Chapter 245 Just Like This for a Lifetime

Chapter 245 Just Like This for a Lifetime

It's so nice to see such good sunlight today.

Once she got out, she was never going back to that hellhole.

Slashing her wrist was just a bet that Matthew would send her to the hospital, a bet that there'd be a chance to escape there.

When the car rushed into the ER lane, Emily's mind started fading in and out.

Before they pushed her into the ER, she heard Matthew say something by her ear: "Emmie, if you die, I'll make Alex and Eleanor go down with you."

She closed her eyes and thought: I won't give you the chance to hurt them.

The doctors crowded around to treat her wound. Matthew was kept outside, pacing the hallway like a caged animal.

He sat back down, pulled out the old fountain pen from his pocket, and ran his thumb over the faded engraving on it.

Emily gave it to him years ago.

He'd kept using it till now. The nib had been swapped a few times, and most of the paint on the body was worn off, but he still couldn't bring himself to throw it away.

Matthew held the pen, leaned back against the chair, and slowly closed his eyes.

He couldn't let go.

Emily didn't love him. He could keep her locked up, but if she wanted nothing and just kept trying to die, he'd only have a body left. What was the point?

He didn't want that. He wanted her, the living, breathing her.

Two voices argued in his head. One said go all the way, ruin her completely, keep her alive but broken by his side. The other said if you love her, let her go free and be happy, just watch over her quietly like before.

He rubbed his temples tiredly.

Time ticked by. Matthew opened his eyes restlessly and stared at the OR door.

The doctor came out: "Good thing you got her here fast. She's out of danger now."

At least Emily was okay. Matthew let out a breath.

They moved Emily to a room. His guy came to ask what to do with Alex, who'd been knocked out at the villa.

Matthew said in disgust, "Throw him out. Don't let him back in again."

He pushed open the door and sat by the bed. Emily just stared out the window, nothing but a heavy deadness about her.

Matthew gave a bitter smile, then threw his head back and laughed, though it caught in his throat.

"You won."

"Emmie, you won."

He said it twice: "I'll let you go."

He finally saw that setting Emily free might be the only way.

Emily's eyes moved, like she couldn't believe it. "You're really letting me go?"

"Watch you die instead? No thanks," Matthew said. "I don't want you dead. I want you alive."

Emily pulled out the IV. "Where's Alex?"

Matthew told her his men had thrown Alex out of the villa and his mother had taken him, probably to a hospital.

She put on her shoes and ran out, flagged down a cab, and got in.

Emily called Alex's assistant to find out which hospital he was at, then told the driver.

Alex felt like he'd had a long dream.

In it, Emily stood in front of him wearing the wedding ring he'd had made from the pigeon-blood ruby he'd brought back from the border. She had on the ring he'd designed himself, smiling at him with that soft curve of her lips.

Eleanor sat on his shoulders, little hands tugging his ears, giggling nonstop.

He tried to speak but no sound came out. He reached for Emily's hand, fingertips barely brushing hers, when her face started to blur and she vanished like smoke in the wind.

Eleanor was gone too. His neck felt empty and cold.

He tried to call their names but something blocked his throat. Nothing came out.

Then he opened his eyes and saw Emily sitting beside him. Thinking he was still dreaming, he closed them again.

Emily watched him open and shut his eyes, then reached out and touched his forehead.

Alex opened his eyes once more. "Emmie, is that you?"

"Who else would it be?"

Alex stared at her for a few seconds. Once he was sure she wasn't a hallucination, he grabbed her wrist, his hand shaking hard but holding tight, like he was scared she'd disappear.

"What happened to your hand?" He saw the gauze on her wrist, blood seeping through, bright red.

"Just a cut." Emily said it lightly and tried to pull her hand back.

Alex wouldn't let go. He looked down at the bandage, his throat moving. "Matthew do that?"

"I did it myself. How else was I getting free?" Emily's voice was flat, like it was someone else's story. "Stop asking. You're way worse off than me right now. You really gonna ask about me?"

Alex opened his mouth but said nothing.

He pulled her over to sit on the edge of the bed, rested his forehead on the back of her hand, and stayed like that a long time before saying hoarsely, "Sorry. I came back too late."

Emily's nose stung. She turned her head so he wouldn't see her eyes redden.

Before she could say anything, the room spun and she went limp, slumping sideways.

Alex's eyes went wide. He yanked her onto the bed and shouted, "Doctor! Doctor!"

The doctor came quick, checked her, and said: "Miss Johnson is fine. She's just pregnant. Plus she's been short on rest, so her body gave out and she fainted."

The room went dead quiet for three seconds.

Alex stood frozen, lips moving, voice like someone had him by the throat. "Preg... pregnant?"

"About six weeks. The heartbeat's normal so far, but Miss Johnson's health isn't great. She needs proper care, or it could be risky for both her and the baby."

When Emily woke up, Alex was sitting by her bed holding her hand, eyes red, looking like he was both smiling and crying.

"Why do you look like that?" she frowned.

"You're pregnant again." His voice was rough. "Emmie, we have another kid."

Emily paused, then looked down at her flat stomach and stayed quiet for a while before giving a soft "Mm."

When Linda heard the news, she stood in the hallway outside the room for a long time.

When she finally came in, her face looked complicated. She set a bag of supplements on the table, stood there a moment, then said, "I booked a flight for the day after tomorrow. Gonna go see Europe."

Alex looked up at her.

"I'm done getting in your business," Linda said, voice tight but calmer than ever. "I interfered too much before and messed up a lot. From now on, live however you want."

She turned and left. The sound of her heels faded down the hall.

Emily watched the doorway and said nothing.

Alex squeezed her hand. She turned and met his eyes, then gave a small smile.

On the day they left the hospital, Matthew's assistant was waiting downstairs.