He Traded My Trauma for Her Redemption - Chapter 18: Chapter 18

"And you, as her husband, not only failed to be by her side but were out indulging with your mistress. Are you even human?"
The nearby nurses rushed over to break up the fight, but their words were filled with blame directed at Cassian.
Facing their relentless accusations, Cassian was at a loss for words.
His mind was consumed by the image of my face that day, calm to the point of numbness.
For years, he had grown used to ignoring my emotions. How could he have noticed the deep sorrow hidden beneath that seemingly composed expression?
A sharp pain struck Cassian’s heart.
Yet, he still gritted his teeth and shook his head.
"You've all been bought off by Leona. I won't believe a single word of your nonsense. If Leona cared so much about her grandmother, how could she have no reaction if she really passed away? And she risked her life to give birth to that child. How could she be so calm?"
Even as he spoke, a storm raged in his heart.
Cassian wanted to prove he was right. Like a madman, he sped back home. But as he stepped into the empty house, realization finally struck him.
That day, when we argued and fought, I had come back to pack my things.
I really was determined to leave.
"Leona!"
"Leona!"
His desperate calls echoed through the empty house, but no one answered.
Cassian suddenly felt his legs give out beneath him, collapsing onto the floor. That was when he saw the wedding ring, rolling under the table.
It was the same ring he had personally designed for me not long after our wedding.
I had cherished it dearly. For seven years, despite all our endless fights, I had never once taken it off.
To us, this ring wasn’t just a symbol of marriage. It was a witness to the love we once shared, a fragile thread of hope and memory that still bound us together.
But now, that ring had been discarded, left in an unnoticed corner. And I was nowhere to be found.
Cassian felt his heart sink deeper and deeper until it reached the bottom of an abyss.
He stared blankly at the familiar surroundings, yet everything now felt so foreign.
Sadness and fear gripped him.
People surrounded him from all directions.
Thomas remained unconscious, showing no signs of waking up. With no other choice, Cassian had to step up and handle the affairs of the company.
But his mind was entirely consumed by thoughts of me.
In the past, his grandfather had managed the company and I had taken care of the household.
Cassian never had to worry about anything. He lived a carefree life, indulging in pleasure without a second thought.
Yet, in just one night, the two most important people in his life and the pillars of his world were gone.
Cassian couldn't bear the weight of such a massive company, nor could he hold together a home that had already fallen apart.
With no way out, he chose to escape.
Every day, he drowned himself in alcohol, drinking until he was completely wasted.
Clutching a photo of me, he would sob uncontrollably.
That night, as Cassian drank himself into yet another stupor, the door to his room suddenly swung open.
The slender figure stepped forward and gently embraced Cassian.
As the familiar fragrance reached his senses, Cassian's long-numb heart suddenly pounded wildly.
He pulled the person tightly into his arms, pouring out his longing and love in a desperate voice.
"Leona, you’re finally back. You have no idea how much I’ve missed you. Grandpa is seriously ill, the weight of the company is suffocating me and when I come home, you’re not here… I don’t know what to do anymore."
"Please, don’t leave me again. I swear I’ll change. I won’t go out fooling around anymore. I’ll stay by your side and take care of you."
"Let’s have another cute little baby. We’ll be a family again, just the three of us, living happily together."