CHAPTER 255: THE TOUGH MOMENT OF LIFE

Nathaniel slumped back into his chair, cold sweat glistening on his forehead. His hands wouldn’t stop trembling, and a heavy weight of dread pressed down on his chest.

Zara gently clasped his hand, her voice soft but steady. "You have to be strong. I truly believe the doctors will save her. She’ll pull through."

Nathaniel didn’t respond. His gaze remained fixed on the closed door, his body rigid with tension.

Riya, on the other hand, was relieved. S flicker of satisfaction glimmered in her eyes. This development worked in her favor. Whether Gracie died or slipped into a coma, both outcomes benefited her.

If Gracie died, the truth would be buried with her forever. And if she ended up in a coma, the danger of being exposed would vanish for now. Either way, Riya’s secret would remain safe.

The fear in her mind disappeared, yet one loose end still gnawed at her: the mysterious woman who had overheard her conversation with the nurse.

’I have to find that nurse,’ she thought sharply. ’Maybe she has learned something.’

With that, Riya turned to leave. Before she could take a step, Liam caught her arm. He leaned in close and asked in a hushed tone, "Where are you going?"

"I..." Riya faltered, taken off guard. She was lost for words momentarily. But she recovered quickly. "I was just going to check on Dad."

"Good," Liam said calmly. "I’ll come with you."

Riya forced a smile, though irritation flickered beneath the surface. ’Great,’ she cursed inwardly. ’Why is he suddenly being so clingy?’

With no way to refuse, she nodded stiffly. "Alright, let’s go."

They made their way to the room where Vincent was resting and found a nurse stationed nearby.

"How is my father?" Riya asked, putting on a mask of concern.

"He is asleep," the nurse replied. "He fainted from stress, but his vitals are stable now. He should be fine by tomorrow."

Riya nodded, though her eyes scanned the corridor restlessly, searching for the nurse she had bribed earlier. But with Liam standing beside her, she couldn’t move freely or ask questions.

Putting on a smile, she turned to him. "I’ll stay here with him. You should go home and rest."

Liam narrowed his eyes. "Why do I feel like you are trying to get rid of me?"

Riya froze, her expression faltering. She waved her hands nervously. "No, that’s not it. I just thought you might be tired."

He caught her wrist firmly and leaned in, muttering in her ear, "Don’t lie. I know what you have in your mind."

Riya’s heart skipped a beat. The cold fire in his eyes sent a chill through her.

"You were thinking of contacting Zachary, weren’t you?" he said, his tone sharp.

Realizing he was jealous, her fear quickly melted away. A sly smile curved her lips, and she relaxed her shoulders.

"Don’t be jealous," she cooed softly. "I won’t call him." She placed a hand on his chest, her voice turning sultry. "If you want proof, we can go somewhere private right now. I’ll show you how much you mean to me, my dear fiancé."

Her lips brushed teasingly along his jaw as she spoke, her intent obvious.

But Liam’s stomach churned. Disgust rippled through him, though he didn’t show it. Instead of pushing her away, he tightened his grip on her wrist and turned, pulling her along as he strode away.

Riya’s lips curved into a satisfied smirk, believing Liam had taken her flirtation seriously. The thought of being with such an attractive man thrilled her. ’Zachary, this is your fault,’ she mused smugly. ’You ignored my calls, and now you’ll pay for it.’

Liam, on the other end, was determined to execute his next plan. He would do anything to get his father and the company from Zachary’s grasp. If that meant using Riya, even sleeping with her, he was willing to go that far.

He led her out of the hospital, his expression unreadable. Once they reached the parking lot, he opened the passenger door and ushered her in.

Riya’s heart raced with anticipation. ’He is really taking me to his place,’ she thought excitedly.

As soon as Liam slid into the driver’s seat, she reached out, grabbing his collar and tugging him closer. Her lips hovered dangerously close to his.

"Not yet," Liam said, pressing a finger against her lips. "You have to be patient."

Her eyes darkened with desire. "Why wait? Why can’t you kiss me now?"

Liam’s mouth curled into a smirk. "You seem awfully eager. Your mother’s fighting for her life in that hospital, and all you can think about is getting me into bed. Don’t you have any concern for her?"

Riya ignored the jab, twisting the question back at him. "And what about you? It’s your friend’s mother in there. You are not worried either?"

Liam let out a cold laugh, seeing through her ploy. He reached out and gripped her throat lightly.

"You’ve got some nerve," he hissed. "You are the one who seduced me, hinting to me to take you somewhere private, remember? Don’t pretend this was my idea."

Riya slipped her arms around Liam’s neck, leaning in until their faces were inches apart. "It’s not that I don’t care about her," she murmured. "I just want to spend a little time with my fiancé. Is that a sin?"

Liam’s eyes narrowed, calculating. It was the perfect moment to tighten his hold over her. "I’m not sure what’s right or wrong anymore," he said evenly. "But one thing is clear — I don’t want to wait any longer."

"Neither do I," she breathed, moving in to kiss him again.

But Liam pulled back at the last second, his lips curving into a faint smirk. "Patience, Riya. Just a little longer."

He started the engine and drove off.

Inside the hospital...

Nathaniel sat rigidly, his hands trembling. His mind was haunted by the image of his mother’s bloodied face. It brought back painful memories of Nora’s final moments, when she had coughed up blood and died before his eyes. The fear of reliving the loss of his loved one consumed him.

"Nathaniel," Zara said gently, taking his hand in both of hers. "You have to stay strong. Everything will turn out fine."

"I’m scared," he admitted in a broken whisper. "What if she doesn’t make it? I can’t lose her."

Seeing the tears in his eyes made Zara’s heart ache. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. "Don’t think like that. The surgery will go well. She’ll wake up soon and talk to you. You’ll see she’ll be fine."

Nathaniel nodded faintly, trying to steady his breathing.

Just then, Ian’s voice interrupted the moment. "Sir, I need to discuss something important with you."