CHAPTER 72: CHAPTER 72: JULIAN, IT HURTS...

Julian Fordham didn’t hide anything and spoke the truth before Grandma could question him.

After hearing what he said, Grandma clutched her chest, "You really are muddle-headed! Don’t you realize that once you have a child with that woman, the child will be a bond between you two, making it impossible to completely sever ties?"

"Even if you don’t like her, there’s no guarantee she won’t use the child as an excuse to approach you. Do you still not know my girl’s temperament? Do you think she can harbor no grudges and raise your son?"

Julian wanted to argue, but no explanation could change what had already happened.

"I was bewitched, thinking I could control everything, only to realize in the end how absurdly wrong I was."

"Child, in this world, whether it’s romantic love or familial love, if there’s emotion involved, it cannot be completely severed. It’s a fate but also a calamity..."

Grandma’s eyes gradually reddened, she choked and said, "On the operating table, I only had one thought: if I die, what will happen to my girl? She’s been without parents since childhood, how pitiful."

"Grandma, Victoria has me; my love for her has never changed. I’ve realized my mistake and am making amends in time. Don’t worry, I will take care of her, even at the cost of my life if necessary."

Julian knelt sincerely on the ground, kowtowing to Grandma, "Please give me another chance."

The man in the suit and tie humbled himself to plead with her. After all, he was a child she watched grow up. Even without Victoria Monroe, there was still a familial bond.

"Have you really cut all ties with that woman?"

"Yes, I gave her five million, tore up the contract, and she aborted the child. From now on, I will have no further dealings with her."

Julian raised his hand and said word by word, "If I, Julian Fordham, betray Victoria Monroe in this life, let me die old and alone, with no one to depend on."

Grandma sighed, "Stand up, I believe you."

She reached out to Julian, holding his hand in her palm, "A lifetime is so long, how can a couple not make mistakes? What’s important is having the heart to acknowledge and amend them. I know I won’t live much longer, Julian, I only have this one granddaughter, please treat her well and don’t let her be sad again."

"I will, Grandma."

"Don’t push her too hard, it’s okay if she doesn’t want children now, she’s still young. In a few years, if really not, trying IVF won’t be too late, do you think?"

Julian understood perfectly that the older woman was the wisest of all.

Had it been ten years earlier, she might have taken a broom and beaten him fiercely, then persuaded Victoria Monroe to divorce, not letting her endure any injustice.

Now, near the end of her life, she humbly asked him, but only to secure a haven for Victoria Monroe after her death.

But Grandma didn’t know, his heart for Victoria Monroe was always sincere.

No matter with or without Grandma, he would treat her well.

"I understand."

Grandma patted his hand, "That’s right, you’re good at everything, child, except for being a bit stubborn. I know you’ve earned a lot over the years, but the girl is not your subordinate to follow your orders. You need to discuss things with her. Only when a couple is united can they go far."

Although aged, the elderly woman saw things clearly.

"Thank you for your guidance, Grandma, I’ll remember it all, and thank you for being willing to give me a chance."

"I’m not giving you a chance, I just don’t want you to miss a good marriage..."

When Victoria Monroe came back in, Julian Fordham was sitting by the hospital bed, peeling an apple for Grandma, a blush suffusing the corners of his eyes.

Rhys Hawthorne came with gifts to visit.

Grandma smiled and thanked him, "Young master, thank you for helping my girl. When I’m well, I’ll invite you to our home for a meal."

"No need for formalities, it was just a small effort."

Grandma’s tone shifted, "Yesterday I took up a day and night of your time, now that I’m fine, hurry back to rest. It’s enough for the couple to take care of me, I don’t want you to be burdened anymore."

Rhys felt his heart pause, realizing Grandma was giving him a gentle nudge to leave.

In his current status, he indeed couldn’t compete with Julian Fordham’s rightful position.

He remained expressionless, "Then I won’t disturb your rest, I’ll come another day to see you."

Victoria Monroe stood up, "Grandma, I’ll see him out."

Julian Fordham paused with the knife in his hand.

Grandma continued to smile kindly, "Good, you must thank him properly."

Victoria Monroe and Rhys Hawthorne left the hospital, walking side by side downstairs.

Snowflakes gently drifted from the sky, and after Grandma woke up, Victoria Monroe seemed much better.

She was no longer the hollow puppet without a soul.

Her soft hair draped down, and she wore a beige down jacket, with a ring of soft fox fur around her neck, making her delicate face resemble a little fox.

"Rhys, thank you," she sincerely thanked him, "I don’t even know how to thank you."

Facing her limpid glowing eyes, his lips curved slightly, "The best way to thank me is to tell me immediately if there’s any danger next time. Julian Fordham won’t act against you now, but just in case, I’ve left bodyguards at the hospital, you can trust them."

Victoria Monroe assessed the tall, broad-shouldered, narrow-waisted Rhys Hawthorne. Four years ago, she was still calling him "brat," yet suddenly, he had become a reliable and steady man one could depend on.

"Rhys, why are you being so good to me?"

"Because you deserve it."

In her stunned expression, Rhys did something he had long wanted but never dared to do, he raised his hand and gently ruffled Victoria Monroe’s head.

"Don’t keep Grandma waiting long, go back inside."

A few snowflakes landed on Victoria Monroe’s long lashes. She blinked dazedly, "Okay."

Then she stiffly returned, always feeling that Rhys Hawthorne had some unclear emotions towards her.

But if he likes her, why would he push her towards Julian Fordham?

Maybe he was just an upright gentleman.

Once she figured it out, she stopped being entangled and briskly walked towards the inpatient department.

She didn’t look back, so naturally, she missed Rhys slowly withdrawing his hand and gently rubbing his fingertips.

Her hair was as soft and delicate as he imagined, carrying the fresh fragrance of roses.

Assistant Woods opened the car door for him, and Rhys stepped in with long strides.

As soon as the car door closed, the man’s expression instantly turned solemn and stern as he lowered his eyes to look at the surveillance footage sent to him by Assistant Woods.

"Boss, this footage has already been deleted by someone; I hacked it in secretly."

Rhys pulled forward and saw the old lady following Rachel Hayes and the others inside, standing at the door eavesdropping.

Rhys tapped the door handle with his long finger’s pulp, "You said this footage was deleted?"

"Yes."

Assistant Woods lowered his voice, "It’s clear the old lady was angered into having a heart attack by Julian Fordham’s family, but Julian covered up the truth and had the footage deleted. If you just take this footage to Ms. Monroe..."

Rhys lifted his eyes to look at him with a warning in his gaze, "Are you trying to directly send the old lady away?"

Assistant Woods looked a bit aggrieved, "I’m doing this for you; just one call from Ms. Monroe and you come over. In the end, once the old lady wakes up, all the credit is snatched away by that Fordham guy."

"What do you take me for? Competing with others for credit?"

Rhys’s pitch-black pupils were cold and profound, an inscrutability Assistant Woods couldn’t understand.

"Clearly, the old lady has forgiven Julian Fordham, hoping they reconcile. You want me to intervene and sow discord; what do I gain from that?"

"Then aren’t you worried? Ms. Monroe just got a divorce, and if the old lady pairs her back with that Fordham guy..."

Rhys looked into the distance; Victoria Monroe’s figure was already out of sight.

His fingertips seemed to still hold the gentle touch of her hair.

"If I wanted her, I could’ve had it long ago. I want her to be happy, and if that person is Julian Fordham, I have no objections."

Assistant Woods looked mournful and annoyed, "Is there any other man as good as you in the world? I haven’t seen you being magnanimous in business dealings, why are you different with Ms. Monroe?"

Rhys toyed with the prayer beads on his wrist, his voice cool and sincere, "She has suffered too much; I just don’t want her to shed tears."

"Julian Fordham may love her, but he’s too greedy, wanting everything, ending up with nothing."

Rhys seemed to have already foreseen everyone’s ending, "So we don’t need to do anything, Julian Fordham will eventually fail on his own, let’s go."

"Back to Azure Lake Estates?"

"No, back to Sandalwood Manor; she probably won’t be heading there for a while."

Assistant Woods also realized, "The old lady wants to pair them up, boss, come up with something!"

"It’s unnecessary; a woman who has lost her heart won’t turn back."

His gaze flashed with determination, "Julian Fordham committed a grave mistake; the truth he hid today is a ticking bomb over him and Victoria’s heads. Once it explodes, he’ll be utterly ruined."

Assistant Woods suddenly stared at Rhys without speaking; Rhys furrowed his brows and spoke in a low voice, "Speak if you have something to say."

Unexpectedly, Assistant Woods said sarcastically, "In public, she’s Ms. Monroe, in private, she’s Victoria, tsk~"

"Boss, with such reserved behavior, you’ll never get a wife."

The Maybach sped away gracefully.

*

Grandma still needed to be monitored in the hospital for two more days, Victoria Monroe stayed by her side the whole time.

Grandma pretended not to notice the awkwardness between the two, watching Victoria dump the food Julian Fordham served her into the trash can secretly. Every time he tried to approach her, she turned sideways to avoid him, refusing any physical contact.

At night, she slept on the caregiver’s bed while Julian Fordham leaned on the sofa.

Grandma softly reminded her, "Are you going to let him sleep like that? What if he catches a cold?"

Victoria Monroe hurriedly smiled and said, "Oh, I forgot. I’ll go get a blanket."

She fetched a blanket from the wardrobe and stepped into the small living room outside.

Julian Fordham was sleeping in his clothes, his neck tilted generously on the pillow, the prominent Adam’s apple looking strikingly obvious.

Honestly, Julian Fordham had a face that could charm any woman; asleep, his features were exquisitely refined, the jawline losing its sharpness.

The man hadn’t rested well for days, but now he was sleeping soundly.

A pair of long legs had nowhere to settle, simply wedged between the sofa and the coffee table.

Victoria Monroe carefully draped the blanket over him, hoping not to wake him to avoid any dispute.

Unexpectedly, the man’s vigilance was strong; as soon as she placed the blanket, Julian Fordham grabbed her hand, intending to twist it off in the next second.

Victoria Monroe winced, "Julian Fordham, it hurts..."

The half-awake man immediately halted his actions, instead pulling her onto his lap, tightly hugging Victoria Monroe, his nose nuzzling her neck affectionately, with his still drowsy, husky voice, "Wife..."