Chapter 22
The familiar voice made Beige jolt.
“R–Xavier… I’m fine, really. I’m not bothering anyone. You should just take her and go.”
She pushed Violet away as if she were a hot potato, not daring to look at either of them.
Only then did Xavier release his sister, his tone cold and sharp with warning.
“Don’t let me catch you pestering her again.”
Once Xavier had walked off with Violet, Beige finally dared to mutter under her breath.
“Ugh. He gets a fiancée and forgets he has a sister..”
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Meanwhile, for days on end, Gabriel remained in the hospital.
His mother kept insisting she was done with him, but behind the scenes, she was frantically contacting every renowned specialist she could find.
Thanks to a contact from Violet, she managed to secure an appointment with Todd Hollrith, a top orthopedic expert.
In the hospital room sat Clarise, along with the Martins–both parents and Ruby.
Todd carefully reviewed every scan and report, then lightly tapped around the injury site
with a small reflex hammer.
Gabriel immediately broke out in a cold
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sweat from the pain.
“Doctor, that hurts!”
Todd pulled back the hammer, adjusting his reading glasses calmly.
“Gabriel, I can help you regain about half your function. You’ll be able to walk normally without a cane, but there’ll be a limp.”
He paused before adding, “On rainy days, you’ll feel sharp, excruciating pain. That won’t go away. If you’re willing to endure that for the rest of your life, then I can help you proceed with the surgery.”
Already on edge from the pain and frustration, Gabriel’s temper flared.
He swept everything off the bedside table with a crash.
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“You said he was the best in the field–this is what a so–called top specialist suggests? Sounds like an overrated name to me!”
Todd’s expression darkened instantly, his tone turning cold.
“Clarise, I’m already retired. If it weren’t for Violet personally asking me, I wouldn’t have taken this case at all. If your son thinks so little of my skills, then find someone else. I’d like to see who else in this country is even qualified to attempt this surgery.”
With a huff, he turned and stormed out of the hospital with his team.
Clarise chased after him to apologize, but he paid her no attention.
When she returned to the ward, her chest
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tight with fury, she slapped her son hard across the face.
“Gabriel! What exactly do you want from us? This was already the best you could hope for! What more do you expect? Do you even realize how much effort it took to get Dr. Hollrith to come out of retirement for you?!”
His head turned from the blow, but amidst the chaos, he latched onto one key detail, his eyes lighting with a flicker of hope.
“Mom… Did he just say Vivi asked him? So that means she still cares… She hasn’t completely given up on me, right?”
Clarise let out a cold, bitter laugh.
“You really think she still cares? She only did this for Xavier’s sake–to give him a good name. You think she still has feelings for
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you? Keep dreaming!”
Gabriel fell silent under the weight of her words, his face growing darker by the second.
Trying to diffuse the tension, Josephine interjected gently, “Clarise, Gabriel’s just struggling emotionally because of his injury. Don’t take his outburst too seriously. His recovery will take time… Why don’t we take this chance to discuss the kids‘ future instead?”
She walked over to sit beside Clarise, the suggestion heavy with implication.
Ruby’s expression changed in an instant. She wasn’t interested in Gabriel anymore.
“Mom, Gabriel hasn’t recovered yet. There’s no rush on our end.”
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ent her mother immediately shut her down,
Ruby, you came back for him, didn’t you? Since neither of you can do much physically right now, we might as well settle the eengagement.”
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“Mom…” Ruby tried to protest.
ING
But Clarise interrupted bluntly, “She can marry him if she wants. But there will be no wedding ceremony.”
Alexander immediately bristled.
“This is Rue’s first marriage–how could there not be a wedding?”
Clarise responded with thinly veiled contempt.
“Violet didn’t even get a wedding when she
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married into the Bennetts. And now your daughter, who forced herself into the picture, thinks she deserves one?
“Let me be very clear–letting Ruby in at all is already my greatest concession. Don’t think I’ll tolerate a big celebration.
“Unless… You want the whole world to know that your adopted daughter crawled into bed with her sister’s husband?
“You might be able to live with that shame–but the Bennetts won’t.”
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