Chapter 2 Consider This Two Million Dollars as a Loan from Me
The next dusk, in the quiet hospital hallway, Grace fidgeted with her clothes, glancing at the frantic Clara in the operating room, then down at the check in her hand.
She was on edge. So she called Celeste, Henry's assistant, hoping to get through to Henry, but Celeste shut her down, saying Henry was busy.
Clara rushed over to Grace, clutching a crumpled payment slip. "Well? What did Henry say?"
Grace looked down, her voice shaky. "He's busy, didn't get back to me."
Clara's face twisted in anger. "What's more important than Nathan's life?"
After a moment, Clara pressed on. "Grace, can you call Henry again? Now's not the time to fall apart with him. Your dad's life is on the line, and we need money fast. Why not ask him for help? You're his wife, after all."
"And it's your birthday today," she added.
Grace didn't respond, just stared at the news on the electronic screen in the hallway.
The president of Montague Pharmaceutical Group had booked an entire theme park to set off fireworks just to make a female friend smile because she mentioned wanting to see fireworks.
Under the dazzling fireworks, the whole theme park was filled with vibrant flowers. In the sea of blooms, under the fireworks, a young girl sat in a wheelchair, smiling brightly, while Henry stood behind her, sharing the moment. The fireworks lit up their faces, making them look like a perfect match.
Henry's gaze was so gentle, a look Grace had never seen before.
Grace felt a chill in her heart, smiled bitterly, and looked down at the check in her hand, feeling a wave of bitterness. Then she called Celeste again.
Celeste's tone was icy. "Mrs. Montague, you need Mr. Montague's signature to use the check."
"Just like your branded clothes, bags, and jewelry, they need to be registered and signed to be used," she continued. "I've already sent a message to Mr. Montague. He'll decide everything."
The call ended.
Clara clenched her fists in anger and, after understanding the situation, fumed. "Henry went to Harmony City to be with Elodie again?"
"Just because she played the violin and woke him up? You can play the violin too, and today is your birthday, your wedding anniversary, but he's still with Elodie?" she mocked. "Anyone who didn't know better might think Elodie was his wife."
After Clara's outburst, Grace's mood sank even further. Her eyes filled with tears, her body trembling.
Following her gaze, Clara saw on the TV that Henry glanced at his phone, sent a message, then turned it off and continued watching the fireworks with Elodie.
He said something to Elodie with a gentle smile, his lips forming the words, "Is it beautiful?"
At that moment, Grace's phone beeped. She numbly took it out and saw a message from Celeste: [Mr. Montague said, you should wait until he comes back.]
Clara was floored, not getting why Grace, Henry's wife, was less important than some outsider. But needing help, she could only sigh, "Grace, but this is about your father's life."
Grace didn't say a word, her knuckles trembling, a tear slipping down her cheek.
In her eyes, the two figures under the fireworks were reflected. She suddenly said, "These fireworks must cost a fortune, right?"
Clara didn't get what she meant.
Grace wiped her tears with her sleeve, looking at the only thing on her that didn't need to be registered or reported, something that was truly hers.
The wedding ring on her finger.
Whenever she thought about it, she felt truly pathetic as Mrs. Montague.
Today was her birthday, her wedding anniversary, and the time when her dad urgently needed money to save his life. Yet her husband, Henry, knowing all this, was far away in Harmony City, booking an entire theme park just to watch fireworks with Elodie.
The cold atmosphere of the corridor seemed to pierce her heart. After a while, she took off the wedding ring. "Clara, sell the ring. It should cover my dad's surgery."
Clara was shocked. "You want to sell the ring! Do you know what that means?"
Grace smoothed out the wrinkles in her clothes, the silent corridor echoing only her footsteps, which were miserable and lonely.
"Clara, I know what it means. Sell it. I want to divorce Henry." Her cold voice echoed through the silent corridor.
Clara looked at Grace with a horrified expression. Was this still the gentle Grace she knew?
At that moment, another set of footsteps came from the depths of the corridor. Lost in her thoughts, Grace accidentally bumped into a tall figure.
Lucas Fitzwilliam reached out to catch the falling Grace. He held her arm gently, feeling the surprising combination of fragility and softness.
Grace steadied herself, looked up at him, and quickly withdrew her arm. She lowered her head and muttered, "Sorry," taking a step to leave, but Lucas stepped in her path, blocking her exit.
Grace was puzzled, then heard a familiar, magnetic voice. "Have you forgotten me in just a few years?"
The voice struck a chord of recognition within Grace, but the face before her seemed alien. "Who are you?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her voice.
Lucas laughed at her confused look, not expecting Grace to not remember him. He decided to play along. "I'm someone your dad helped before. It was his guidance that made me successful today. We met once before."
His gaze shifted to Clara, explaining. "I heard Nathan is in trouble, so I came."
He took out a bank card from his pocket, ignoring Grace's refusal, and placed it in her hand. "Here's two million dollars, the password is your birthday. It should cover Nathan's surgery."
"As for the subsequent costs, if you need, just find me." He handed over a piece of paper with his number. "This is my number. If you need anything, just call me."
Lucas looked at Grace with a gentle smile. Grace had seen this look before, just now on the screen, Henry looked at Elodie the same way.
Grace knew Nathan urgently needed the surgery fee, and from Lucas' tone, it didn't seem fake. So she nodded, grateful. "I'll consider this money a loan. I will repay you within three days."