Chapter 39
Hedwig bit down on her lower lip so hard she nearly drew blood. She, the heiress of the Simmons family, still had to put up with an outsider’s
attitude just to get by in her own home.
Her thoughts drifted to the memory of her sister-in-law’s early days in Novandria, and the pain she endured as a newcomer.
Steeling herself, Hedwig muttered, “Fine. I’ll make sure to arrange Ms. Harvey’s memorial so moving that my sister-in-law will be driven to tears.”
If nobody wanted her to have an easy life, then fine-no one would.
Meanwhile, Blanche lay in her hospital bed, too weak to stay awake, her mind drifting between memories and dreams.
She remembered the year her parents divorced, how she’d first arrived in Novandria-lost, alone, and then kidnapped.
The kidnappers demanded eight million dollars from her mother, every cent of cash she’d brought with her.
Eddy had shown up with the money, ready to make the exchange.
But after they handed over the cash, the kidnappers went back on their
word.
Eddy revealed he was the heir to the Simmons Group, that he was worth far more as a hostage than Blanche, and offered himself in exchange for her.
The kidnappers agreed. After the swap, as Blanche was being led out, one of the accomplices set fire to the warehouse, hoping to kill them both.
Walls of fire raged around them. Eddy fought desperately with the kidnappers, yelling at her, “Go! Get out of here-don’t worry about me!”
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The heat seared Blanche’s skin, smoke choking her lungs, making it almost impossible to breathe. She watched in terror as Eddy shoved the kidnappers aside, just as a burning rafter crashed down toward them.
“No-no, please… Eddy-!” she’d screamed, panic and fear overtaking her.
She jolted awake, eyes wide in terror, sweat soaking through her hospital gown. The first thing she saw was Eddy’s face, pale as a ghost.
He gripped her hand tightly. “It’s okay. I won’t let him near you again.”
She looked up at him, fighting back the ache in her heart, but tears still escaped, rolling down her cheeks.
Back then, she truly believed he loved her.
His tenderness, the way he cherished her-how could that just disappear? Now, seeing Blanche’s sadness, Eddy thought she was just frightened. He pulled her into his arms, whispering softly in her ear, “I’m here, sweetheart. I’ll always be here. I’ll never leave your side.”
Always by her side? The words made Blanche’s chest tighten. She shoved against him, but he was too broad, too strong-she couldn’t budge him an
inch.
It felt like being caught in a net, the more she struggled, the tighter it closed around her, until she could barely breathe.
Hedwig returned to the hospital room and was greeted by the sight of Eddy and Blanche wrapped around each other in what once would have made her tease Blanche and blush with envy at their closeness. Now, the sight just made her stomach turn.
Blanche noticed Hedwig at the door and, with pain in her voice, pleaded, “Let me go.”
Eddy, realizing Hedwig had entered, finally released her.
“I’m so glad you’re awake,” Hedwig said, her expression full of concern as
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she hurried over.
Blanche wiped away her tears and instinctively took Hedwig’s hand. What Hedwig had just done in the warehouse-standing up to Vincent and exposing Eddy’s infidelity-had said everything Blanche needed to know.
Hedwig truly cared for her. She wasn’t like the rest. She wasn’t lying to her.
Blanche looked at her younger sister, the one she’d watched grow up, with a kind heart that couldn’t possibly be wrong.
Now that Hedwig was back living at the Simmons estate after her divorce, and with how cold Loraine had been to her in recent days, Blanche knew life was only going to get harder for her.
Blanche still held thirty percent of Simmons Group shares. She’d already decided-before she left, she would transfer them all to Hedwig, to make sure she and Tia would be taken care of.
As for Healy, as the beloved grandson of the Simmons family, Loraine and Eddy would never let anything bad happen to him.
Just as Blanche finished the thought, Dr. Smith from general medicine strode in, beaming as he held the lab results.
“Mr. Simmons, your wife is pregnant.”
Blanche stared in shock, but Eddy snatched the report from the doctor, his voice cold and sharp. “Run the test again. There must be some mistake. My wife can’t be pregnant.”
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