Chapter 523 With Each Repetition, His Heart Cracked Wider
Francis looked like a ghost, sweat dripping down his face, barely hanging on.
Victor, keeping an eye on the folks tailing them, faked opening the car door and gave Francis a solid shove. Finally, Francis got his stiff legs moving and slid into the car. But the second he got in, he just crumpled onto the seat, couldn't even lean back.
Victor freaked out and slammed the car door shut in a flash, not wanting the tail to catch on.
Back in the driver’s seat, Victor saw Francis struggling to sit up. Just as he was about to help, Francis barked, "Drive!"
Victor froze, then clenched his jaw and started the car.
In the back, Francis tried to prop himself up but ended up coughing up blood.
"Mr. Getty!" Victor hit the brakes, ready to stop.
"Don't stop." Francis, fists clenched, forced out, "Keep driving to Tranquil Haven Retreat."
He had to get back to Tranquil Haven Retreat.
Victor didn’t dare stop without the go-ahead, but he was freaking out, eyes tearing up. "Mr. Getty, we gotta hit the hospital, please."
"No need." Francis, pale as a ghost, shot him down coldly.
The hospital was useless, just painkillers at best. The poison in Francis’s system was so whack even top hospitals couldn’t figure it out, let alone fix it. Soon, he’d need a wheelchair to get around.
Watching his body fall apart day by day helplessly was a burden he had to bear alone. As long as his loved ones could live in peace, that was enough.
When they got to Tranquil Haven Retreat, Victor helped Francis to the door, and Francis waved him off, "Go back."
Victor didn’t want to leave, watching Francis lean against the doorframe, struggling to stand, feeling like his heart was on fire.
To keep his condition under wraps, all the staff at Tranquil Haven Retreat had been let go. In the cold, dark, empty house, not a single light was on. And Francis would be lying there alone, just thinking about it made Victor’s heart ache. Who’d believe someone so rich and powerful lived so miserably?
Victor didn’t get it. Francis was way more capable than those two, and now that they were down, why was he still so cautious?
But knowing Francis, he was definitely cooking up something big, and all Victor could do was follow orders.
Victor sniffled, choking up, "Mr. Getty, let me stay and take care of you."
Francis’s pale face was lit by the moon, making him look even colder, "You go keep an eye on those guys and see what they’re up to!"
After Ryan’s forces got hit, he wouldn’t just let it slide. Now things were heating up, Ryan was getting bolder, openly having people tail them. And Keith, even after getting demoted, still clung to the company. Those two were definitely plotting something, waiting to strike back. Francis couldn’t let his guard down. Because besides Ryan and Keith, there was an even bigger, scarier threat directly endangering Harper’s life.
What Francis had to do next was draw all the heat to himself, so everyone around him wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire. Time was ticking. He had to shove Harper away, no matter what, to keep her safe.
Francis stared into the dark night, eyes blazing with determination. No matter how tough the enemy, he'd take down anyone who dared to mess with Harper before he went down. Even if it meant going down together, he wouldn't flinch!
After finishing his cigarette, Francis crawled back into the big, empty bed, barely covered by a thin sheet. As soon as he shut his eyes, all he could think about was her giving up on him. Every time he thought about it, the crack in his heart widened, the pain so intense it stole his breath.
Serenity Manor.
Jasper stood at the door, suit jacket slung over his arm, ready to head out. He was worried since Harper hadn't come back yet and wanted to go find her.
Just as he was about to step out, Harper walked in.
"You're back?" Jasper glanced at Harper. Even though she had tidied up after getting out of the car, he still noticed the torn corner of her sweater and the faint bruise on her jaw.
Jasper lost it. "Who did this?"
He grabbed Harper's hand, finding it cold. Quickly, he draped his suit jacket over her and helped her to the sofa.
He knew what mattered right now. Once he made sure Harper was okay, he'd definitely get payback. Whoever messed with Harper was gonna pay!
Jasper knelt in front of Harper and asked, "You hurt anywhere?"
Harper's eyes were empty, lifeless, and she asked in a near-whisper, "Jasper, tell me, he was willing to risk his life for me, so why doesn't he want me in the end?"
Jasper's throat tightened, his voice rough, "That guy's an idiot."
Harper's heart ached like hell. Letting go didn't mean she was over it; her pride and upbringing just wouldn't let her keep going like that.
"Jasper..." Harper leaned her head on Jasper's shoulder and suddenly broke down, "The Francis who treated me so well before is really gone."
As an adult, Harper rarely cried like this. It wasn't the quiet, suppressed kind of tears; it was a full-on emotional meltdown, crying loudly without caring about her image.
Maybe because Jasper and Clayton were her family, they were always her safe havens. Harper didn't need to keep up any image in front of them.
Seeing Harper cry like this, Jasper felt so heartbroken and helpless, he could only pat her back with trembling hands, trying to comfort her.
When Harper was little, she was always so thoughtful, always bringing Jasper a share of any good food or gifts. Later, she got lost, becoming an unspoken pain in his heart. But luckily, after they reunited, they were still as close as before, no barriers between them. That kind of close sibling bond made it seem like they had never been apart.
He had only one sister, and he had sworn with Clayton to take care of Harper for life, but now he had broken that promise; he hadn't taken good care of her.
Jasper's throat tightened, his voice a bit hoarse, "Harper, you still have me and Dad, and Mom's waiting to see you."
Harper cried for a long time, and after letting it all out, she felt a lot better. She took a deep breath and turned to comfort him, "Jasper, I'm good now. I'll get back to work tomorrow."
Jasper frowned, "No need to rush, your health..."
"My health is fine, Jasper. There's something else I need to tell you."
"Go ahead."
Harper paused, placing a hand over her lower abdomen, and said slowly, "I've decided to keep the babies. In five months, I'll go abroad to give birth."
She had already planned to work overtime to wrap up the studio's projects and then hand everything over to the local manager. Since her figure wasn't showing much yet, and with the weather getting colder, she could wear thicker clothes to hide her pregnancy.
As for going abroad to give birth, Harper didn't want any more ties with the Getty family because of the unborn child. With her skills and family background, she could provide a great life for them, so no worries there.
Why keep the baby? Partly for Agnes, partly because Elodie hadn't been found yet, and she didn't want to harm the little lives.
More importantly, she wanted to keep the twins she had with the men she loved.
Jasper's throat tightened, and he agreed, "If you want to have the babies, then have them. Our family can support them."
Jasper loved her dearly and always backed Harper's decisions unconditionally. Plus, he wasn't keen on Harper having an abortion. Both childbirth and abortion were tough on the body, but abortion was more harmful. Better to have the babies, and the Murphy family could have more members.
Jasper patted Harper's hand and comforted her, "But it means you'll have to go through a lot again."
Harper thought for a moment and reminded him, "Dad's health isn't great, so let's not tell him about this yet. I'll explain it to him in person when I go over in a couple of months."
Jasper nodded, "Okay, I'll listen to you."
Seeing that Harper was emotionally stable and much more rational now, he stood up and said, "You should rest well. Wait a couple of days before going to the studio. Jessica is keeping an eye on things there, so it's fine. I'll head back now."
Harper stood up and called out to him, "Jasper."
Jasper paused and turned to her. Harper continued, "There's one more thing you need to promise me."
"What is it?"
"Francis didn't do this to me today. We just had a disagreement. Don't go looking for trouble with him."
Jasper's throat tightened again, surprised that Harper had seen through his intentions. He lifted his eyelids and calmly said, "I won't go."
"No, you have to promise me."
Harper knew Jasper too well. He couldn't wait a moment longer. The reason he was in such a hurry to leave now was probably to go find Francis.
"Harper..." Jasper struggled, not wanting to agree.
"Jasper, I don't want to have any more ties with him in the future. Let's just be strangers. But he is still the father of my children, and I don't want Agnes and the others to know that their father and you had unpleasant experiences."
In the future, when the kids were older, she'd tell them who their father was. Whether they wanted to meet him and his family, she'd respect their decision.
Jasper's clenched fist finally relaxed, and he gritted his teeth, "Fine, I promise you, I won't look for trouble with him."
Harper took a short nap.
Since Francis's fall into the sea and the explosion, she hadn't had a good night's sleep. She'd often wake up in the middle of the night with a sudden, sharp pain in her heart, and the overwhelming sense of desolation made it hard for her to fall back asleep. Over time, her sleep quality had gone downhill.
But last night, maybe because she finally let go, her dreams were free of those chaotic images. She didn't sleep long, but at least she didn't wake up in the middle of the night.
After freshening up, Harper took Zoey to drop Agnes off at kindergarten. Today was Agnes's last half-day at kindergarten, and she wanted to say goodbye to her friends.
Because of the previous scare, Harper felt uneasy. Now that she was pregnant, low on energy, and still juggling the studio's affairs, she was afraid a moment of negligence could put Agnes in danger again. So, Harper planned to send Agnes and Zoey to stay with Clayton ahead of time. In two months, she'd join them abroad, and they'd be reunited soon.
At the airport, Agnes's eyes were red, as she didn't want to leave Harper.
Harper's heart ached too. If she could, she wouldn't want Agnes to leave her side for even a second. But the studio still had a lot of loose ends, and she had to tie them up before she could go.
Harper squatted down, hugged Agnes, and said softly, "Agnes, be good and keep Grandpa company for me. He always says how much he misses you."
Agnes had been in Northfield for a while and missed Clayton too. With red eyes, Agnes nodded, "Mommy, take care of yourself, eat on time, and sleep on time."
At the moment of parting, Harper hugged Agnes tightly again, feeling countless pangs of reluctance. "Be good, listen to Zoey and Isla on the way, okay?"
Agnes nodded obediently and, to avoid making Harper worry, put on a bright smile and skipped ahead with Zoey.
Harper reminded Isla, "Isla, I'm counting on you to take care of Agnes and Zoey. My dad's bodyguards are already at the airport. Make sure Agnes gets to them safely before you come back."
"Don't worry, Ms. Murphy, I'll make sure Agnes gets there safely." Isla added, "But Ms. Murphy, you need to be careful in Northfield."
"It's fine, Ronald is with me."
After they boarded the plane, Harper got into the car and headed back to the studio. On the highway, watching the cityscape fade and the plane ascend, Harper realized she had to be strong. Soon, she'd have three kids to take care of, and she couldn't afford to be weak anymore.
Back at the studio, after working non-stop for five days, Harper was finally forced by Jasper to rest at home due to feeling unwell. After a day of rest, she felt much better. When she got up to go to the bathroom, she noticed a gray soap on the sink and paused.
She opened the drawer and checked the cabinet, realizing that Francis had left so many things behind.
When Francis had said he wanted to stay here, he had started sneaking his things in bit by bit, leaving traces of himself everywhere Harper could see. She spent half a day thoroughly sorting everything out. She packed all of Francis's belongings into boxes and asked her assistant to arrange for a courier.
Harper addressed the package to Victor. When Victor saw the four large boxes at the company reception, he was momentarily stunned.
Fortunately, Harper had texted Victor to let him know.
Harper: [These are items Mr. Getty left behind. I can't handle them, so please take them.]
The message was distant and formal.
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