Chapter 208


    Ian sat quietly, waiting for Mrs. Sanders to finish her questions.


    He just sighed heavily after she finished speaking. His eyes had a glum expression that was


    impervious to all attempts at relief, like a thick fog that wouldn''t lift.


    Why was it necessary to transfer the shares?


    He''d clearly agreed to take over thepany, and hadn''t he been doing so well?


    "I''m sony. Mom." Ian lowered liis eyes and apologized softly.


    "Why?" Mrs. Sanders had her death re fixed on him as she continued. "I don''t want to hear your


    apology. Why do you have to do this? Do you truly intend to leave your family to pursue your dreams?


    Ian. I don''t think you''re that irresponsible. You can tell me if you are having any problems."


    Mis. Sanders took a moment to breathe. She finally managed to take Ian''s hand after much effort


    slowly.


    Her eyes were slightly red. and her voice trembled as she said. "Is there something wrong, Ian? You


    can tell me. I am your mother. We are a family. Is there anything that a family can''t work out together?"


    When Ian looked into Mis. Sanders'' red eyes, a sudden urge arose in his heart. He wished he could tell


    her right away about liis terminal illness. After all, he had endured much of the burden alone and


    suppressed the issue in liis heart for such a long time. He was desperate for someone toe and


    save him.


    But no.


    He couldn''t be that selfish. His mother was getting on in years and wasn''t in great health either. The


    news would be too much for her to handle.


    Ian clenched his hands slightly, and as he gritted liis teeth, liis eyes began to cloud over.


    Wlien he raised liis head again, the sadness in his eyes was reced by a gentle warmth.


    He continued to speak softly while holding Mis. Sanders'' hand. He asked, smiling as liis soothing gaze


    filled the room, "Mom. what are you thinking? What could possibly be wrong with me? I just feel like I


    owe it to Sarah and Ron."


    His expression stung Mis. Sanders as she observed liis unwavering demeanor.


    She closed her eyes, slid back onto the bed. and ruthlessly pulled her hand away from liis hold.


    Then she pointed to the door and said, "Get out."


    Ian''s smile froze on liis lips. "Mom...please don''t be angry," he pleaded.


    "Get the hell out!" Mis. Sanders screamed suddenly as if she was about to copse again. "Don''te


    to see me unless you withdraw the equity transfer agreement. I don''t have a son like you. Get out!"


    Ian''s face nched in an instant. He opened liis mouth, hoping to persuade Mis. Sanders further.


    Sasha, who was standing outside the door, heard themotion inside. She burst through the door in


    a hurry. Then she took Ian''s hand and implored, "Ian, don''t say anything else. Discuss it when your


    mother is in a better frame of mind."


    "You go outside. Leave your mother to me." Sasha gambled and winked at Ian.


    Ian let out a sigh and nodded. "Mom, I''ll visit you tomorrow," he said.


    He left after speaking.


    Ian rounded theer from Mis. Sanders'' ward and proceeded to Leah''s.


    N?velDrama.Org content.


    Leah''s ward was sparsely popted inparison to Mrs. Sanders'' ward. There was no one in her


    ward at that particr time.


    Ian hesitated for a moment before summoning the courage to open the door. After entering, he quickly


    scanned the ward before asking her, "Where is Ron?"


    Leah didn''t seem surprised when Ian entered the ward. She responded. "He went to get me some


    medication. Is Mrs. Sanders awake yet?"


    "She''s awake," Ian said with a nod.


    "That''s good to know," Leah said with a genuine smile.


    After that, neither of them said anything else.


    The ward was quiet for a while.


    Ian''s gaze kept returning to Leah. She had her gaze fixed out the window, a serene expression visible


    in her obsidian eyes.


    He simply kept staring at her while she turned her attention to the por trees outside the window.


    Wlien did they be this way?


    They were so close, yet so far away—as far away as the Milky Way.


    Ian sighed heavily, got up. and said. "Since you are fine, I will take my leave."


    Leah eventually turned her head. She said, "Okay," while blinking those stunning eyes.


    Ian spun on liis heel and walked toward the door. He reached up to grasp the doorknob.


    However, suddenly and without warning, Leah''s calm voice came from behind him, asking. "Ian, are


    you happy with how tilings have turned out now?"


    Ian felt a little pain in his heart. He knew what she was asking about, but he couldn''t bring himself to


    turn around and face her.


    There was no way he could go back now.


    Ian tightened his grip on the doorknob. His grip was so firm it looked like he was crushing the


    doorknob.


    He kept a rein on liis emotions and hummed forcibly before saying, "I decided on tliis path. I don''t regret


    doing it."


    "I''m d to hear you''re not regretting it." Leah gave a small smile. Then, in hushed tones, she asked


    him a question that had been on her mind all day. "Ian. you''re not hiding anything from me, right?"


    Ian''s face broke into a wry smile.


    Why did everyone have to ask him that? Wasn''t that just adding to liis misery?


    Ian stifled a response, "No.


    "Okay," Leah said again, her voice gentle as ever. She continued. "Then I wish you happiness and


    hope you have a good life."


    The air was clearly very fresh and invigorating.


    The pressure around Ian, however, made him feel as though he was about to suffocate.


    He nodded. As he was suppressing liis urge to turn around, his face contorted so hideously—more


    hideous than he was crying, as a smile got squeezed out. He mumbled. "Thank you."


    Wlien Ian had finished speaking, he opened the ward''s door and walked out.


    After slipping out of Leah''s sight, Ian could no longer contain himself. He slid down to the floor, his back


    against the wall.


    His hands were sped on liis knees. He looked like he was in so much pain.


    "I''m sony," Ian said quietly to himself. I''m truly sony Again. I lied to you.


    The ward''s door was pushed open again shortly after Ian left.


    Leah had assumed Ron had returned. "Wlien can I be discharged?" she inquired as she turned her


    head.


    "Discharged? I''m afraid you won''t be discharged for the time being, Ms. White." A slightly solemn male


    voice responded to her.


    Wlien Leah turned her head, her gaze was drawn to a horse-faced doctor. He had a solemn expression


    and was holding a stack of reports. Obviously, it ought to be the results from her examination earlier.


    Leah''s heart skipped a beat as she noticed the doctor''s expression.


    She wasn''t afflicted with a bothersome illness, was she?


    "Doctor, have the test results been released?" Leah asked warily.


    "Yes." The doctor approached Leah and ced a stack of reports in front of her.


    Leah had no idea why, but her heart was in her mouth. She took a deep breath and went over the


    medical reports.


    Her attention was drawn to one of the papers! Her face wentpletely white!


    "What does tliis mean?" Leah asked in a trembling voice while picking up that piece of paper with


    trembling hands.


    "As you can see for yourself. Ms. White, you are pregnant," the doctor said, looking nkly at it. "The


    baby is two weeks old."