Now They Want My Forgiveness - Chapter 262: Chapter 262
You are reading Now They Want My Forgiveness, Chapter 262: Chapter 262. Read more chapters of Now They Want My Forgiveness.
Stella gently freed her wrist. "Kevin," she said, her voice soft but steel-strong. "I treasure our friendship. More than I can say. Selfish as it is... that's what I need us to be. Friends. Always."
Their eyes locked. Kevin held her gaze, searching for something—anything—in her clear, resolved eyes.
Finally, Stella offered him a small smile. Then she turned and walked into the building without looking back.
Kevin stood rooted, watching until the lobby doors swallowed her. He lowered his head, a sigh escaping him. A resigned smile touched his lips as he turned to leave—and froze. "Mr. Erwin?" Kevin said, surprise sharpening his voice.
"A word?" Jordan asked.
Kevin nodded.
Back in her office, Stella's gaze kept snagging on her silent phone. The absence of Jordan's usual lunchtime check-in felt like an unanswered question hanging heavy in the air.
'Since when did I start waiting for it?' She mentally kicked herself. 'People get busy. Stop obsessing.' With a sharp shake of her head, she forced her focus onto her work.
After transferring to a better hospital, Andrew finally had a smile on his face.
"Dad," Anna began, her eyes wide with practiced innocence. "You're not angry? Please believe me, I wanted to help. I just didn't know what to do."
"Angry? Sweetheart, never," Andrew exclaimed, weakly patting her hand. "Look at everything you've done for us. Having you here is all I need." His expression curdled. "Unlike that viper, Stella. She'd have left us to die."
He turned a grateful gaze on Monroe. "Monroe, thank you. Truly. I'll admit, I'm surprised it was you who stepped up. Anna's lucky to have you by her side."
He shot Anna a stern look. "You must get along with Monroe. If he tells me you're causing him grief, young lady, you'll answer to me."
"Dad," Anna murmured, ducking her head in a perfect show of demure shyness.
Monroe's hand settled on Anna's shoulder, his smile indulgent. "Mr. Hayes. We'll get along well with each other. And my only concern is keeping others from upsetting her."
Andrew nodded. "That's good. With you watching over her, I can rest."
Monroe sensed the private conversation hanging in the air. Though he had things to discuss with Andrew, they could wait. He excused himself with smooth politeness and slipped out.
The door clicked shut behind Monroe. Anna flew to Andrew's bedside. "Dad, listen. Leaving you and Max wasn't my choice. Mom bled me dry. Every penny. I had nothing." Her eyes were wide with feigned desperation.
"I begged Lionel. He put 15 thousand dollars into your account. But you know how fast that vanishes in the hospital.
"Finally, I had to turn to Monroe. But I couldn't push too hard. I had to play a long game. I'm so sorry you suffered while I did that."
Andrew squeezed her hand. "Sweetheart, I know. I understand completely. Don't torture yourself with guilt. That dreadful place, yes, it was hell. But we survived, didn't we? That's what matters."
His voice strengthened with conviction. "And I never doubted you, not for a second. Stella's poisonous lies couldn't touch us. I knew you would find your way back to us."
"Dad!" Anna cried, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace, pressing her face into his shoulder to hide the icy triumph blazing in her eyes. She only cared about herself.
'You owed me everything.' The thought cut through her fake tears like a razor. 'A lifetime of suffering for what you did! Leaving you in that pit? Just a taste. Serves you right.'
Their eyes locked. Kevin held her gaze, searching for something—anything—in her clear, resolved eyes.
Finally, Stella offered him a small smile. Then she turned and walked into the building without looking back.
Kevin stood rooted, watching until the lobby doors swallowed her. He lowered his head, a sigh escaping him. A resigned smile touched his lips as he turned to leave—and froze. "Mr. Erwin?" Kevin said, surprise sharpening his voice.
"A word?" Jordan asked.
Kevin nodded.
Back in her office, Stella's gaze kept snagging on her silent phone. The absence of Jordan's usual lunchtime check-in felt like an unanswered question hanging heavy in the air.
'Since when did I start waiting for it?' She mentally kicked herself. 'People get busy. Stop obsessing.' With a sharp shake of her head, she forced her focus onto her work.
After transferring to a better hospital, Andrew finally had a smile on his face.
"Dad," Anna began, her eyes wide with practiced innocence. "You're not angry? Please believe me, I wanted to help. I just didn't know what to do."
"Angry? Sweetheart, never," Andrew exclaimed, weakly patting her hand. "Look at everything you've done for us. Having you here is all I need." His expression curdled. "Unlike that viper, Stella. She'd have left us to die."
He turned a grateful gaze on Monroe. "Monroe, thank you. Truly. I'll admit, I'm surprised it was you who stepped up. Anna's lucky to have you by her side."
He shot Anna a stern look. "You must get along with Monroe. If he tells me you're causing him grief, young lady, you'll answer to me."
"Dad," Anna murmured, ducking her head in a perfect show of demure shyness.
Monroe's hand settled on Anna's shoulder, his smile indulgent. "Mr. Hayes. We'll get along well with each other. And my only concern is keeping others from upsetting her."
Andrew nodded. "That's good. With you watching over her, I can rest."
Monroe sensed the private conversation hanging in the air. Though he had things to discuss with Andrew, they could wait. He excused himself with smooth politeness and slipped out.
The door clicked shut behind Monroe. Anna flew to Andrew's bedside. "Dad, listen. Leaving you and Max wasn't my choice. Mom bled me dry. Every penny. I had nothing." Her eyes were wide with feigned desperation.
"I begged Lionel. He put 15 thousand dollars into your account. But you know how fast that vanishes in the hospital.
"Finally, I had to turn to Monroe. But I couldn't push too hard. I had to play a long game. I'm so sorry you suffered while I did that."
Andrew squeezed her hand. "Sweetheart, I know. I understand completely. Don't torture yourself with guilt. That dreadful place, yes, it was hell. But we survived, didn't we? That's what matters."
His voice strengthened with conviction. "And I never doubted you, not for a second. Stella's poisonous lies couldn't touch us. I knew you would find your way back to us."
"Dad!" Anna cried, throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace, pressing her face into his shoulder to hide the icy triumph blazing in her eyes. She only cared about herself.
'You owed me everything.' The thought cut through her fake tears like a razor. 'A lifetime of suffering for what you did! Leaving you in that pit? Just a taste. Serves you right.'
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