Chapter 214 Five Hundred Million Black Card in Exchange for Seeing You Once

Chapter 214 Five Hundred Million Black Card in Exchange for Seeing You Once

Sloane's POV

I looked at the cold-blooded old man in front of me, feeling both ridiculous and sad.

His own son was lying inside, life hanging in the balance, yet he still had the mind to stand here scheming with me over these things.

I pulled open the zipper of my handbag and dug out from the innermost compartment the black card Jared had given me, the one with five hundred million dollars on it.

I stepped forward and held the card right up to his face.

"Here's that five hundred million. Haven't touched a cent." I stared straight into his cloudy eyes, my voice hoarse but unusually firm, even though my fingertips were trembling slightly. "I'm returning the money to the Rex family to buy the right to see him once. Is that enough?"

Aeneas looked at the black card, stunned for a moment, then the mockery on his face deepened. "You think returning the money can wash away that poor smell on you..."

"Enough! Aeneas, have you no shame!"

A clear, angry female voice suddenly came from the other end of the hallway.

Hannah strode over in her high heels and pulled me behind her.

With red-rimmed eyes, she pointed right at Aeneas's nose and let loose.

She didn't care at all that this person was her father—she was clearly furious.

"Stop twisting the truth! It wasn't Sloane who clung desperately to Jared—it was Jared who refused to divorce! That five hundred million was compensation he forced on Sloane, and for the past six months, he's been the one stuck like a band-aid, chasing after Sloane every day begging to get back together! You really think the Rex family's threshold is so high? Sloane doesn't care about it at all!"

This merciless exposure made Aeneas's well-maintained old face instantly turn the color of liver.

He trembled with rage, his finger shaking as he pointed at Hannah. "You... you unfilial daughter!"

"What about me? I'm telling the truth!" Hannah snorted coldly, her presence overwhelming. "Jared's lying in there right now—you know perfectly well who caused it! If you keep blocking Sloane, when Jared wakes up, you'll be the first one he won't forgive!"

Aeneas was left speechless, and the strange looks from the surrounding bodyguards made him feel even more humiliated.

He glared at me viciously, ground out "ungrateful" through clenched teeth, then left in a huff with his cane and a few of his trusted men.

Watching the old man's figure disappear at the elevator, my taut nerves finally snapped, and my legs went weak—I nearly collapsed to the floor.

"Sloane!" Hannah quickly steadied me, her eyes reddening too. "Come on, I'll take you in."

Passing through two heavy glass doors, we finally arrived outside the intensive care unit.

However, through the large transparent glass window, I saw someone who absolutely shouldn't be there.

Belle Valden.

She was wearing that red deep-V dress from the news photos, though the hem was dusty and she looked a bit disheveled. At that moment, she was sitting by Jared's bed, holding a warm towel, gently wiping his face.

My steps came to an abrupt halt, and a sharp sourness and displeasure instantly spread from the bottom of my heart, stinging so much that even breathing hurt. That position should have been mine.

Seeming to sense movement outside the door, Belle turned her head.

Seeing me, not only did she show no panic at being caught, she actually put down the towel and walked out calmly.

She looked me up and down, taking in my travel-worn, disheveled appearance, a hint of secret satisfaction flashing in her eyes.

"Sloane, long time no see." Belle lifted her chin slightly, her tone carrying the attitude of a mistress of the house. "I'm sorry you had to see those gossip stories, but last night's attack happened so suddenly. If Jared hadn't thrown himself over to block that bullet for me, the person lying in there might have been me. He risked his life to save me—I really can't bear to leave. I have to stay here and take care of him personally."

Her words were like a poisoned needle, stabbing viciously into my soft spot.

Block a bullet for her? Risk his life to save her? I stared at her hard, my nails digging deep into my palms, forcing down the jealousy and pain churning in my heart.

"Stop being so full of yourself!" Hannah was so angry she could explode. She immediately stepped forward to shield me. "What kind of person is Jared—you think we don't know? He has so many bodyguards around him—does he need to personally block bullets for you? More likely you were a burden who held him back and caused him to get hurt! I'm warning you, Jared and Sloane are about to remarry. This has nothing to do with you—get lost!"

Facing Hannah's fury, Belle just laughed contemptuously.

She smoothed her slightly messy curls, looked at me with a challenging gaze, her tone light and airy. "Remarry? So you're saying that legally, they're still single men and women with no relationship, right?"

She stepped closer, speaking in a voice only the three of us could hear, enunciating each word: "Since everyone's single, why can't I compete? He was willing to risk his life for me—that proves I have a place in his heart. Sloane, may the best woman win."

With that, she didn't even spare another glance at the furious Hannah. She picked up her limited-edition handbag and left the hallway in her high heels, elegant and composed.

"Ugh! What trash! Really thinks she's something special!" Hannah watched Belle's retreating figure, stamping her feet in anger, then turned to me indignantly. "Sloane, don't listen to her nonsense. Jared only has you in his heart. That two-faced bitch is just trying to disgust you on purpose!"

I didn't speak.

At this moment, I had no mind to deal with Belle's provocation, much less argue about status and winning or losing.

I walked past Hannah and pushed open the door to the hospital room with trembling hands.

The pungent smell of medicine hit me in the face. I walked step by step to the bedside, looking at the man who had once been so arrogant.

He lay there quietly, his face pale as paper, his body covered with all kinds of cold medical tubes and wires.

The weak wavelike line on the heart monitor was his only sign of life at the moment.

My eyes welled up, and tears finally fell without warning.

I walked step by step to the bedside, my legs heavy as if filled with lead.

The pungent smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils, and the beeping of the heart monitor sounded particularly harsh in this deathly quiet space.

I reached out with trembling hands and gently covered Jared's hand, the one with the IV needle in it.

His hand was very cold, no longer holding the burning warmth it had when it used to wrap tightly around mine.

"Jared..." As soon as I opened my mouth, tears fell in large drops onto the back of his hand. "You liar, you clearly promised me you'd be fine."

He lay there quietly, eyes tightly closed, his thick lashes casting a shadow in his eye sockets, completely unresponsive to my tears.

I pressed his hand against my cheek, feeling his weak pulse, my heart aching so much it felt like it would split open. "Please wake up, okay?"