Chapter 348


    Ian''s face was stormy as he red at Leonora, his eyes brimming with barely concealed loathing.


    With a swift motion, he pushed Leonora aside and wrapped ra into his arms.


    The icy look that had hardened his features melted into tenderness the moment his gaze met


    ra''s. His voice softened, "ra, I''m sorry. You must have been worried sick."


    ra felt a lump in her throat, her eyes burning with unshed tears. "Ian, you—"


    Her words trailed off as she realized she had no strength left. Thest bit of energy she had been


    mustering up seemed to evaporate. Her body went limp, copsing into Ian''s embrace.


    "ra, ra," Ian called out urgently, scooping her up and striding towards the hospital room


    without even casting Leonora a second nce.


    Leonora, fuming to the point of grinding her teeth, cursed loudly from behind them, "Ian, ra''s


    nothing but a jinx, a walking disaster! Everyone around her meets a terrible fate. You stick with her


    and your luck will run out one day, too. Just mark my words."


    Ryker, who had been trailing silently, suddenly spoke with a chilling tone, "If Grandma Rose heard


    you cursing her grandson like that, do you honestly think she''d hesitate to kick you out on your


    rear?"


    Leonora shot him a venomous look. "Mind your own business when ites to my family!"


    "But when you call Ms. ra a jinx, I can''t just stand by. Leonora, you''d better straighten up. If you


    mess with ra again, family ties won''t stop me from chopping you into pieces."


    Leonora let out a scornfulugh. "What kind of spell has that little bitch cast on you to have you


    dogs fighting for her? She''s just like her mother, trash to the core!"


    Her words wereced with such venom. It was as if she wanted to rip ra apart.


    Ryker''s face twitched with anger, his dark eyes swirling with an unmistakable threat. He raised his


    arm and pped Leonora across the face. "Ian might noty a hand on you, but that doesn''t mean I


    won''t!"


    Leonora''s usually pale cheek red red from the impact. A trickle of blood seeped from the corner of


    her mouth, ruining her perfect makeup.


    Being struck by a Ryker was an unprecedented humiliation. She was livid, her fury nearly choking


    her. "Ryker, who gave you the guts to hit me? I''ll tear your face apart!"


    ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org .


    As she lunged at Ryker, aiming her freshly manicured nails at his handsome face, a sharp crack


    from her knee, followed by searing pain, sent her tumbling to the ground.


    She let out an unbearable wail. "Ryker, you''re crossing the line! I''ll have your father deal with you."


    Ryker chuckled dismissively. "Without the Hayes family, you''re less than nothing to me!"


    He instructed the bodyguard, "Take her back to the mansion. Don''t let her out to make a scene


    again."


    Leonora was dragged away like a ragdoll.


    Ryker entered the hospital room and saw ra lying pale and still on the bed. His brow furrowed


    with concern. "How is she?"


    Ian, gently stroking ra''s cheek, replied, "She''s just worn out. Hasn''t slept properly in days."


    "With you gone, she wouldn''t," Ryker remarked, noticing the blood seeping through Ian''s wound. "I''ll


    have someonee and redress that for you."


    "It''s nothing. I won''t die from it," Ian said, fatigue seeping into his voice as he watched over ra.


    Ian couldn''t fathom how she had managed to endure the past few days, torn between worrying over


    Casey''s illness and his well-being.