Chapter 444 Leave My Life Here
Ernest had no intention of getting involved in their marital issues.
Besides, seeing Anne's state, it was clear this marriage was doomed.
He just had to wait.
But lately, Anne had been visibly unhappy.
And now she was this sick.
Some emotions just couldn't be suppressed anymore.
Ernest yelled, "As a husband, you've really failed."
Not to mention, in all these years, Ernest had never heard Anne mention Willard.
And as soon as he found out she was married, she was already in the urgent process of getting divorced.
That alone was enough to show how deeply Willard had hurt her.
Ernest continued, "Taking your anger out on me doesn't prove anything."
Willard wanted to argue, but he had to admit Ernest was right.
Looking back at his past actions, he felt like punching himself.
But whatever was between him and Anne, it wasn't something an outsider could meddle in.
Before he could say anything, he coughed up blood and fainted from the stress.
Quinton heard Louis's cold voice on the other end, "Hang up."
With Louis there, Quinton wasn't worried.
The immediate situation was more pressing.
"Mrs. Larson being in a single man's home is inappropriate. I'm taking her with me. Of course, I don't need to explain this to you. So, out of courtesy and for your help to Mrs. Larson, I hope you won't try to stop me."
Ernest had no standing, but he couldn't just watch them torment Anne.
Just as he was about to speak, Anne woke up.
"Mr. Torres..." she murmued.
Ernest quickly walked over. "How are you feeling? Do you need water?"
Anne shook her head. As her vision cleared, she saw Quinton at the bedroom door.
Her already sickly face looked even worse.
"Do I not even have my freedom now?"
Quinton quickly explained, "Mr. Larson is worried about you. He can't be here himself right now."
Anne didn't want to hear any more of this. It was pointless.
If he cared about her, if he loved her, they wouldn't be where they were now.
"Mr. Torres, this is your home. Please ask the stranger to leave."
Ernest had no reason before, but since Anne had spoken, he could now.
"Please leave."
Quinton didn't move, looking at Anne with a mix of respect and firmness. "Mrs. Larson, you must come with me. If you insist on staying here, I will have to be rude."
Anne knew Quinton's strength.
She didn't want Ernest to get hurt because of her, so she said, ""Aren't you afraid I'll twist the truth and accuse you to him?"
Quinton knew Willard would believe every word Anne said. He was caught in a dilemma.
But he couldn't just leave. If he couldn't take Anne, and Willard found out she spent the night at Ernest's, it would drive him crazy.
Quinton had no choice but to bow and say, "Mrs. Larson, I'm just doing my job. Please don't make it hard for me. If you insist, I'll leave my life here today. Before I die, please leave his house."
Willard's subordinates were just as stubborn as he was.
She felt utterly helpless about Willard. No matter what he did wrong, he would always find a way to twist it, sometimes making others feel like they were the ones at fault.
In the hospital, she had said everything she could, yet he still persisted.
Anne retorted, "How about I give you my life instead?"
Quinton finally left.
He had done all he could.
But he had gotten smarter.
He recorded everything he said to play for Willard later.
Maybe it would save him some trouble.
Ernest poured Anne a glass of warm water and explained, "Bringing you to my home was probably not the best idea, but you said you didn't want to go to the hospital, and I didn't think a hotel was suitable for recovery. I'm sorry."
"Mr. Torres, you don't need to apologize." Anne took a sip of the warm water. "You did nothing wrong."
Ernest saw her flushed cheeks and tired spirit and didn't say much more.
"Get some sleep. The doctor will be here soon to give you an injection."
"Okay."
Anne nodded, pulled the blanket over herself, and lay down. "Thank you, Mr. Torres."
"There's no need for that between us."
Ernest's eyes were gentle, filled with affection.
But Anne was too exhausted to notice.
Half-asleep, she felt a sting on the back of her hand, followed by a soothing voice.
She drifted back to sleep.
Ernest asked the doctor about some precautions. The doctor said, "Don't worry, it's nothing serious. Just a common cold and fever. She'll be fine after a couple of days of rest."
Ernest nodded. As he walked the doctor to the door, he asked about dietary considerations.
The doctor, who had worked for the Torres family for years and watched Ernest grow up, smiled and said, "I've never seen you so concerned about anyone."
Ernest simply replied, "Please don't say more."
"Don't worry."
The doctor could see what was going on. "Keep her diet light."
After seeing the doctor out, Ernest opened his notes.
He researched light meals that Anne would like.
He wanted her to eat well, so she'd feel better and recover faster.
In Seaside City, at the Armstrong family hospital.
The first thing Willard did when he opened his eyes was to look for Anne.
Louis held him down on the bed.
He had always been cold by nature, and becoming a doctor only made him colder.
He had seen too much life and death, making him even more detached.
He had tried to save Willard several times, out of some lingering affection.
Otherwise, if it were anyone else, as long as they didn't die in the Armstrong family hospital, he wouldn't say a word.
Louis asked flatly, "Where were you earlier?"
Willard pushed his hand away, got up, and started dressing.
This time, Louis didn't stop him.
He stood with one hand in his pocket, watching coldly. "You still have a chance, but if you keep screwing up, you'll never get Anne back."
Willard paused while changing out of his hospital gown.
Louis continued, "If Anne and Ernest really had something, your three years of cold treatment would have been enough for them to develop feelings."
"And you wouldn't have any right to say anything."
"But since there's been no progress between them, there won't be in the future."
"But if you keep pushing, even if there's nothing between them, Anne won't come back to you."
It was the first time Willard had heard Louis say so much.
And every word hit the mark.
Louis saw the change in his expression but said nothing.
He spoke again, almost using up all his words for a lifetime.
"Take this time to recover and treat your emotional issues. Once you're better and have thought things through, then go find Anne."
With that, he took Willard's clothes and pushed him back onto the bed. Willard stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.
Anne was awakened by a delicious aroma.
Groggily, she got up and noticed she was still hooked up to an IV. She felt like she had been pulled out of water, her body drenched in sweat.
Looking around, the room was clean and warm.
It was Ernest's home.
"You're awake?"
Ernest walked in, his warm hand touching her forehead.
"Your fever's gone down."
The IV bag was nearly empty. He bent down, held her hand, and quickly removed the needle.
Anne didn't feel a thing.
"Hold this."
Anne pressed down on the spot where the needle had been, while Ernest went out and came back with two bags.
"The bathroom is right next door. Change your clothes and then come eat."
Since her grandfather passed away, Anne hadn't received such meticulous care.
The Larson family treated her well, but they were Willard's family after all.
During those cold years, she didn't want to burden them with her troubles.
She only shared the good news, never the bad.
It wasn't until she met Ernest that she no longer had to go to the hospital alone at night for injections.
She no longer had to worry about falling asleep and the IV causing blood to backflow because she couldn't call a nurse in time.
Over the years, she had deeply felt his warmth, care, and attentiveness.
He was both a mentor and family to her.
"Mr. Torres, thank you for making me feel like I still have family in this world, that I'm not all alone."
Ernest looked into her clear eyes.
The emotions she reflected showed she saw him as a close family member.
There was no hint of romantic love.
His smile turned a bit bitter, but his gaze remained as gentle as ever. "I'm glad you trust me so much."
Anne's eyes sparkled, her fever had gone down, and she seemed more spirited.
"You are the person I trust most in this world." She smiled, bright and adorable. "I hope we can always be like family, never changing because of anything."
Some words were on the tip of his tongue, but Ernest swallowed them and simply said, "Okay."
Anne changed her clothes and came to the dining room.
She realized she hadn't eaten in a while.
She had waited all day at City Hall, then woke up in the hospital.
After arguing with Willard, she went to Meadowbrook City.
Then she fainted.
Now, she felt extremely hungry.
"Mr. Torres, your cooking is amazing."
Even a simple bowl of porridge smelled so good.
Ernest took a napkin and wiped the rice off her mouth.
He couldn't help but laugh, "Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."
"And it's not that great."
Anne, cheeks puffed like a hamster, didn't mind Ernest wiping her mouth.
She naturally enjoyed it.
Nodding repeatedly, she said, "It's really good. It reminds me of my grandfather."
Ernest's smile faltered for a moment, but Anne was too focused on eating to notice.
Quinton had been sitting in the stairwell, smoking one cigarette after another.
It had been almost five hours since he sent the recording, but there was no response from Willard.
He asked Gage and received a picture.
Willard was lying in bed, having eaten a few bites.
He seemed okay.
Quinton was puzzled.
If that was the case, what was the point of him staying here?
Besides, if they didn't leave the house, he couldn't monitor what was happening inside.
He might as well go back.
But he didn't dare say it out loud.
Knowing Willard, he was probably scheming something.
At the Armstrong family hospital, someone opened Willard's room door.
Seeing the hope in his eyes quickly extinguish, turning into a dead calm, the visitor spoke, "You didn't think I was Anne, did you?"
Willard didn't even look at him, nor did he respond.
Jerry sat down and handed over a fruit basket he had bought. "I came to see you. Francis couldn't make it, so he sent me to check on you."
Willard glanced at the cheap fruit basket. "The Hammer family is so wealthy, and you can't even afford a premium fruit basket?"
Jerry laughed, "You're taking out your anger on me because you can't on anyone else, huh?"
"Fine, since you're a patient, I'll let it slide."
"I have a wife, and she controls the money. I had to get approval for a premium fruit basket, and my wife said no. This regular one used up all my allowance for the month."
Willard, hearing him mention "wife" so many times, wanted to stuff a dirty sock in his mouth.
Jerry, as if reading his mind, said, "Having a wife is great."
Willard chuckled in exasperation, "Done mocking me? Can you leave now?"
Jerry turned serious for a moment, "Alright, stop being so gloomy. I asked around, and Anne sees Ernest as family, nothing more."
Willard's lips twitched upward slightly.
"But Ernest doesn't see her that way."
Jerry noticed Willard's struggling smile. "It doesn't matter how Ernest feels. What matters is Anne sees him as family."
Willard's smile finally broke through. "They aren't related by blood. Being family like this is closer than any other relationship."
He paused, "Even if they don't get married, and Ernest never confesses, he can always use that reason to stay by Anne's side forever."
"Whose fault is that?"
A simple, direct question made Willard's smile vanish instantly.
Jerry and Francis had different ways of annoying people.
Francis would strike at critical moments, like a quick cut to the throat.
Jerry, on the other hand, was like a slow, painful process, never hitting the vital point but still making you suffer. He immensely enjoyed the process of watching you squirm.
Willard didn't bother arguing, admitting his mistakes. "I'm trying to make up for it."
Jerry nodded, then stood up. "Alright, I can report back now. Take care."
Willard caught a hint of something. "You married well."
Jerry's smile widened, even though Hope wasn't there, his eyes were filled with affection when he mentioned her.
"I'm just lucky to have her as my wife."
Willard knew a bit about Jerry and Hope's love story.
The difference was, Jerry had always been steadfast in his love for Hope, no matter what happened.
But he, despite having a pure and sincere love, had ruined it with his overthinking and self-righteous actions.
Jerry deserved his happiness.
Willard said, "If Mrs. Hammer ever needs anything, just let me know."
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