Chapter 237


    "Ian, if you don''t show, you better be ready to pick up my pieces! I promised May I''d look after Heidi.


    I can''t just let her die."


    Leonora''s voice was edged with desperation as she grabbed the paring knife beside her, pressing it


    to her throat.


    Ka lunged forward, shouting into her phone, "Ian, your mother''s threatening to off herself. You


    know how she gets. Get over here, now!"


    Ian felt a pulse of anger, veins throbbing at his temples. He couldn''t fathom why his mom would


    bend over backward for Heidi. Her reputation was as shot as yesterday''s news, and she still thought


    she could marry Ian off to her. Did she really want her son to be aughingstock?


    Inside, Ian was a tempest, his voice colder than a cier, "I''m on my way!" He hung up abruptly,


    vision tinged with red as he nced toward the kitchen.


    ra was rinsing veggies, her expression unreadable. She couldn''t have missed the conversation.


    Ian strode into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around her from behind, his chin resting on her


    shoulder, his voice a husky whisper. "ra, wait for me toe back for dinner. I''ll set things


    straight with her."


    ra didn''t struggle but offered a light smile, "Go. It''s a matter of life and death, not to be taken


    lightly."


    Ian’s mind raced back to the night ra was hemorrhaging and how she''d called him for help, only


    to be dismissed with ''Heidi''s life is on the line, stop making a scene.''


    How heartbroken she must have been. Ian felt an aching swarm of regret.


    Heidi had always been a barrier between him and ra, one she couldn''t cross. He had to resolve


    this once and for all, or ra would nevere back to him.


    When Ian arrived at the hospital, the room was in chaos. There were tears, shouting, a cacophony


    of distress.


    Paolo wiped his eyes as Ian entered, pleading, "Ian, for my sake, talk some sense into Heidi. Get


    her toply with the treatment, or she''ll die from the poison."


    Ian nced at Heidi on the hospital bed, frothing at the mouth, pale as death, her body convulsing.


    Her eyes locked onto his, weakly uttering, "Ian."


    Belonging to N?velDrama.Org.


    He stalked over, his face a thundercloud, "You want to die? There are less painful ways. I could get


    you a euthanasia pod. Lights out in ten seconds. Interested?"


    His voice was devoid of sympathy, his gaze filled with disdain.


    The indifference cut Heidi deep. Even now, Ian could be this cruel to her yet so gentle with ra.


    Why?


    He was supposed to be hers. Why did ra get to steal him away?


    Tears slipped down Heidi''s cheeks. "If you want me dead that badly, Ian, what''s the point in living?


    I''ve loved you so much, and you''ve shown me nopassion, not even the smallest bit. When you


    were in danger, I didn''t think twice before jumping in to take the hit for you. The thought of you


    getting hurt... I just wanted to take that pain for you. But the knife struck my womb, robbing me of


    motherhood. No matter what I''ve done, it''s all been for you, the one I love. No matter how you treat


    me, I have no regrets. All I want is for you to live a good life, Ian." She coughed up blood, her face


    ghostly as she looked at him.


    Ian''s face remained impassive, his eyes shadowed and unreadable. "So you called me here to


    watch you die and feel guilty? Is that it?"


    Heidi sobbed, shaking her head. "No, I just wanted to see you onest time, to remember how


    heartless you were, so in my next life, I won''t be so good to you."


    Ian let out a bitterugh, "Heidi, such a wasted talent on anything but the stage. Do you think I''m as


    naive as I was three years ago? Someone get in here and check her properly. Find out what poison


    she''s ''taken.''"