Chapter 349: Just a Glimpse, and It Shook His Mind
How could Margaret, the Margaret he once knew, look at him like that?
Raymond had seen disgust and rejection in people's eyes before, but this was different. It felt like a bee sting straight to his heart.
The hand he held in his palm struggled fiercely.
Raymond tightened his grip, refusing to let go.
It was almost laughable. All her energy now was focused on hurting him.
Margaret wore an oxygen mask over her mouth and nose.
Her dry, chapped lips moved with difficulty.
Her voice was faint, barely audible, accompanied by a cough.
A layer of mist formed on the mask's surface.
Her eyes were filled with urgency. To Raymond, the current Margaret was like a bird eager to spread its wings and fly, unwilling to stay in this old cage for even a moment longer.
Raymond's eyes narrowed, filled with loss and hurt. He couldn't quite make out what she was saying.
But judging by her lip movements, it wasn't anything good.
Either insults or divorce.
Raymond felt a deep sense of oppression, but seeing Margaret lying on the hospital bed, covered in medical equipment, his heart ached with a mix of despair and tenderness. He reached out with his bandaged hand to wipe her tears.
The tears quickly soaked into the bandage.
Margaret turned her face away, not wanting his touch.
Raymond pressed his lips together. She wouldn't even let him wipe her tears now.
But he still turned her face back to look at him.
"I'll keep my promise. We can get a divorce, but I have one condition," Raymond's voice choked.
Margaret's lifeless eyes suddenly lit up. Clearly, she was interested in what Raymond had to say next.
Raymond felt even heavier. He hadn't expected that only the topic of divorce could attract her attention now.
"You have to cooperate with the doctors for treatment and undergo surgery. I've already found a matching liver for you, and the chances of success are high."
Margaret was momentarily dazed by Raymond's serious expression.
His hand, holding hers, was broad and warm.
There was a thin layer of callus on his fingertips.
Once, when he held her hand like this, she felt safe and secure.
But now, everything had changed.
Margaret had once longed for his concern, for him to care about her health and find ways to treat her, like any loving husband would.
She never got that.
Now, as they were about to part, she finally did.
But this belated affection, she no longer needed.
She had lost interest in living.
Living alone and in pain was exhausting and draining.
Even if she cured the cancer, it would only reduce her physical pain, while the emptiness in her heart, caused by her parents' death, would remain forever unhealed.
She thought her best path was to reunite with her parents in heaven.
The three of them couldn't be together in life.
In death, they should be together.
Margaret was about to refuse.
She wanted to say, Raymond, don't waste your efforts.
But before she could speak, he interrupted her: "Don't be in a hurry to refuse, Margaret. This is my only condition. If you want a divorce, you have to do as I say. Otherwise, you'll remain my wife until you die."
Margaret swallowed her words.
Yes, if they didn't divorce, she would die as Raymond's wife.
She didn't want to be buried with him or enter the Howard family lineage.
Margaret wanted a clean break from Raymond, with no ties left.
"Margaret, you know how stubborn I am. When I set my mind to something, no one can change it. I don't want to force you into treatment because I want to respect your wishes."
"But if you don't listen to me, I won't agree to the divorce, and you'll still have to undergo the surgery. Think carefully about your choice."
Margaret's eyes widened.
Her eyes were dry.
She stared at Raymond without blinking. He was still so handsome and mature.
The simple black coat he wore looked high-end on him, like he was a walking clothes rack.
He had a noble air, with none of the awkwardness from when they first met.
Margaret scoffed, her nose tingling, and tears welled up again.
Another threat.
Yes, she was just a cancer patient now, and in the late stages.
If she angered Raymond, she really couldn't fight back.
She was still at his mercy.
It was laughable. When her parents were alive, she was controlled by Raymond. Now that they were gone, she still couldn't escape the same fate.
"Margaret, nod if you agree to my condition." Raymond patiently wiped her tears and spoke to her.
How could she not agree? She had no choice.
Margaret nodded.
Raymond saw her agreement to treatment, just as he had calculated. He felt both joy and sorrow. Joy that she finally stopped resisting and was willing to seek treatment.
Sorrow that their marriage was ending.
But it didn't matter. He would find another way to stay with her forever.
"Divorce first, then treatment."
Margaret wrote this on his palm.
Raymond scoffed. Once, she trusted him so much.
Now, it had come to this.
Raymond felt a mix of emotions: "Fine. Tomorrow morning, we'll get the divorce. I'll go back to Silverbrook to get the necessary documents. You wait at the hospital."
Margaret said nothing, nor did she try to stop him.
As Raymond was about to leave, he looked at her pale face: "If you cause any more trouble and don't cooperate with the doctors, Margaret, I won't do anything to you, but I can take it out on Daniel."
Margaret looked at him nervously and shook her head.
Raymond turned and left. It was laughable. She was more worried about Daniel now than she was about him.
He drove through the night to get the necessary documents.
Technically, they should handle it in Silverbrook.
But Margaret's health couldn't handle the travel.
So he got the documents and planned to handle it in Everpeak Mountain City.
Raymond got the documents and drove back through the night, arriving just in time for 8 AM the next morning.
He returned to the hospital and ran into Alvin in the hallway.
"Did Margaret cause any trouble yesterday?" Raymond asked.
Alvin replied, "No, she didn't. Mrs. Howard has been very calm since you left. The nurses said she seemed like a different person."
"Did Margaret have breakfast?"
"She's eating now."
As they spoke, Raymond and Alvin entered the hospital room one after the other.
They saw Margaret stuffing a sandwich into her mouth in large bites.
A bowl of porridge sat beside her.
She was eating quickly, as if racing against time.
The oxygen mask had been removed.
She wore a hospital gown, but her face had a light touch of makeup, making her look quite pretty and much more spirited. Raymond saw her and was reminded of the first time they met in their freshman year.
Bright, charming, and dazzling.
Just a fleeting glance had shaken his heart.
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