bChapter /bb199 /b

    bSomething /bwas bseriously /bwrong. Max’s grip tightened on the phone. “What did you do? What’s going on?”

    bBefore /bMax could respond, a rough voice cut in, “Mr. Quinn, 90 million shouldn’t be a problem for a man like you. Pay up, or say bgoodbye /bbto /byour future heirs.

    “I hear the Quinn family only produces one son per generation. Wouldn’t want to be the one who ends that legacy, would you? Your ancestors would be so… disappointed.”

    Max’s blood ran cold. “Lionel… tell me you didn’t gamble this away.”

    “It wasn’t supposed to go this far!” Lionel’s voice was ragged with desperation. “I just yed a few hands. It wasn’t even high stakes.”

    “A few hands?” Max nearlyughed in disbelief. “Since

    is

    $90

    high stakes‘? Do I look like a billionaire to you?b” /b

    The Quinn fortune had once been vast–back when Eleanor and Desmond built their empire. But under Andrew’s mismanagement, the money had dried up. Max had never even seen that kind of cash.

    “I had no choice!” Lionel’s voice broke. “No one would lend to me anymore. I begged your sister for help, but she refused. She told me to crawl away and rot. I tried everything, but she’s heartless. What else was I supposed to do?b” /b

    Max’s head spun. ‘Since when have people around

    me be So…

    patheticb?/bb‘ /b

    A sudden scream pierced through the call.

    “Lionel? Lionel!” Silence. The line went dead.

    Max’s pulse hammered. He wanted to help, but in his condition, he’d only make things worse. He thought, ‘Who else could I call? Who is left?‘

    Then he remembered his grandmother. Fumbling with the phone, he dialed her number.

    “The number you have reached is no longer in service…” Max froze. ‘No. No, no, no. Why is everyone unreachable? What the hell had happened while I was gone?‘

    Then it hit him: Mary. She had to still be reachable. Relief flooded him when the call finally connected, but Mary’s words shattered him. “You’re asking about your grandmother now, Max? Why didn’t you wake up sooner?”

    Her voice cracked with suppressed grief she didn’t dare to show in ifront /iof Ste. “This family’s ruin was destined. She’s gone, Max. Your grandmother is dead. iDo /iiyou /ihear me?”

    Max’s breath seized. “No. That’s impossible. Her health wasn’t perfect, but Ste would’ve taken care of her. She wouldn’t just-b” /b

    “Ste did care for her,” Mary snapped. “But that didn’t stop someone from wanting her dead.”

    “Who would kill Grandma? I don’t believe it. I can’t.b” /b

    “I don’t have proof,” Mary said bitterly. “But Ste traced herst call. It was from Emily.”

    Max’s stomach lurched. “Emily? No. She loved me. Helped me countless times. She’d never hurt Grandma.”

    “Whether she did or not, Emily turned up dead soon after. Too convenient, don’t you think?”

    bIce /bbslithered /bbdown /bMax’s spine. “Emily’sb… /bdead btoo/bb?/b”

    bMary /bbexhaled /bsharply. Of course he bdidn’t /bknow. He’d beenatose. Sheid out the horrors he’d missed: his grandmother’s death, Emik bemise/b, Ste’s imprisonmentb, /ball orchestrated by Andrew and Anna.

    Max stood paralyzed. His family had imploded while he slept. ‘How could they turn on each other like this? And Mary’s insinuation is absurda That timid, kind Anna could murder a doctor to frame Ste?‘

    Yet as Mary unburdened herself, her tone softened. “You’re awake now, Mr. Hayes. That’s what matters. Pull Anna back from the edge. Sisters shouldn’t be enemies. If she doesn’t stop… she’ll destroy herself.”

    Max’s throat closed. ‘So that’s why Anna and Andrew avoided me. Because I’d sided with Ste before the crash‘

    Since waking, he’d fixated on one memory: Ste watching his ident, not rushing to save him. But he couldn’t me her. ‘How many times have failed her when she’d hovered near death?‘

    And Ste hadn’t abandoned him. When the family cut off his medical funds, she moved him to a basic hospital, keeping him alive. Cold on the surface, yet the softest heart underneath.

    Then there was Fiona. His mother is the architect of their ruin. The Hayes family wasn’t crumbling; it was already ashes.

    When Ste returned home, Mary immediately told her about Max’s phone call.

    “He called me too,” Ste said. “But I didn’t say much to him.”

    “I’m sorry,” Mary admitted. “I couldn’t hold back. I told him everything that’s been happening.”

    Ste shook her head gently. “It’s fine, Mary. I know you needed to vent. Ever since Grandma passed, you’ve been so careful about my feelings. I should’ve been more considerate of yours. If talking about it helped, then I’m d.”

    Mary managed a small smile. “You’re too kind, Ste. Why does life have to be so cruel? I just wish things could finally go right for you.” Ste pulted her into a light hug. “Maybe someday. Life’s full of hardships, but as long as I’m still standing, I’ll keep moving forward.” Mary nodded, her expression softening. When Jordan walked in and saw them both smiling, some of the tension left his shoulders, though his iconcern /ifor Ste’s health lingered.

    “I’m fine,” Ste assured him, catching his look. “I’ve been eating normally these past few days, haven’t I? As long as my body isn’t pushed to its limit, I’ll manage.i” /i

    Jordan exhaled. “Alright. But speaking of normal, there’s a new movie tonight. Think you’re up for it?”

    Mary immediately nudged Ste. “Go ahead. You’re young, and you should be out enjoying life.”

    It had been ages since Stest went to the movies, and the idea was tempting. “Let’s eat first,” she said. “Mary’s already made bdinner/bb./bb” /b

    Jordan happily nodded.

    After the meal, they headed out like any ordinary couple. The theater was dark, the sound system booming, overwhelming at bifirst/i/bb, /bbbut /bJordan’s hand closed firmly around hers, steadying her.