Mike and the children were at Starry River Villa having breakfast when he told them about Laura’s death.
“I know that you are very sad, and I’m very sad too. But, your Grandma is gone. I hope that you can be strong for Mommy because she is extremely sad right now. If you are sad too, your Mommy will be even more in pain.”
Mike took each child in one arm and hugged them and kissed them on the head.
Layla did not take the news well. She was sobbing, and her lips were quivering. She said weakly, “I want Grandma… I want to look for Grandma…”
Hayden’s eyes were wet too, but he was much stronger. Not only did he not cry, but he even hugged Layla. “Layla, don‘t cry. I‘ll be with you.”
“I don’t want to be apart from Grandma. Without Grandma, what would happen to us?” Layla felt as if the sky had been ripped apart. Laura had been the one to send her to school, made delicious food for her, and who had taken her out to play.
“Layla, don’t be afraid. Without Grandma, we can still live well. When your Mommy comes back, we will not cry in front of her, okay?” Mike said. “I take you out to play, and we’ll have good food in the future.”
“I want my Grandma… Where do dead people go when they die? I want to go get her…” Layla rubbed her eyes. Her tears drenched her hands.
Mike saw how sad Layla was. He decided to tell her the truth. It was much better to rip the band -aid off in one go.
“Once a person dies, that‘s it. Your Grandma will not come back. She has vanished from our lives and this earth.”
Layla hugged Hayden and sobbed louder when she heard what Mike said. Mike clutched his forehead with both hands. After a while, he called Wesley.
“Mike, how are the kids?” Wesley had barely asked the question when he heard Layla’s sobs.
Mike replied, “Not good. You know how close they were to Laura. How’s Averie?”
Wesley looked at Averie and said, “We are at the graveyard right now. Laura has been buried. But Averie did not sleep the entire night. I‘m afraid she can‘t take it.”
The moment Wesley said that he saw Averie go limp and fall to the ground.
“Averie!” Wesley exclaimed. He could not hang up the phone in time. He immediately rushed over and picked her up.
An hour later, Mike and the children rushed into the hospital.
“Don’t worry. Averie is fine. She has passed out from grief,” Wesley said. “She did not sleep the entire night, let her rest for now.”
Mike said, “Wesley, you should get some rest. I can take care of things here.”
Wesley shook his head. “I’m not tired.”
The two children stood by the bed and looked at Averie. Grandma has left. Would their Mommy be fine? If their Mommy left, what would happen to them?
Elyette was sitting in the captain’s office of the police station. He was listening to the captain break down the accident.
“At this time, the accident appears to have been caused by a drunk driver. The driver‘s family is poor. I don’t think he is able to pay any form of compensation to Miss Tate.”
Compensation? Averie did not care about money at all.
“The perp is a gambler. Did you ignore this fact?” said Elyette coldly. “He is currently one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in debt. His wife and kids have left him, and creditors have abducted his parents. They were only recently released.”
The captain was stunned. He said, “Elyette, the incident took place last night and already you have gathered this much information.”
Elyette replied, “The deceased is my mother-in-law. I cannot let her die in vain.”
The captain nodded. “Are you trying to say that this might be murder?”
“Isn’t it obvious,” said Elyette. “Someone paid the driver to murder her.”
The captain furrowed his brows. “Luckily, the perpetrator is not dead. Once he has recovered, we will question him.” “I’m only afraid that someone might do him in.”
“I’ll send more men over. They will be on twenty-four hour guard duty,” said the captain before changing the topic, “I hear your girlfriend is pregnant. Congratulations!”
“I don’t like kids.” Elyette’s face darkened a little. His tone turned cold too, “if there are any updates on the case, inform me at once.”
The captain nodded. “Okay. How is Miss Tate? She was not too well yesterday. I wonder how she is today.”
Elyette’s gaze darkened. His lips thinned into a tight line. He got up from the sofa and left. He could not answer that question.
He had been outside the operation theater the previous night, but his mother had called him, and he did not go in.
Zoe’s pregnancy had become an obstacle in his mind. He could barely face it, let alone face Averie.
Averie slept the afternoon away in the ward. She slowly opened her eyes. Before grief could enter her mind, she heard Hayden say, “Mommy, I‘ll go to whichever school you want me to go to.”
Then, she heard Layla‘s soft but hoarse voice, “Mommy, I will behave too. Can you wake up soon? Please?”
Layla had been crying nonstop, so her eyes were red. Her voice was hoarse too.
Averie’s eyelids fluttered. She could not bear to hear that voice. She immediately sat up and grabbed her children‘s hands.
“I‘m fine. I was only tired, so I slept.” Then, Averie got down from the bed. “Let‘s go home!”
She had only just stood up when Mike came forward and hugged her.
“Averie, you still have your two children and me. I will never betray you. As long as you need me, I will never leave you.”
Mike rarely has such serious moments.
Averie placed her chin on his shoulder. She took in a breath and said, “Let’s go home! I miss home.”
Shea was sitting in the living room of Elyette‘s mansion. He had not returned for three days, and she refused to return to her room. Mrs. Cooper was sitting next to her, keeping her company.
“Does he not want me anymore?” Shea’s voice suddenly broke through the silence in the living area.
“That’s impossible.” Mrs. Cooper held Shea‘s hand. “Master Elyette has gone to Starry River Villa.”
According to the bodyguards, Elyette would go to the Starry River Villa every night, staying outside her door till dawn arrived, then, he would leave.
“He went to look for Averie?” Shea‘s voice rose in pitch. “I want him to be with Averie.”
Mrs. Cooper sighed. “He can‘t be with Averie.”
“Why not?” Shea‘s eyes sparkled brightly, yet they looked so lost.
Mrs. Cooper was extremely sad as she thought of how Averie had lost her mother, and how Elyette has been standing guard outside her door every night, wanting to see her, and yet, unable to.
“It’s because of your condition. Dr. Sanford is treating you, and she used that to force Master Elyette to be with her. She told him that if he did not stay with her, she would not treat you. Master Elyette needs to be with Dr. Sanford,” said Mrs. Cooper, her voice breaking slightly.” Shea, do you understand me?”
Shea shook her head in a daze. “Please repeat it.”
Mrs. Cooper took a deep breath and repeated it once again. This time, Shea roughly understood
“I don‘t want to get better anymore,” said shea, her eyes sparkling. She clenched her hands into fists. She kept muttering, “I‘m not getting better…”
At seven thirty in the morning, the black Rolls-Roice slowly pulled into the courtyard.
Mrs. Cooper had not slept the entire night. When she saw Elyette returning, she immediately walked to the door. She had told Shea the truth the previous night, and Shea had become rather agitated. She blamed herself for that.
Words spoken could not be taken back
Elyette entered with a gust of chilly wind.
“Master Elyette, I have done a terrible thing. Please punish me.” Mrs. Cooper followed Elyette.
Elyette froze. He looked at Mrs. Cooper with red eyes.
“I told Shea last night about how Dr. Sanford threatened you, and she is now refusing treatment.” Mrs. Cooper lowered her head. “It‘s my fault! I shouldn‘t have told her that!”
“Why did you tell her then?” Elyette raised his eyebrows. He looked gloomy.
“She said that she hoped you and Averie could be together, so I couldn‘t resist telling her the truth,” Mrs. Cooper said hoarsely, “Fire me! I‘m too old and clumsy. I‘m no longer fit to serve you.”
Elyette’s gaze shifted away from Mrs. Cooper. He sounded exhausted. “Go and rest. Don’t tell her about complicated matters in the future.”
Mrs. Cooper nodded, but she dared not say anything else.
After lunch, Elyette took Shea out for a walk. It was still cold outside. When the wind blew, it pierced through skin.
“Shea, are you cold?” Elyette held her hand tight.
Shea shook her head. “Big Brother, I‘m not getting better anymore.”
“No,” Elyette said without giving it a moment‘s thought. “Averie and I got a divorce because we don’t like each other anymore. Even if Dr. Sanford and I are no longer together, I won’t go back to Averie. You don’t have to worry about us.”
Shea tried hard to process Elyette’s words.
“I hope that you can feel more joy and love in the future,” Elyette said gently.
Shea was silent for a while. Then, she suddenly said, “You’re not happy, Averie is not happy either. Only I‘m happy every day. If I don‘t get better, I‘ll be happy every day. So, I don’t want to get better,” Shea said with determination.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.