CHAPTER 317: CHAPTER 317: MARRY SOMEONE ELSE

She sat bewildered at the edge of the bed, her mind a mess, hugging her knees and burying her head, feeling utterly exhausted.

Whether it was familial love or romantic love, it all made her feel tired.

Suddenly, she remembered the sleeping pills in her drawer, hurriedly got up, and took them out.

She examined the pills in her palm for a moment, then stuffed them into her mouth in handfuls, crying as she did so.

Eleanor Hollis only found out about Samantha Sullivan’s incident just before going to bed. She heard that Samantha had swallowed many sleeping pills in a deliberate attempt to die. She was so terrified that she rushed to the hospital.

Samantha was still undergoing emergency treatment because she had ingested too many sleeping pills, and the doctors were continuously pumping her stomach.

Dad Sullivan and Mom Sullivan stood in the hallway, not saying a word. They didn’t react at all when they saw Eleanor arrive, as if the person being rescued inside was merely a stranger.

Eleanor stood there dumbfounded, her hands and feet ice cold.

Hugo Quinn was quietly accompanying her, constantly reaching out to grasp her hand. Feeling her cold hand, he held her in his arms with some distress.

"It will be okay; she was found just in time."

Eleanor nodded, but she still couldn’t understand how someone like Samantha would take sleeping pills. How exactly had the Sullivan Family been forcing her?

An hour later, Samantha was pushed out, her face ashen.

Neither Dad Sullivan nor Mom Sullivan went to the ward to take a look. They just left without the slightest hesitation.

Eleanor was furious to death. If it weren’t for them being her elders, she would have already voiced her accusations.

"Samantha, how are you?"

She sat by the bedside, looking at the person who had already awakened.

Samantha said nothing, staring blankly at the stark white ceiling, as if she had lost her soul.

Before long, Evan Yancy got there too. He was slightly out of breath as he entered the ward and sat down beside her, trembling all over.

"What... what are you doing?"

Seeing him, tears immediately streamed down Samantha’s face.

"Don’t cry. We can talk things over. Why do you have to scare me like this?"

After finding out Samantha had taken sleeping pills, he left a group of people behind and hurried over. Tonight, he was supposed to entertain an important client, but when he heard about what happened, nothing else mattered.

"Evan."

Samantha’s voice was hoarse as she slowly propped herself up.

Evan held her tightly in his arms, and his eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Samantha said nothing else; there was no point in saying anything. Her parents could be so heartless as to not visit her, which meant they had already made up their minds. She had to marry next month, and her husband must not be Evan.

"My parents’ attitude is very firm. I might really have to get married next month. They don’t even care whether I live or die. What should I do?"

Although her parents didn’t care about her life, she cared about theirs. If they threatened her with their death, she wouldn’t know what to do.

There was a flash in Evan’s eyes as he looked at the two people still seated nearby, saying nothing.

Eleanor and Hugo both frowned as they had already seen the attitude of Dad Sullivan and Mom Sullivan. As Samantha mentioned, their attitude was firm; once she recovered, they’d probably immediately start arranging blind dates.

"There will always be a way."

Evan held her, greedily inhaling the scent on her body.

The doctor came in at that moment. Because her stomach was pumped in time, Samantha’s body wasn’t in any serious danger and she could be discharged the next day.

But Samantha didn’t want to leave so soon, knowing endless blind dates awaited her after discharge.

"Miss Sullivan, your parents asked me to remind you that you can’t avoid this matter. As long as you can get out of bed, you have to go on the dates. They will be waiting for you at home."

Samantha’s face turned even paler as she clutched tightly onto Evan’s sleeve.

The ward suddenly became very silent. None of them spoke, and after the doctor left, Samantha began to sob softly.

"Samantha, you should marry someone else."

After a long while, Evan suddenly spoke, reaching out slowly to tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear.

Samantha looked at him in shock, and tears fell down profusely.

"Even you don’t want me anymore?"

She already felt abandoned by her parents. Was this person going to abandon her too?

"No, marry my subordinate. He’ll hold the ceremony for me, and you’ll live abroad after the wedding. I’ll go abroad with you, and we’ll put on a show."

This idea was truly bold, causing Samantha’s heart to race.

Finally, Eleanor could join the conversation.

"I actually think this plan could work. Samantha, once you’re abroad, your parents can’t watch over you."

"I don’t want to go abroad."

Samantha slowly lowered her eyes, wishing only to walk into that sacred place with Evan.

Yet this wasn’t something she could accomplish merely by wanting it. As predicted, once she got home, the family arranged blind dates. The matches were young yet already quite accomplished individuals, but not one of them appealed to Samantha. Her heart and mind were solely focused on Evan.

She went through four or five matchmaking sessions, sending them all away with her indifference.

On the fifth day, Dad Sullivan’s slap left a harsh imprint on Samantha’s face.

"You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you? Your fiancé is in one of those five people. Think it over carefully. Your mother and I will send out the invitations. The wedding must take place on the fifteenth of next month."

Samantha quietly covered the slapped area, her heart growing cold.

"Dad, why are you forcing me? Do you even think of me as your daughter? Ever since brother became a vegetable, all your resentment has been directed at me. Evan was right; it wasn’t solely his fault back then. Brother is still alive, while the other person’s sister died so young."

"Shut up!!"

Dad Sullivan was so angry that his chest quaked, his face turning livid.

"You’ve truly been brainwashed by that man! There’s no discussion on this. Prepare for the wedding."

With that, Dad Sullivan went downstairs, locking her room from the outside.

Samantha sat on her bed, her head bowed, saying nothing.

Eleanor had always been worried about the situation with the Sullivan Family. She wanted to visit but was stopped at the entrance by the family’s servants. Apparently, Dad and Mom Sullivan had instructed that no one could see Samantha until she was married.

Looking at the house in front of her, Eleanor let out a heavy sigh. It seemed the Sullivan Family indeed didn’t care whether Samantha lived or died; their only thought was revenge against Evan.

Indeed, Dad Sullivan and Mom Sullivan were using Samantha to get back at Evan.

Since Evan loved Samantha, they planned for her to marry someone else, making him lose his beloved. But doing this was utterly unfair to Samantha.

She turned to get back into the car, furrowing her brows, wondering what to do next.

Hugo pulled her into his embrace and kissed her cheek.

"If Samantha could leave her family behind, things wouldn’t be so complicated."