CHAPTER 124
Arianna observed Charlie discreetly and let out a silent sigh.
The notion of a 'protective husband' was nothing but a fabrication she concocted to intimidate Simon and Margaret.
She had enlisted about ten robust men from a security firm specifically for this scenario.
If she hadn't manipulated her parents, Arianna would have struggled to rescue Charlie from their grasp and gain custody over him.
In hindsight, she found the whole situation almost comical.
A self-deprecating smile involuntarily formed on her lips.
Despite this, she had always portrayed the role of a loving wife in front of Charlie, so she persisted with her little white lie.
"I was contemplating the importance of caution... People can resort to extreme measures when pushed to their limits."
"You're correct." Charlie had complete faith in Arianna and never questioned her statements.
As the car drove away and the Johnson residence vanished from sight, Charlie suddenly spoke in a deep, husky voice.
"Ari...We no longer have a home."
Arianna felt a pang of sadness in her heart.
Even though they emerged victorious in the conflict, she found no joy in winning if Charlie wasn't content.
Charlie and Arianna were now without a home.
...........
A sleek black car pulled up in front of the Johnson residence.
John sat inside, watching as Arianna and Charlie's car departed. A mischievous grin appeared on his face as he turned to the man seated across from him in the back.
"You arrived here swiftly without revealing yourself and strategically placed my associates among the bodyguards Arianna hired for protection. Tell me, Xander! Do you have feelings for Arianna or not?"
Just as John anticipated Xander’s handsome expression was unfathomable, and he did not respond.
Just as John thought that Xander was going to remain silent forever, the man finally spoke up, but without answering the question.
“What do you think Arianna would do if she knew that I can’t bear to part with her?”
John charmingly lit a cigarette and said in a sharp, cold tone,
"That hesitation will once again be a weapon Arianna can use against you. Who knows if she will one day use that weapon to stab you in the back like she did two years ago?”
Two years ago…
Xander's hand slowly tightened into a fist, causing the veins on the back of his hand to subtly bulge, tracing a network of faint blue lines under his skin.
"If you were in my shoes, what course of action would you take?"
John inhaled and blew out a puff of smoke. His voice became colder,
“Get rid of her. You shouldn’t have let her off the hook so easily, two years ago.”
He lowered the car window, flicked off some ash, then added without haste, “If you can’t bring yourself to do it, I can do it for you. I guarantee it’ll be clean, and there will no longer be any trouble again.”
Xander laughed.
John frowned. “What are you laughing at?”
“Hmm.... then why dont i see you getting rid of Rochelle?”
Xander’s voice was quiet, yet each word pierced John’s heart like a dagger.
“Rochelle isn’t any better than Arianna. After all, she killed one of your children.”
A trace of embarrassment appeared on John ’s ever-indifferent expression.
Xander looked out of the car window.
They were only able to make fun of each other because they were both in the same predicament.
...
Charlie was likely triggered by everything that happened, because when he returned to the hospital, he suffered a sudden heart attack and was urgently taken into the operating room.
Five minutes later, the doctor emerged and said in a grave tone,
"Ms. Johnson, we require your signature on this urgent medical notice."
Notice of a medical crisis…
Arianna stared blankly at the thin sheet of paper, struggling to grasp its significance as if her ability to understand had vanished.
Charlie had finally escaped their parents' grip, just starting to taste his newfound freedom. He only needed to care for his health and wait for a suitable heart for the operation that would allow him to lead a normal life.
Why was God so cruel and ruthless? Why was Charlie being taken away so soon?
The doctor saw Arianna's pale face and couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow. However, he was accustomed to the cycles of life and death. In a mechanical tone, he urged, "Please sign it quickly, Ms. Johnson. We’ll do our best."
Notice of a medical crisis...
Arianna clutched the doctor's hand tightly, looking at him with desperation, as if he held her last hope. Her voice trembled as she pleaded,
"Doctor, please save Charlie. He's so young. He can't die."
Having already lost her parents and her home, Arianna couldn't bear to lose Corey too.
The doctor's reply was steady and reassuring,
"We'll do everything we can."
Arianna's hands shook as she signed her name on the document. Each stroke of the pen seemed to take an eternity, her grip so tight that the pen nearly tore through the paper on the final stroke.
Tears welled up in Arianna's eyes as she watched the doctor take the paper from her trembling hands. With a heavy heart, she turned and made her way back to the operating room. The door closed slowly behind her, and the red light above it flickered on.
She stood there, rooted to the spot, her gaze fixed on the closed door. Her eyes remained wide open, unblinking, as if she feared missing even the slightest detail.
Every passing moment felt like an eternity as Arianna waited anxiously outside the room where Charlie's life hung in the balance.
