Chapter 209 Let's Get Remarried
At the café adjacent to the hospital, Abigail appeared drained and weary. Once seated, she mustered a faint smile. "Harper, I appreciate you looking after Francis. The doctor mentioned he's on the mend."
"It's the least I could do," Harper responded.
Noting the thermos Harper had placed on the table, Abigail inquired, "Is that for Francis?"
Harper confirmed with a nod.
Abigail held Harper's hand briefly, her emotions mixed. "I can see you've put a lot of thought into this."
Harper pulled her hand back and smiled faintly. "Let's get to the point."
Abigail sighed, a wry grin tugging at her lips. "Harper, word has it you didn't ask for a dime in the divorce."
"True, didn't feel right taking what wasn't rightfully mine," Harper affirmed.
Pausing, Abigail retrieved a check from her bag, sliding it across the table. "Harper, I hold you in high regard. You're a genuine soul. Consider this a gesture of appreciation; please accept it. And..."
Abigail broached the core matter. "Given your divorce, perhaps it's best for you to part ways. What are your thoughts?"
Eyeing the substantial sum on the check—three million dollars—Harper grinned. "I intended to have a heart-to-heart with him once he's fully recovered."
Harper's considerate response left Abigail momentarily speechless. Though she held a genuine fondness for Harper, when it came to matters of life and death, no one would place their children second.
That day, after Ryan had left the hospital, his words stuck in her mind like a nail. "That woman will be the death of your son one day." These words haunted her, giving her nightmares for several nights.
No one wanted to be the bad guy if they could help it. Abigail's face looked troubled as she explained, "Francis carries the entire company on his shoulders. I can't let a woman sway him. Can you understand that?"
"Don't stress, I'm bowing out. This check isn't necessary. I didn't ask for anything then, and I won't start now," Harper reassured.
She then presented a box from her bag and handed it to Abigail. "Here's the bracelet. It's yours now."
Abigail appeared uneasy. "It was meant for you; there's no need to return it. Please, keep it."
Harper shook her head. "Its worth exceeds my possession."
Rising from her seat, Harper slid the thermos in Abigail's direction. "Please take this to him. I have to head out."
As Harper departed, Abigail observed her exit, heaved a deep sigh, then stood. After contemplating for a moment, she discarded the thermos into the trash, hoping this marked the closure between them.
At the hospital, Francis had just finished a video conference and picked up his phone.
They hadn't seen each other for half a day, and he missed her terribly. As soon as he stopped working, his mind was filled with thoughts of Harper—playful, alluring Harper. He felt like he was going crazy, unable to stand being away from her for even a second.
His phone vibrated, and he quickly picked it up. It was Victor, calling to discuss the discharge procedures for tomorrow.
The doctor had advised him to rest for a few more days, but he had too much work to handle from the hospital room. He had been thinking about being discharged but was afraid Harper wouldn't come to see him if he lost the excuse of being in the hospital, so he stayed an extra day.
He opened a drawer, took out a ring box, and stared at the ring inside. It was the ring Harper had thrown at him, which Victor had picked up and returned to him. He thought that when Harper came over tonight, he could tell her the story of this ring.
He glanced at the clock; it was already past 8:30 p.m., and he worried about Harper's safety coming here.
He called her to ask where she was, but her phone was busy. He frowned and was about to call again when the door opened.
Abigail walked in, carrying a fancy food box. "Francis, I brought your favorite."
Francis had no appetite and said indifferently, "Just put it on the table."
"You need this to recover," Abigail insisted, trying to serve him some oatmeal.
Francis frowned and suddenly noticed the bracelet on Abigail's wrist. He grabbed her wrist, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Mom, why do you have this bracelet?"
Abigail was stunned for a moment, then said, "Harper returned it to me today. I told her not to, but she said you two are divorced. I think she doesn't want to keep it since it's yours."
Instantly, Francis's face darkened.
Abigail gently put down the bowl and advised, "I think Harper has moved on and is ready to start over. You should learn from her. The burden of Getty Group is still on your shoulders. The market isn't what it used to be; it's hard for us to dominate alone. So, the next time you choose a wife, marry one with a prominent family and decent character."
Abigail now strongly supported business marriages. She believed that even if a couple had no feelings, they could have a child to fulfill their duty and consolidate family interests.
Whenever she thought of Francis lying in the ICU, her heart ached, accompanied by dizziness and tinnitus. As a mother, she put her son's life first. Even if it meant she had to be a bad mom, she accepted it.
Abigail continued, "The girl from the Sullivan family is actually quite suitable, but you don't like her. There's no rush; we can take our time."
Francis didn't hear a word. He carefully recalled every detail of Harper's departure today, not sensing anything unusual. How could this happen? He thought she wasn't replying because she was busy with classes and would definitely see him tonight. But she was more heartless than he had imagined.
Abigail was still talking, but Francis suddenly got up from the bed, coughing several times from the sudden movement.
Abigail panicked and reached out to support him. "Francis, what are you doing?"
But before she could touch him, Francis had already grabbed his coat and left.
Abigail sat down, and then took out her phone to send a text to Harper.
Harper stared at Abigail's text for a long time. Finally, she replied: [I understand.]
Abigail said Francis was coming to see her and begged her to make him give up. Harper couldn't find a word to describe her feelings at that moment. When Abigail protected her before, she was really touched because she had lost her mother at a young age and had never experienced maternal care. Therefore, at that time, she felt Abigail was her mother.
Abigail might have genuinely liked her, but for the sake of her son's safety, she had to force them to break up. Harper didn't blame her; she just envied Francis for having a mother who loved him wholeheartedly. Unlike her, alone in this world, with no one caring about her left.
The doorbell rang. The door opened, and Francis stood at the entrance. They looked at each other without a word.
After a while, Francis broke the silence. "You didn't come to see me, so I brought myself to you," he said in a hoarse voice, pretending nothing had happened. He pretended not to see Harper returning the bracelet, and pretended that their relationship was still in the passionate state of the previous night's intimacy.
Harper's hand tightened at her side, and she said coldly, "Francis."
But Francis didn't let her speak, cutting her off. "Let's get remarried."
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