CHAPTER 150: CHAPTER 150: DON’T GO, I CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT YOU

Nathaniel Gallagher felt a pang of unease and hurriedly tried to explain, "Eleanor, you... when did you come?"

Eleanor Churchill’s expression was complicated and shattered.

After nearly a minute of silence, a forced smile squeezed at the corners of her lips, "I just wanted to come see Miss Thompson."

Previously.

He had always been arguing, saying he didn’t love Josephine Thompson.

But when she witnessed the recent scene firsthand.

The heart she had been holding onto finally died.

The man she loved the most.

Was no longer hers alone.

Nathaniel Gallagher’s Adam’s apple rolled slightly, his eyes somewhat evasive: "...She’s fine, just a bit emotionally upset, but it won’t affect the baby inside her."

Eleanor did not respond to his words.

Her gaze passed over him, landing on Josephine Thompson lying on the bed, her voice was light yet piercing: "Nathaniel, were those words you spoke to Julian Grant sincere?"

Nathaniel frowned: "What words?"

Eleanor smiled sadly, suddenly left speechless, "...Forget it, it doesn’t matter."

"Miss Thompson is pregnant now, she needs you to take good care of her and accompany her. You... stay at the hospital and take care of her!"

After speaking.

Eleanor held back her tears, turned around and limped away.

He had already changed his heart.

Everything no longer held any meaning.

Rather than cling on painfully, exhausting the last bit of feeling.

It was better to gracefully exit, to preserve the little dignity she had left.

Nathaniel saw this, hurried forward to catch up with her, "Eleanor, where are you going?"

Eleanor paused in her steps but didn’t turn back, her voice thick with nasal congestion: "Where else can I go? Back to where I belong."

Her silhouette at the hospital room door appeared particularly frail, dragging her injured leg, each step as if walking on broken glass.

Nathaniel watched her scattered hair at her temples, feeling a sudden tightness in his heart.

Eleanor had given everything for him.

Yet he now only felt a sense of responsibility for her, not love.

"Eleanor, don’t be like this." He hurried after her, reaching out to hold her, but she avoided him, "About the child..."

When the child was mentioned.

Eleanor’s shoulders trembled violently, tears finally couldn’t be held back and slid down her cheeks: "You don’t need to say anything, I understand."

"Do what you want, there’s no need to tell me too much."

She knew, Nathaniel’s heart was no longer with her. The way he protected Josephine Thompson just now, the tension and concern in his eyes, she had never seen before.

"How can you manage alone? Let me take you home!"

Nathaniel frowned deeply, continued to explain: "The doctor said Henny’s current condition is not very stable..."

"So what? Is telling me all this useful? What can I do?" Eleanor suddenly turned back, her eyes full of despair and sarcasm.

Nathaniel was rendered speechless.

He indeed had no right to say anything.

These days, he had devoted all his energy to Josephine Thompson, hardly sparing a thought for her.

Eleanor looked at his silent appearance, her last bit of hope also shattered.

She wiped away her tears, straightened her spine as if making a monumental decision: "Nathaniel, let’s end it here."

"What do you mean?" Nathaniel’s face changed instantaneously.

"Nothing in particular." Eleanor’s voice was much calmer, yet carried a definitive sense of detachment, "I will leave Audenburg and never disturb you and Miss Thompson’s life again."

After saying that, she no longer looked at him, turned and limped out of the hospital room.

The dwindling thin silhouette bore a decisive meaning.

Nathaniel stood there, staring at the empty doorway, his heart felt as if something was clogging it, making him restless.

He had always thought Eleanor would, as before, forgive him no matter what he did, would unconditionally accommodate him, and cater to her.

But this time...

She was probably really hurt deep inside.

"Heh..." he chuckled softly, with a hint of self-mockery and pain.

His selfishness and conscience were battling.

He was usually someone who could control himself well.

But now.

He truly felt somewhat out of control.

Josephine Thompson watched all of this quietly, her heart mixed with emotions.

She didn’t like Eleanor, even extremely disliked her forcefulness and harshness.

But seeing Eleanor’s desperate yet pretended strong back, she couldn’t help but feel a bit sympathetic.

Ultimately.

They were all women hurt by Nathaniel Gallagher, this vile scoundrel.

He was the one who truly deserved blame.

After a while.

"Aren’t you going to hurry and chase after her?"

Nathaniel came to his senses, seeing Josephine looking at him, her eyes complex.

His heart tightened, he walked over, wanting to explain something, but didn’t know where to start.

"She..."

"You don’t need to explain to me." Josephine cut him off, her tone indifferent, "She’s your past, I’m not interested in knowing."

She lifted the quilt, struggling to get out of bed: "I want to go for a walk."

"You aren’t feeling well, you can’t get out of bed." Nathaniel hurriedly held her down.

"The doctor said you need to recuperate."

Josephine’s voice carried a hint of impatience, "I don’t want to stay here, even less do I want to see you."

Nathaniel’s hand froze in mid-air, watching the disgust and distance in her eyes, his heart felt as if pierced by a needle, a dense, sharp pain.

He knew, he had messed up once again.

But he really didn’t know what to do to make her forgive him, to make her understand that his feelings for her were no longer just the initial use.

The ward fell silent once again.

Only the occasional sound of wind from outside and the invisible barrier between them.

...

A little later.

Nathaniel Gallagher still couldn’t stop worrying about Eleanor Churchill.

He hurriedly chased out of the ward, all the way to the elevator.

"Eleanor."

He grabbed Eleanor Churchill’s wrist.

Her wrist was delicate; even through the fabric, he could feel the prominent bones. He instinctively loosened his grip a bit, but his voice carried tension that was hard to notice: "Where are you taking him?"

Eleanor Churchill tried hard to shake him off but couldn’t, turning her face away to avoid his gaze: "It’s none of your business."

"How is it none of my business?" Nathaniel Gallagher’s voice sank a few degrees.

"...Nathaniel, stop being so conflicted and torn. I know you don’t love me anymore, and I won’t stop you from finding happiness again."

"Just let me go, don’t worry, I won’t bother you."

This sentence was like a heavy hammer on Nathaniel Gallagher’s heart, making his throat move and feel guiltier and more uncomfortable.

"Eleanor, please don’t say such things, okay?"

"You know, I can’t lose you; I can’t live without you."

After speaking.

He stepped forward and tightly embraced Eleanor Churchill.

Indeed.

Their years of feelings have become familial.

He was psychologically reliant on her.

Eleanor Churchill held back her tears, looking at the window at the end of the corridor, her voice as light as a sigh: "I can’t compete with her, and I don’t want to anymore. Since you like her, treat her well. As for the child... I have no right to want him, he’s yours."

"Eleanor, stop."

He stepped forward, blocking her path, "The child’s illness can’t wait. The umbilical cord blood issue... I’ll explain everything to Josephine."

Eleanor Churchill looked up at him, her eyes filled with sarcasm: "Explain? Haha, stop deceiving yourself."

"Eleanor, I truly did this for Henny’s sake, so I could only coax her into having the child. You know that she hates me so much; if I didn’t coax her, she wouldn’t agree to save Henny."

Eleanor Churchill no longer wanted to listen, "...Say whatever you please, I want to leave now. Please step aside and don’t stop me."

Her words were like knives, cutting into Nathaniel Gallagher’s heart.

He looked at her reddened eyes, suddenly realizing that his debt to Eleanor Churchill over the years was far greater than he had imagined.

"I’m sorry."

Eleanor Churchill turned her face away, wiping away tears from the corner of her eye, "Don’t apologize to me; I can’t bear it."

She bypassed him.

Continue walking forward, her pace not quick but extraordinarily resolute.

Nathaniel Gallagher stood where he was, watching her silhouette disappear at the staircase, his fingers unconsciously clenching tightly.

The smell of disinfectant in the corridor suddenly became pungent, and he took a deep breath, turning back.

He knew that some things can’t be avoided.

He had already made up his mind.

To get the marriage certificate with her tomorrow.

Pushing open the ward door.

Josephine Thompson was leaning against the headboard, looking out the window, her profile appearing especially pale in the sunlight.

Upon hearing the movement, she didn’t turn around, just softly asked, "Why didn’t you go after her yet?"

Nathaniel Gallagher walked to the bedside, his voice somewhat hoarse, "Josephine, there’s something I must tell you."

Josephine Thompson slowly turned her head, her eyes as calm as a deep pool, showing no emotion: "What else do you want to say?"

Nathaniel Gallagher’s Adam’s apple moved slightly, avoiding her gaze, looking at the wrinkles on the bedsheet: "I’m planning to get the marriage certificate with Eleanor tomorrow."

"..." Josephine Thompson felt a hitch in her chest, looking at him expressionlessly.

Despite mentally preparing for this.

She still felt an indescribable pain in her heart.

After a while.

"Congratulations to both of you then."

Nathaniel Gallagher: "Rest assured, once the child is born, I will honor our agreement, not disturb your and the child’s life, nor acknowledge being the child’s father."

"Of course, I’m immensely grateful that you can give birth to save Henny. Whatever compensation you want, feel free to ask."

Josephine Thompson took a slightly labored breath, "I don’t need any compensation, as long as you keep your promise, I have no other demands."

Giving birth to this child.

Firstly, to save Henny.

Secondly, so the Thornton Family can have descendants.

As long as Nathaniel Gallagher doesn’t meddle or disrupt her and the child’s life.

She was willing to give birth to this child.

"Really no demands?" Nathaniel Gallagher felt a pang in his heart, feeling a great sense of debt to her.

He hoped she could make some requests and compensations.

Josephine Thompson’s expression was stern, "No need, truly."

"Please leave, I need to rest."

"Besides, I’m grateful you helped recover some antiques for me. I can handle the remaining matters myself, you don’t need to intervene."

"Let me help you completely resolve it; you’re pregnant now, better not overwork yourself."

Josephine Thompson listened and fell silent again.

"Really, it’s not necessary."

"Where’s Henny now? I’d like to go see him."

"..." Nathaniel Gallagher listened, his gaze subconsciously shifting.

Henny was misdiagnosed as having leukemia earlier.

Moreover, the symptoms of malaria have been treated and healed.