Chapter 215 Last Words
"Seb, Emily loves you just as much as Isabella did. Can't you just..."
"No way!" Seb stood up. " Do you have to keep her here?"
Zoe hesitated for a moment and said, "What if I say yes?"
"Jack, pack up! We're moving out."
"Seb!" Zoe trembled with anger.
Seb remained resolute. "If you insist on keeping her, then I will leave."
With that, Seb went upstairs. He had only taken a couple of steps when he heard Emily's startled cry from behind, "Zoe!"
"Zoe has been consumed by anxiety and hasn’t shown any improvement despite taking medication." Marvin said gravely. "Mr. Landon, you must brace yourself."
Seb's body shook, and he stumbled back a couple of steps. "Zoe has always been healthy. How could this happen so suddenly...?"
Emily said, "Ever since your accident, Zoe has suffered several blows. Seb, you have no idea that while you were in agony over Isabella, Zoe was in a lot of pain too!"
Seb pressed his lips together, his face turning pale.
Zoe never recovered from her illness.
As Zoe's condition worsened day by day, Seb's anxiety reached its peak.
That night, Emily suddenly knocked urgently on his door."Seb, Zoe is not going to make it. She wants to see you one last time!"
When Seb rushed to the side of the bed, Zoe was barely hanging on. "Seb."
"Grandma!" Seb knelt by the bed, holding Zoe's wrinkled hand, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Seb, I think I have to go. I won't be able to take care of you anymore."
Seb shook his head but couldn't say a word.
"Emily," Zoe called.
"Zoe." Emily walked over.
Zoe took her hand and placed it on Seb's hand.
"Seb, do you understand what I mean?"
Seb lowered his head and remained silent.
Emily cried, "Zoe, don't say that. You will definitely get better."
"Seb." Zoe tried to sit up, but even a slight movement exhausted her.
Zoe struggled, her face ashen, but she held on, waiting for Seb's response.
"How ungrateful!" A voice suddenly scolded from the doorway. Charles and Emma walked in.
"Zoe!" Emma cried out.
Charles stood by the bed, looking at Zoe. "Mom, don't worry. Seb is my son. Since I neglected to discipline him when he was young, which led to his current behavior, I will take good care of him. I heard your last wish. Don't worry! I will handle their marriage."
Zoe nodded, finally exhaling her last breath and closing her eyes.
"Mom!"
"Zoe!"
The room was filled with cries of sorrow.
Seb knelt on the ground, feeling as if he were in an ice cellar, his whole body cold.
A thunderclap roared. Isabella woke up from her dream, instinctively hugging the child in her arms. But her hands only grasped a cold piece of clothing.
Isabella sat up abruptly, realizing that the child who had been lying in her arms was gone.
Another thunderclap flashed outside the window.
Such thunder was rare in winter.
The room was dark, and when the lightning briefly illuminated the room, Isabella saw someone sitting on the sofa.
She stumbled over. "Leo, where is my child?"
Leo stood up, walked to her, and reached out to hug her.
Isabella pushed him away forcefully. "Give me back my child!"
"Isabella!" Leo hugged her again.
This time, he held her tightly.
No matter how much Isabella struggled, he didn't let go.
"Isabella, come with me, I'll take you away, okay?"
"We'll go abroad and find a secluded place to live, just you and me, okay?"
Isabella smelled the alcohol on him and said coldly, "Are you crazy?"
"Yes, I am crazy!" Leo gripped her shoulders, looking down at Isabella. "Isabella, come with me. I will treat you well!"
"Leo, I will never go with you, even if I die!"
"What about the child?" Leo said, "Don't you care if the child lives or dies?"
Isabella froze, tears welling up in her eyes. "Leo, the child is innocent. She's so young. How can you be so heartless? I'm begging you, give me back my child. You can lock me up for as long as you want and I promise I won't escape. I just want my child, okay?"
Leo gritted his teeth."Would you do anything for the child?"
Isabella nodded without hesitation. "I would!"
"What if I asked you to marry me?"
Isabella froze, tears streaming down her face. "What did you say?"
Leo held her shoulders, enunciating each word. "Marry me. I promise the child will be fine. Would you agree to that?"
Isabella shook her head.
"You won't?" Leo's eyes darkened, and his hands that were on Isabella's shoulders gradually loosened.
He took a few steps back. "If that's the case, then I can't guarantee anything."
With that, Leo walked away decisively.
Isabella felt a void in her heart. Without thinking, she reached out and grabbed Leo's wrist.
Leo stopped and looked back at her.
Isabella's face was tear-streaked, and her eyes were filled with obvious conflict. "If we get married, will the child come back to me?"
Leo shook his head. "The child is with Charles. Isabella, he wants us to do this. You have no choice, and neither do I. You're right, I'm just a tool he's using to get back at Seb, and so are you. Charles has gone mad with revenge. If we don't do as he says, I'm afraid you'll never see the child again in this lifetime!"
Isabella cried uncontrollably.
Before she had seen Sweetie, she might have been able to die without hesitation.
But these past few days, her heart had been softened by Sweetie lying in her arms every day.
Now, just thinking about Sweetie made her heart ache.
Isabella understood why they had returned the child to her for a few days.
They knew that as long as she was attached to Sweetie, she would obediently comply.
Leo hugged her, his arms tight around Isabella's shoulders. "Isabella, let's get married. I will get the Anderson group, and you can protect your child. We each get what we need."
Isabella closed her eyes in despair and finally nodded.
A flash of joy appeared in Leo's eyes. "You agree?"
Tears streamed down Isabella's face as she grabbed Leo's hand. "Leo, don't hurt the child. She's still so young."
Leo hugged her again. "Don't worry! Charles promised me that as long as we get married and you sever ties with Seb, after two years, he will return the child to you."
