Chapter 304 – Second Chance Love of the Missing Groom Novel

It meant Abigail’s hunch was wrong, and could she have been paranoid?

However, she knows that Debbie wanted Diarmuid, and would be only too eager to return to Diarmuid’s side.

“What is it?” Diarmuid asked.

Abigail shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

“Okay. Now get some proper rest,” he said, pulling the blanket over her.

“Yeah,” she said, and closed her groggy eyes.

Diarmuid waited until she fell asleep before leaving, closing the door behind himself.

Sheryl walked up to him, asking, “She looks so skinny. Was labor difficult for her?”

“Yeah.” Diarmuid lowered his eyes. “That’s why she needs to recover.”

As Abigail’s mother, Sheryl naturally felt sad to see her daughter like that. “I’ll take good care of her.”

Diarmuid was naturally at ease having Sheryl keep an eye on things.

Getting in his car, he started the ignition and dialed Zachary Slate’s number

It just so happened that Ember Lindt’s parents were at Slate Mansion, because Zachary was demanding a divorce!

Ember naturally refused, insisting that it was Zachary’s scheme, and now the two families were in the midst of a confrontation.

But truth be told, it was Zachary confronting the Lindts and his own mother.

After all, Mrs. Slate would never allow him to get a divorce, and was doing her best to reason with him, “It’s just a misunderstanding. How could you demand a divorce at the drop of a hat?”

Zachary held her gaze. “She cheated on me.”

“I didn’t! You set me up just to find out what happened to Lulu!”

Ember had already resolved herself to go the distance because she would never allow Zachary to be free from her.

As for Mrs. Slate, she was even more determined to side with Ember at the mention of Lulu, taking her words at face value.

Moreover, she had gone through great lengths to make this marriage happen-how could she let it end so easily?

“What a jinx, causing problems even from the gravel” she blurted.

Zachary turned to glare at her right then. “What? How did you know Lulu is dead?!”

The Lindts glared at Mrs. Slate too, so she hastily came up with an excuse. “It’s just a rumor.”

Zachary demanded, “And how did you find out?”

He was no idiot-only Lulu’s close friends knew that she had gone missing, but none of them knew if she was just hiding or dead.

Although Ember told him that his mother had a hand in Lulu’s death, he never asked her because he was afraid of what she would do.

But his own mother had just said that Lulu was dead too.

What was that if not an indirect confession?

“Are you questioning me?” Mrs. Slate screamed right then. “Is this how you speak to your mother?!”

At the same time, Peter Lindt made his move.

He and his wife were naturally on their daughter’s side, and they certainly were aware of Lulu’s death since they had planned it, but Mrs. Slate was the one who pulled the trigger.

That gave them leverage against Mrs. Slate, not to mention that they would have Ember’s back even if she was at fault.

Glaring at Zachary, Peter barked, “I thought you were the best choice of groom for Ember and could take care of her for the rest of her life. That’s why I entrusted her to you, only for you to keep obsessing over a former flame, even framing Ember for her sake! Doesn’t your conscience hurt?”

Pausing for a moment, he added, “I also thought you’re a good son, but did you hear how you were speaking to your own mother? You know what your family is like, and even if you know you have

control over Slate Industries, don’t forget about your half-brother. Our support is vital, or do you think you would still retain control if you divorced Ember?”

Zachary had been obedient and catered to his mother’s whims because life had been harsh on her, even going so far as to resign from his preferred career and leave the woman he loved.

Heartbroken even as he looked at her, he asked, “Why?! I left her already!”

Mrs. Slate gave up on all pretext right then, and admitted to her crime just so that Zachary would give up completely. “Yes, I killed that jinx because you were wavering. You have only yourself to blame, obsessing over her even after you’re married. Since you’re not going to accept your marriage with Ember, I have to get rid of her!”

Holding Zachary’s gaze, she challenged him. “So? Are you going to call the cops on me?!”

She was certain that he would not, because Zachary had always been soft- if he had any determination, he would not have resigned as a doctor or broken up with Lulu.

While she believed that she knew his son, she just did not know that Zachary was only compromising because she was his mother. Moreover, her own marriage had been rocky, even in name only-his father was cold to her and even publicly kept a mistress, making her life very difficult.

That was the only reason he gave up on his own desires, but his compromise only invited more extortion and coercion, even the death of his beloved woman!

“You disappoint me.’

With that, he turned and strode outside.

“Zachary!” Mrs. Slate snapped, but he did not respond or turn around.

He did not want to see her or stay in that house for another second.

Once he got in his car, he got the call from Diarmuid and headed straight to Central Hospital, where Diarmuid was waiting in James’s ward.

Zachary was glowering, and Diarmuid asked when he saw him, “What happened to you?”

Taking a moment to compose himself, he replied, “Nothing.”

Diarmuid quickly turned back to James, his gaze turning gloomy when he did.’ What did the doctors say?”

“The expert I arranged to diagnose him rated the chance of him waking up being twenty percent-not much, but it’s something. I’ve also arranged for a physiotherapist to massage him every day to prevent muscle death.”

Zachary’s voice was raspy-not because of James, but because of the mess waiting back home.

Diarmuid was silent for a long while. “Keep taking care of him for me. I might have to go abroad again, and probably won’t stay here for long.”

“Don’t worry, you can leave James to me-“

‘But I’m not.” Diarmuid cut him short before he could finish. ‘Spit it out already. What happened to you?”

But Zachary did not even know where to start.

Beep!

One of the monitors attached to James suddenly rang!

Diarmuid promptly turned back to James, asking, “Is he waking up?”

Zachary quickly checked the monitors, but soon said, “No, it’s just a routine beep to show that it’s working.”

There was a look of disappointment in Diarmuid’s eyes-it naturally hurt to see James like this.

That was when Erin Gooding suddenly entered with an empty bucket, and she did a double take when she saw them. “Oh, it’s you.”

Diarmuid cast her a cold glance and left the ward in silence.

Zachary followed, presuming that Diarmuid did not know Erin and said, “I never knew that James was dating her. I thought she was up to no good when she showed up.”

“And?” Diarmuid growled.

“She’s a fine woman-“

Diarmuid stopped right then, and turned to look Zachary in the eye. “What makes you think that?”

“I mean, she’s been camping outside and slept on the bench when I denied her entry. Seeing that she was sincere, I eventually let her in, and I don’t think she’s left since. She’s caring for him 24/7 and learning from the physiotherapist as well.”

Zachary sighed emotionally. “James is lucky to have someone willing to take care of him even in that state.”

“Are you blind?” Diarmuid mocked him without remorse.

“What, is she a terrible person or something?” Zachary asked, and gingerly added, “Wait, you know her?”

Diarmuid certainly did!

However, he soon realized that they never talked that much, and it was not as if she was a bad person.

He also remembered something else-they were going to fly home to Zidonta from Minerva, but the eternally punctual James arrived at the airport late.

He must have been with Erin at that time, or Erin would not have been willing to travel all the way here just to take care of him.

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