Chapter 162 He Chose to Leave
Emma lay in bed, her face pale as parchment, completely drained of color.
"Doctor, how is she?" Nicholas's voice was dry and hoarse, trembling in a way he didn't even notice.
The doctor adjusted his glasses, his expression grave.
"Mr. Harrison, Mrs. Harrison is suffering from severe anemia, compounded by extreme exhaustion. Her body is completely depleted."
Nicholas's heart clenched painfully. "Then what are we waiting for? Get her a blood transfusion immediately!"
His tone was decisive, brooking no argument.
But the doctor shook his head with a troubled expression.
"Mr. Harrison, we've run every standard test. Mrs. Harrison's blood is extremely rare—it rejects every blood type we have in our blood bank."
"Forcing a transfusion would be signing her death warrant."
Each word struck Nicholas like a sledgehammer to the chest.
"For now, we can only treat her with nutritional supplements and let her body recover slowly." The doctor paused, his tone growing even more serious.
"And please remember—she absolutely cannot afford to lose blood again."
"Even in the future, should she become pregnant, if she were to hemorrhage during childbirth, the consequences would be catastrophic."
Nicholas's fingertips dug so deeply into his palms that they left crescent-shaped marks.
It was he who had caused her to be injured again and again, and she had stubbornly used her own blood to counteract the poison in his system.
His heart felt as if it were being squeezed by an invisible fist, causing excruciating pain.
Finally, the struggle in his eyes faded, and he made a decision that went against every fiber of his being.
...
In the study, smoke hung thick in the air.
The heavy smell of cigarettes had almost solidified, choking anyone who entered.
Nicholas stood alone by the window, cigarette in hand, speaking to Charlie behind him.
Charlie took notes and nodded frequently. After a long while, their conversation finally ended.
"Do you understand everything I've told you?" he asked again.
"Yes, everything is clear, Mr. Harrison." Charlie nodded vigorously, his eyes red-rimmed like a rabbit's.
"Mr. Harrison, are you certain you want to do this?"
"If Mrs. Harrison finds out, she might—"
"Enough."
Nicholas's face instantly turned cold. The grief he'd shown moments before was buried beneath layers of icy indifference.
"Do as I said. Now get out!"
Charlie didn't dare linger and hurried off to handle the first task.
The news of Nicholas's poisoning had been brewing for three solid days.
The entire world was watching the Harrison Group's every move, monitoring Nicholas's fate, and the company's stock price was fluctuating wildly as a result.
Just then, the Harrison Group's official account released a video.
In it, Nicholas appeared before the camera.
He wore an impeccably tailored suit, his features sharp and handsome, though his complexion was somewhat pale. But those eyes remained as deep and striking as ever.
The video's content was brief but crystal clear.
He informed the world that the Harrison Group's legal department wasn't to be trifled with.
Starting from this very minute, any media outlet that dared spread false rumors about the Harrison Group would face legal action, every single one of them.
He hoped their wallets could handle the consequences.
The moment this video was released, every media outlet that had previously reported on or speculated about Nicholas's condition fell silent.
They frantically deleted articles behind the scenes, terrified of being even a second too late.
Mr. Harrison remained as decisive and commanding as ever—who would dare question whether he was a dying man?
Meanwhile, in Novaria at the Moore Group headquarters.
Matthew stared at the massive screen displaying the man who was very much alive, fury blazing in his eyes.
He couldn't understand it.
It had been a month already—how was Nicholas still alive?
This was impossible!
No one could survive F2 neurotoxin for more than a month. He'd nearly killed him before, and Nicholas had gone blind. The poison in his system definitely hadn't been neutralized.
Sheryl entered, walking straight into his line of fire.
Matthew whirled around and roared at her, "You gave her the Warm Heaven!"
Sheryl remained calm. "No, I burned it all. Not a single plant survived."
Matthew advanced on her, his eyes filled with suspicion and warning. "I hope you haven't betrayed me."
But Sheryl suddenly spoke up.
"Matthew, do you know why Nicholas is still alive?"
She looked at him, speaking each word clearly and deliberately.
"You know Emma's blood can neutralize poison. While it can't cure neurotoxin, she's been using her own blood to prolong Nicholas's life."
She paused, then asked, "How long do you think Emma can keep this up? How long before she runs out of blood?"
"Matthew, you're indirectly killing Emma."
"Do you still want to see this through?"
Matthew's pupils constricted violently.
No.
This couldn't be possible!
She wouldn't hurt herself like this—she couldn't!
"Get out!" he bellowed.
After Sheryl left, the vast office fell deathly quiet.
Words she had spoken that night on the mountain echoed in his mind.
"When you love someone, you accept their vulnerability and imperfections. You willingly sacrifice everything. You trust each other, grow together, and find meaning and courage that transcends yourself."
"You would cry for them, sing for them, and even fearlessly... die alongside them."
She wanted to die with him?
All the strength seemed to drain from his body at once, and he collapsed heavily onto the sofa.
The next day, Emma finally woke up. She felt like she'd slept for ages and had a very long dream.
Charlie knocked and entered, carrying a tray of soup and supplements.
He wore a black suit, his expression solemn.
After setting down the soup, he told her seriously that the laboratory work had concluded. All the scientists had been generously compensated and escorted to the airport.
Emma's heart plummeted. She threw off the covers and got up, intending to leave.
Charlie continued, "Mr. Harrison has left Luminous City. He asked me to take you back to Emerald City to recover."
His voice was flat, betraying no emotion.
"Where is he going? The poison in his system hasn't been neutralized—where could he possibly go?" Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried a sharp edge of accusation.
Charlie's gaze flickered away, and he didn't answer her question.
He pulled a small USB drive from his pocket and handed it to her.
"Mr. Harrison left this for you."
After a pause, he added, "Susan and Chris are waiting downstairs."
Emma took the USB drive, threw on a jacket, and headed downstairs.
She spoke with Susan and Chris for quite a while before having them escorted to the airport.
After seeing them off, the entire villa felt instantly empty.
She inserted the USB drive into her computer. It contained edited footage of their wedding celebration.
There were scenes of them standing together under the sacred tree, receiving the elder's blessing, dancing together, and accepting toasts from guests.
The screen filled with laughter and joy, so beautiful that happiness seemed to overflow from every frame.
Every shot focused on them, as if this truly was their wedding.
Charlie's voice broke the silence. "Mrs. Harrison, this actually was your wedding with Mr. Harrison. He planned all of this specifically for you."
"Just to make up for what was missing three years ago."
She turned to stare at him in shock. "What are you saying?"
"Mr. Harrison said he wanted to truly marry you. This was Luminous City's most sacred wedding ceremony."
Charlie opened a wooden box containing an elegant marriage certificate with a red seal.
The information printed on it read: [Bride: Emma, Groom: Nicholas, Century Pact, Holy Tree as Witness, Heaven and Earth as Testament.]
She took it and examined it carefully, then suddenly smiled as a single tear rolled down her cheek...