
Unable to bear it any longer, I went straight to his company to find him.
Luke Crawford’s secretary, Michael Martin,
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looked momentarily uncomfortable when he saw me. However, maintaining his professional demeanor, he greeted me politely.
For the past six years, I’ve been a presence that can’t be seen by many. Not many people know I exist, but Michael Martin is one of them.
Because Luke Crawford worked from
home most of the time due to his vision impairment, Michael Martin had occasionally delivered documents to the house and thus knew who I was.
It didn’t take me long to understand why Michael Martin seemed uneasy.
There was now a new lounge set up next to Luke Crawford’s office–specifically for Bella White.
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As I approached Luke Crawford’s office, Bella White stepped out of the lounge and saw
- me.
She seemed even more beautiful than before, her meticulously made–up face displaying hatred the moment our eyes met.
What did she hate me for?
Did she resent the fact that Luke Crawford had regained his sight?
Did she regret leaving so decisively six years ago, giving me the opportunity to step in?
But look at this: despite me being the one who stood by Luke Crawford for six years, he still chose her. And now, he was twisting the knife by targeting the only family I had left.
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“What are you doing here?” Bella White demanded, dropping all pretense since Luke Crawford wasn’t around.
“I’m here to see Luke Crawford,” I replied calmly.
“Did Luke Crawford give you permission to come here? You’re just his housekeeper. What right do you have to show up at his office?”
Her words washed over me like waves breaking on a rock; my expression remained unchanging.
My indifference seemed to infuriate her.
She glared at me, then laughed coldly. “Oh, I see. You’re here to beg Luke Crawford for money, aren’t you? He told me all about your comatose brother–how he’s been paying
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for him every month. Stop pretending to be so noble When you’re just asking for money. Like mother, like daughter…”
Her words ripped apart my calm facade.
I glared at her fiercely, my voice hoarse as I forced each word through clenched teeth: “Don’t you dare talk about
dare talk about my mother!”
Bella White, perhaps expecting me to strike her, took a step back and quickly added, “If you dare touch me, I’ll make sure Luke Crawford stops funding your brother’s care!”
My face turned pale as her words sank in. I thought of Daniel’s angelic face.
Daniel–my sweet little brother, my only family in this world–still lying in that hospital bed, relying on a ventilator to breathe.
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I no longer needed Luke Crawford’s money, but I still depended on the cutting–edge medical resources he controlled to keep Daniel alive.
Perhaps feeling humiliated by being startled earlier, Bella White now laughed heartily at my reaction and retaliated with a slap.
The massive diamond ring Luke Crawford had given her grazed my cheek, leaving a shallow scratch that oozed a thin line of blood.
“Bella White!”
Luke Crawford’s voice, tinged with a subtle chill, interrupted us. I didn’t know when he had arrived.
His gaze swept over me, pausing briefly on
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5 Points
my bloodied face.
“Luke,” Bella White cried out softly, throwing herself into Luke Crawford’s arms. Like a pitiful victim, she wasted no time twisting the narrative.
“She just hit me…” Her big, teary eyes blinked at him with an innocent charm.
I stood silently, watching Bella White fabricate her story. Not a single strand of her hair was out of place.
Luke Crawford comforted her with a few gentle words, his expression full of warmth. Only then did he lift his gaze, turning his cold eyes to me.
“What are you doing here?” he demanded icily.
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Under his piercing gaze, a storm raged in my chest.
“Luke Crawford, what right do you have to stop Daniel’s treatment?” I shot back.
Luke Crawford chuckled lightly, his charming peach blossom eyes brimming with mockery.
“Hah, Sylvia Green, you never disappoint me. Regretting your choice so soon?”
“Luke, don’t give her any money, Bella White chimed in, assuming I was here to beg for money. “What does it matter to you if her brother lives or dies?”
“Luke Crawford, our deal is over. These past six years, I owe you nothing. You have no right to terminate Daniel’s treatment,” I said, my throat dry and my words labored.
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“And why? Because I’m the one who arranged the hospital and found the doctor. Sylvia Green, if you have the guts, don’t come begging me.” His lips curled into a smug smile,as if he was certain I would beg him.
The pride in his expression cut into me like a blade. My eyes betrayed me, misting over against my will.
I wanted desperately to walk away, to leave with dignity. But the thought of Daniel held me in place, forcing me to stay.
It wasn’t the right time to transfer him to another hospital–at least not now.
“Luke Crawford…” My voice trembled as I spoke. “What do you want from me? Daniel is innocent.”
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His dark eyes locked onto mine, flickering with an emotion I couldn’t decipher.
After a long silence, he finally tugged at the corners of his mouth.
“Did you just hit Bella?”
I didn’t answer. Who hit whom? He had eyes to see.
“Apologize,” he said flatly.
I froze, my entire body trembling as I lifted my eyes to look at him in disbelief. But his gaze remained cold and detached.
Beside him, Bella White’s smile grew even brighter.
I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging
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into my palms, yet I could barely feel the pain.
Taking a deep breath, I finally spoke, my voice low and strained, “I’m sorry.”
“Too soft, what did you say? I can’t hear you,” Bella White’s smile grew more and more triumphant.
“I’m sorry, I repeated, closing my eyes briefly to keep my composure.
“But it hurt so much when you hit me earlier… an apology isn’t enough…”
Just as Bella White was about to continue her torment, Luke Crawford suddenly interrupted her.
“Daniel’s treatment will resume. Get out.”
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I didn’t have time to take another glance at Luke Crawford. The moment my tears, filled with humiliation, threatened to overflow, I turned and fled in desperation.
“Luke…” Bella White’s voice carried a trace of dissatisfaction as she seemed unwilling to let me go so easily and seemed to have more to say.
But I could no longer hear her.
Tears streamed down my face, stinging the shallow wound on my cheek like fire. Yet no physical pain could compare to the aching in my heart.
