CHAPTER 954: CHAPTER 954: A SINGLE RED ROSE

Justin Xavier stood on the balcony, a slender finger holding a cigarette between his lips.

In fact, he had already smoked several cigarettes, with the ashtray beside him filled with cigarette butts. Slowly exhaling a mouthful of smoke, he could still hear the retching sounds from the bathroom.

Leah Thorne had been inside throwing up for a long time, and it was quite severe, vomit after vomit.

Justin Xavier tossed the half-smoked cigarette into the ashtray, then turned and strode over to the bathroom door, placing a large hand on the doorknob intending to open it, but it was already locked from the inside.

"Leah Thorne, open the door!" he said, frowning with displeasure.

There was no sound from inside.

"Leah Thorne, did you hear me? Open the door quickly, or I’ll kick it down!" He had lost all patience.

Still no response from inside.

The passion and indulgence from earlier had dissipated overnight, and Justin Xavier admitted he had some regrets — he had gone too far.

She had been inside for a long time, throwing up like there was no tomorrow.

Justin lifted his foot, ready to kick the door down.

But in the next second, with a "click," the bathroom door opened, and Leah Thorne appeared in view.

Leah’s face was as pale as paper, having washed it with cold water earlier, her damp hair clinging to her cheeks. Her lips were red and swollen, with bite marks where he had bitten her. She had been tormented miserably by him.

Justin Xavier’s heart twisted painfully, "Does it feel that bad?"

He raised a hand to caress her delicate face.

Leah didn’t avoid him. She looked at him coldly and clearly, "What’s up, President Xavier, want to go another round?"

Justin’s fingers froze in mid-air.

After a few seconds of dead silence, he withdrew his hand, "What a killjoy!"

With that, he turned away in anger, grabbed his coat, and slammed the door as he left.

Leah stood still, hearing the maid’s voice downstairs, "Sir, it’s so late, are you going out?"

Bang.

The villa’s front door slammed shut, echoing loudly, and Justin Xavier drove off.

Leah felt a bit tired. She took a hot shower and then went to bed for some sleep.

...

In the days that followed, Justin Xavier didn’t return, and Leah didn’t reach out to him either. She returned to the crew to continue filming.

During a break at the set, Madame Goldie approached Leah and whispered, "Leah, Doctor Lucy just sent a message saying Mrs. Xavier has reached out to her, offering a hefty sum to find out what happened to you the year you were 18 abroad."

"Leah, it seems Mrs. Xavier has been investigating you for some time. She’s already found out about your hospital visit when you were 18."

Leah was reading the script and didn’t look up, only curling her red lips slightly. Doctor Lucy was the one who performed her abortion and diagnosed her with infertility afterward.

Laura Xavier had certainly acted quickly, having already found Doctor Lucy. However, patient records are protected private information and cannot be publicly disclosed.

"Leah, what should we do now? I fear we can’t keep this matter under wraps," Madame Goldie said worriedly.

"Keep it under wraps? Why should we?" Leah raised her eyes to look at Madame Goldie.

Madame Goldie was taken aback, "Leah, you mean?"

"Back then, Doctor Lucy took care of me when I was young. I never repaid her all these years. Tell Doctor Lucy to accept the hefty sum from Mrs. Xavier, as a form of reciprocation from me."

"Leah, you want Mrs. Xavier to find out about your abortion and infertility?" Madame Goldie asked tentatively.

Leah’s gaze returned to the script, "Just let Doctor Lucy tell Mrs. Xavier about my infertility. Once she knows this, she’ll probably be overjoyed."

Madame Goldie was a bit puzzled, "And the abortion?"

"As for the abortion, I’ll tell Justin Xavier when the time is right."

Madame Goldie’s anxious heart finally settled. The Thorne family and the Xavier family were doomed to a deadlock, and now the battle had begun. Leah was taking back her initiative.

Madame Goldie couldn’t help but wonder, if Justin Xavier knew that Leah Thorne was infertile and had had an abortion, how would he react?

He never knew that 18-year-old Leah Thorne once carried his child.

It was his first child.

...

The filming of "Fusheng" was going smoothly, Leah’s talent in acting once again leaving people amazed. In the evening, Leah returned to her room to rest.

Madame Goldie brought in a bowl of bird’s nest soup, waiting until Leah fell asleep before leaving.

Just as she closed the door, the sound of steady footsteps echoed from the corridor ahead. Raising her head, Madame Goldie saw Justin Xavier approaching.

After the unpleasant incident, Justin had flown off on a business trip and had just returned from the airport. In the dead of night, he wore a long black down coat, a custom-made black suit underneath, exuding a cold, elite, and powerful presence.

"President... President Xavier, what brings you here?" Madame Goldie stammered.

Justin glanced at Leah’s bedroom door, "She’s asleep?"

"Yes, she just fell asleep. I’m not sure why, but Leah hasn’t had much appetite these days. She feels nauseous at the smell of soup and stew. I just managed to get her to eat half a bowl of bird’s nest soup." Madame Goldie said.

Madame Goldie didn’t know why Leah had no appetite, but Justin Xavier knew. That night, he had forced her to please him, not expecting her reaction to be so severe.

"I see," Justin responded lightly, then pushed open Leah’s door and went inside.

Hey, President Xavier!

Madame Goldie wanted to stop him, but the private secretary intercepted her, "Our President hasn’t slept for days. The moment he returned, he came straight to Miss Thorne’s place. No one is allowed to disturb them."

Madame Goldie, "..."

...

Justin Xavier entered the room.

The room was lit by a table lamp, warm and cozy.

A refreshing scent filled the air, the fragrance of a young girl, exceptionally aromatic, permeating the entire room.

Justin Xavier, having rushed back through wind and rain, paused slightly as he stepped into the room, a string in his heart strummed. It was as if this place was isolated from the outside world, soft and fragrant.

He raised his eyes, spotting the small figure curled up on the bed. Leah Thorne lay beneath the silk quilt, already asleep.

After glancing several times, Justin pushed open the bathroom door to take a shower.

A few minutes later, he emerged in a white bathrobe and approached the bed.

Justin Xavier lowered his handsome eyes to look at the figure on the bed, her long curls cascading over the white pillow, revealing half of her gentle face.

A tiny, beautiful widow’s peak, lashes like small brushes, and cat-like alluring eyes now obediently closed. Her red lips, milky white skin, and dark brown hair created a color collision that made his pupils contract.

Justin lifted his hand, his fingertip landing on her small face, caressing it gently.

In her sleep, Leah moved, avoiding his finger, burying her small face deeper into the quilt.

Justin couldn’t help but chuckle. In his hand, there was now an item — a red rose with crystal dewdrops, a token of atonement brought from miles away.