Chapter 8
1/4
Gloria clutched her chest, her fragile body swaying like she might collapse any second.
Hayden immediately caught her. Noticing how pale her lips had gone, he solemnly ordered, “Taylor, have the driver get the car ready now!”
“No, I’m not going,” she said weakly, her voice trembling like she was in unbearable pain.
She lifted her eyes and glanced up toward the second floor, where only the edge of a shirt was barely
visible. She wore a hardly noticeable cold smile and added, “You should check on Nicole instead.”
Hayden frowned. Amid his hesitation, Matthew quickly chimed in. “Mommy’s fine! She throws up all the
time! Come on, Daddy. Let’s take Ms. Ashford to the hospital now!”
Recalling what the nurse had said about Nicole’s condition, Hayden gave a short nod and answered, “Let
me take you to the hospital.”
Every word they said reached the second floor loud and clear.
Nicole’s stomach twisted even more, but this time, she didn’t run to throw up. She simply stood there,
watching that car pull away into the distance, her heart aching worse than her body ever could.
A housekeeper glanced at her pale face and offered a bit of sympathy. “Try not to overthink, ma’am. Mr.
Spencer’s yours, and no one can take him away.”
Nicole responded with a faint smile, turning her head slightly. “You noticed too, huh? That he won’t be mine much longer?”
While Hayden was off, worried sick about his first love, he probably never imagined that Nicole didn’t
have much time left.
Why would she, a dying woman, still cling to anything? She might as well hand over the role of Mrs.
Spencer and Matthew’s mother to Gloria, since Matthew adored her anyway.
With heavy steps, Nicole headed downstairs. Just as she arrived at the entryway, Taylor returned from locking the front door.
He looked at her and said, “Mr. Spencer said to wait here. He wants to talk to you when he gets back,
ma’am.”
She didn’t even pause. “He can say it over the phone.”
With that, she walked out the door without once looking back.
At the hospital, Gloría rested in bed after finishing her tests. When the doctor came in and said it was nothing serious, Hayden finally looked relieved.
Chapter 8
2/4
He glanced at his watch. “You rest. I’ll-”
She seemed oblivious to how eager he was to go home, cutting in with a tired smile. “I’m sorry I caused you trouble again. Looks like things got tense between you and Nicole because of me. Am I right?”
Hayden shot a look at Matthew, who had dozed off beside her, then lowered his voice. “No. Just rest. I’ll talk to Nicole and explain everything.”
Gloria shook her head gently, eyes red as she looked down. “You don’t need to. As long as I disappear again, you two won’t have any issues. It’s me… I’m the reason you guys never made it official.”
He paused for a moment. Hearing her bring that up again pulled his thoughts back to seven years ago…
The pressure from his grandmother, Gloria’s sudden disappearance, the fact that he couldn’t legally
finalize a divorce on his own, no matter what he did…
“It’s all in the past,” Hayden said calmly. “You don’t need to blame yourself. When you left without a word,
I didn’t hold it against you either.”
“But I blame myself!”
Gloria’s voice trembled with emotion. “I know how much pressure Mrs. Spencer Senior put on you to marry me back then. After I saved her life, she kept pushing for us to be together. She said I had a kind heart and that being with me would give her peace of mind.”
She let out a sigh, voice catching in her throat. “It’s my fault. I got frightened so much after saving her that I ended up with a heart condition. Then we got the certificate, and I got even more terrified.
“I didn’t want to be a burden to you, to anybody… so I left. I went to another country for treatment without
telling you…”
Hayden’s face softened as she brought up Elizabeth Gray, his late grandmother.
“I mean it–I never blamed you, so don’t carry that on your shoulders. What matters is that your condition is stable now. That’s what I want the most. You’re the Spencer family’s benefactor, after all.”
Gloria looked up at him, something hopeful flickering in her eyes. “Not just your benefactor, but your-
“Right. We should find time to finalize our divorce paperwork,” he interjected coldly. “I haven’t been able to reach you all these years, but now that you’re back, it’s time I tell Nicole everything. We’ll get married
for real this time.”
She was speechless for a moment. Her hands clenched tightly under the blanket, nails digging into her
palms.
She forced a smile despite her red–rimmed eyes. “O–Of course. You’ve found the woman you love, and
you have a family with her now. It’s only right that I step aside.”
Hayden nodded and stood up. “Get some rest. I’ll take Matt home.”
“Okay,” Gloria replied, biting her lip.
Chapter 8
3/4
Once they left, the warmth and frailty from her face vanished like it had never been there. Her expression
turned cold, almost cunning.
She rubbed her temples and pulled out her phone to make a call. “Hey. I need you to forge a medical report for me.”
When Nicole returned to the hotel, she immediately switched off her phone.
The next morning, as she went down the lobby, the front desk staff called out to her.
“Ms. Jensen, a Mr. Spencer came by around midnight, looking for you last night. I followed your
instructions and told him you’d checked out.”
Nicole offered a grateful smile. “Thanks for covering for me. I appreciate it.”
The receptionist smiled politely. “It’s nothing. It’s just… He seemed really anxious. He’s your husband,
right?”
Anxious? Nicole’s smile faltered slightly. She nodded vaguely and walked off.
No matter how anxious Hayden seemed, she didn’t need him anymore. In his world, she had never been
his priority. If she had, he would’ve checked up on her before sending Gloria to the hospital.
The feeling of constantly being put last in a relationship sucked.
Nicole got into the car and headed straight for the mall.
Last night, she received a message from Jeremiah–a detailed treatment plan, down to the exact medication schedule, dosages, and strict precautions.
It had clearly been typed out by hand, as every instruction was thoughtful and clear. Jeremiah hadn’t sugar
-coated anything either.
The current symptoms–headaches, nausea, blurry vision–were just the beginning. In two months, even if
she changed her mind, surgery wouldn’t be an option.
If the tumor started pressing on her motor or speech centers, she would risk losing her ability to talk or move–a complete paralysis, as he would say.
Despite Jeremiah’s analysis, Nicole had chosen not to undergo surgery. She wouldn’t gamble on a 50%
chance and would rather spend what time she had left abroad with her family.
At the same time, she felt incredibly lucky to have met such a kind and persistent doctor. They had spent
hours trying to talk her out of giving up, even late into the night.
To express her gratitude, she decided to visit the mall and buy a small gift as a token of appreciation. Yet, the moment she walked in, she ran into someone she dreaded seeing.
Standing not far ahead was a woman in her late 30s, dressed in a striking red coat. Nicole didn’t think
Chapter 8
twice before turning her heels around to slip away.
4/4
However, it was far too late. The woman had seen her and was striding over, heels clicking against the
floor like gunshots.
“Stop right there!”
Nicole stopped in her tracks, no choice but to turn around and greet the woman, “Hey… Aunt Olivia.”
Spin to Claim Your Surprise Reward!
