Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Catlin was so furious that her vision blurred with rage. If it weren’t for Olivia’s current condition, she would’ve given Stephanie a piece of her mind.
But now, in this moment, she couldn’t waste any more time arguing over the phone.
Taking a deep breath, her voice was cold with barely controlled anger. “Where are you? I’m coming to see you.”
“What do you want to see me for?” came Stephanie’s curt reply.
Catlin gritted her teeth, swallowing her fury. “We need to have a serious talk.”
Olivia’s condition was deteriorating by the minute. Catlin wanted to resolve things with Stephanie face–to–face–give her what she wanted, just to get Dr. Pierce to come back as soon as possible.
At this point, she was ready to give in to anything, but Stephanie… she wasn’t even interested in negotiating.
“I’ve got nothing to say to you, and everything that needed to be said has been said,” Stephanie answered coldly.
“Mrs. Hart, I’m done with the Hart family. I don’t need a mother like you, either. It’s better if we just pretend we never existed to each other.”
Without a second thought, Stephanie slammed the phone down.
The words hit Catlin like a slap to the face. Her hands trembled, and her face flushed with anger.
Stephanie’s answer echoed in her mind, each word sharper than the last.
Meanwhile, Tyler stepped out of the hospital room and saw Catlin, a picture of heartbreak. Without asking, he knew- Stephanie had struck again.
“What’s wrong with her? No matter how much hatred there is, why does it always have to be now?” Catlin, on the tears, spoke through gritted teeth to Tyler.
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“I don’t understand. Why can’t she wait until Olivia’s better? Why does she have to act like this at the worst possible time?”
“I’m going to go talk to her,” said Tyler.
Catlin sighed, her tone bitter. “She’s not even willing to make one phone call to Dr. Pierce. How did I end up with a daughter like this?”
One single phone call had already sparked such chaos. Catlin couldn’t even begin to imagine the kind of mess Stephanie would cause if they really needed her to cooperate further.
She was losing faith, not only in Stephanie but in the family that raised her. “What kind of upbringing did the Giovanni family give her?” she complained. “She’s ungrateful, rude–clearly, they failed her.”
Tyler remained silent for a moment, and then spoke up. “You go talk to the doctor. Let’s see if there’s anything else we can do for Olivia. I’ll handle the rest.”
“Fine,” said Catlin. She gave a small nod, before heading off to speak with the doctors.
There was dissatisfaction, no doubt about it. But with Dr. Pierce’s situation hanging in the balance, Stephanie had become a key factor. Catlin knew they couldn’t afford to cross her now.
In the ward, Olivia had endured the pain for an entire night, barely hanging on.
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Chapter 33
Now, she was slightly more comfortable thanks to the painkillers the doctors had given her. She weakly turned her gaze to Chris.
“Chris,” she whispered, “Do you think I’ll ever get to see the sunrise again?”
The sunrise had always been her favorite. Sitting by the sea, watching the sun rise slowly over the horizon, she could almost feel life itself–so powerful, so full of promise.
Chris squeezed her hand gently. “When you’re better, I’ll take you,”
Olivia smiled at him faintly. “Has your family been causing trouble for you?” she asked.
Ever since she found out she wasn’t a real member of the Hart family, the Ashfords‘ attitude toward her had been cold, distant, even contemptuous.
But she never let it show, especially not in front of Chris.
“Don’t worry about them,” answered Chris.
But Olivia’s sigh told him otherwise. “I don’t think I have much time left. I’m afraid I won’t make it.
“Don’t say that!” Chris snapped, his voice tight.
Hearing Chris speak like this only made Olivia’s heart ache. She coughed, then whispered, “What about your wedding? Will it still happen on time?”
The question hung in the air, and Chris froze. The mention of their wedding had the power to unsettle him like nothing else.
His mind flashed back to the image of the man in Stephanie’s room the other night–freshly showered, wearing a towel around his waist, with her towel.
It was all too much. Something about that man, his presence, screamed danger. And the fact that he carried a weapon? That wasn’t a coincidence.
But Stephanie had always been alone. Chris‘ mind raced. Was this man someone Stephanie had known before returning to the Hart family?
“Chris, are you listening?” Olivia pressed gently. “If the family’s okay with Stephanie, then just go ahead and marry her.”
Chris‘ eyes narrowed, his mood shifting. A storm was brewing in his chest, but he forced himself to stay composed.
“I won’t marry her,” he declared abruptly.
The weight in his chest felt even heavier after he said it. The moment those words left his mouth, he realized just how deeply they troubled him.
Olivia’s eyes widened. “But-”
“Enough,” Chris cut in, his tone firm. “Your health comes first, not all this other stuff. Let’s drop it for now.”
Just then, the door creaked open, and Kevin walked in, his gaze sweeping the room before locking with Chris‘.
Without a word, Chris rose from his seat and gestured toward the door. “I’ll step out for a bit. You should rest,” he said to Olivia.
“Alright,” Olivia whispered, her eyes following him as he left the ward.
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