Chapter 119
Even with his small share of life, Black had seen enough idiots, yet none of them could compare to this Arthur—he couldn't even see through such a childish setup.
"Maybe you should just donate those useless eyes of yours to someone who could actually use them! Moron!" he mocked.
"What did you just say?" Arthur's voice dropped dangerously.
Blake's eyes widened in exaggerated innocence. "I didn't say anything! What kind of CEO hallucinates like this? Are you really trying to blame me now? You're both old AND shameless!"
Arthur's cold gaze shifted to Caroline. "So this is why you want a divorce? For him?"
Heidi chimed in with fragile vulnerability. "Caroline, I never thought you could be so shallow. How would you explain to Layla and Logan?"
Blake glanced between Arthur and Heidi, then back to Caroline, curiosity practically radiating from him.
What a twisted circle!
Rich people games were something else entirely!
A brother-in-law hooking up with his wife's sister, and now they had the nerve to judge her? Complete madness!
Always blunt, Blake had zero filter. He pointed directly at Heidi, his words sharp as knives.
"What right do you have to act superior, you homewrecker? Fighting over Caroline's leftovers like they're some prize—you're all facade and no substance. You think you've won something valuable? Ha!"
His words fired like a machine gun, lips barely keeping pace with his thoughts.
Arthur ignored him completely, focusing on Caroline. "Heidi worked tirelessly for Mr. Peterson's project. He finally agreed to dinner, only to be drugged in what was clearly a setup."
"You never come to places like this, yet you appear precisely when Mr. Peterson is compromised. Don't you owe us an explanation?"
Always the same accusation—that she was somehow behind everything.
Caroline felt a sudden wave of sadness.
You can't wake someone pretending to sleep. And you can't make someone trust you when they're determined to believe the worst.
"Mr. Windsor, if you have evidence, take legal action. This public spectacle is beneath you."
At last, she saw Arthur clearly—the man she'd loved for seven years.
This was the end.
Without another word, she grabbed Blake's arm and headed straight for the back exit.
Perfect timing—the laboratory car had just pulled up.
Once inside, Blake looked around curiously.
"What kind of car is this? I don't think I've seen one like it before."
He was certain he'd glimpsed some sort of laboratory insignia.
Caroline kept her expression neutral. "It belongs to a friend of mine."
This was the laboratory's vehicle—of course it looked different.
She glanced at the time: 7:00 PM. She had one hour left.
---
By the time they reached the hospital, it was 7:20.
Caroline went directly to her grandmother's room.
On the bed, Marsha lay perfectly still, eyes closed.
Caroline's lips trembled as she took her grandmother's hand. "Grandma, I've come to see you," she whispered.
Blake froze in the doorway, unable to move.
For reasons he couldn't explain, the sight of the elderly woman made his throat tighten and his eyes burn.
It was as if he was seeing his own grandmother, though he could barely remember her face anymore.
He wanted to approach but found himself paralyzed by an inexplicable fear. He retreated to the doorway, his thoughts in turmoil.
Caroline spoke softly to her grandmother, sharing stories from her childhood mischief to her marriage into the Windsor family. Words flowed endlessly, as if she couldn't stop them.
"I don't know when you'll wake up, Grandma. I wish I could stay by your side, but I have to go somewhere very far away. I might not be able to return for a long time."
"Please take care of yourself while I'm gone."
At 7:55, Caroline left the room.
She didn't see the tears that slipped from her grandmother's closed eyes as she turned away.
Blake wasn't waiting in the hall, but Caroline had no time to search for him. She left a note and boarded the laboratory car.
With only minutes remaining before eight, Caroline decided to call her children one last time.
After today, once she entered the laboratory, she would have no further contact with the outside world.
The call connected quickly. Layla's sweet voice came through immediately, but her words were anything but sweet.
"Mommy, you're terrible! How could you ruin Dad's project out of jealousy? Don't you know Ms. White worked for six months just to get that dinner meeting? You're so awful! I don't love you anymore!"
Logan's angry voice followed, "I don't want to talk to you either! Our teacher says parents should set good examples, but you don't do that at all. I don't want anything to do with you!"
Pain twisted through Caroline's abdomen and chest, spreading through her entire body until even speaking became impossible.
Without a word, she ended the call and blocked both numbers.
Eight o'clock.
The car started moving. Through the tinted windows—opaque from the outside but transparent from within—Caroline could see Arthur's car heading toward the hospital.
In the back seat, Arthur and Heidi exchanged smiles while the children eagerly offered Heidi snacks.
A perfect family of four.
Caroline closed her eyes briefly before tossing her phone out the window, severing all connections to this world and its people.
"Goodbye, Arthur. From this moment on, I'll no longer exist in your life."
"Goodbye, Layla and Logan. The mother you don't like will no longer love you either. We'll never meet again."
As the laboratory vehicle passed Arthur's Pagani, he seemed to sense something, turning his head briefly.
Heidi followed his gaze. "Is that one of the Windsor Group's research vehicles? I wonder if they've found all ninety-nine test subjects yet."
"My assistant will send the final list tonight. Once approved, the experiment officially begins," Arthur explained dispassionately.
Heidi's face lit with excitement. "If the experiment succeeds, it means solving the cancer treatment puzzle. So many patients could find hope."
"Arthur, you're brilliant!"
Arthur deflected the praise. "The credit belongs to Mr. Barnes and his apprentice."
Heidi nodded. "Mr. Barnes is impressive, but you're the true genius. I wonder what happened to his apprentice? I heard she developed cancer herself, yet still managed to develop such a remarkable treatment..."
Arthur understood her unspoken question. "Don't worry. When Mr. Barnes has time, we'll invite him to dinner. Once he sees your research, he'll certainly accept you as his new student."
Laughter filled their car while the laboratory vehicle disappeared into the distance.