Chapter 0469
Chapter 0469
Candice's flight was set for ten in the morning. At first, Yana offered to drive her to the airport, but Candice declined.
She booked a ride using a ride-hailing app, and the car was already waiting outside their villa.
Hanley helped her with her suitcase while Yana grumbled unhappily, "You're off to Solaris for who knows how long, and Nadia's heading off to study. I'll be stuck here in Dorrington all alone."
Candice suggested, "You could come visit me in Solaris."
Yana shot her a resentful look but decided against saying more. Instead, she sighed, "Forget it! I don't like Solaris. The people there are too competitive. It's tiring."
Hanley approached after loading the luggage into the trunk. His tall, graceful figure stood silently beside Candice.
This trip to Solaris was for Candice to oversee the entire project with Redshade Corporation, a task expected to last two to three months.
Despite being pregnant, Candice hadn't gained any weight. If anything, she seemed even more slender.
After a moment, Hanley handed her a small talisman.
"Until you return," he said softly.
Candice was surprised. Hanley had also given her a talisman during the New Year.
"I got it from Stugan. They say it's very effective," Hanley explained briefly.
His gaze, usually clear and composed, now held a rare emotion as he encouraged, "Take it, Candy."
His voice was low, soothing, and had a magnetic quality, almost as if he were coaxing her.
Candice's heart skipped a beat as she instinctively took the talisman.
Shortly after, Candice hopped into the car to head to the airport.
As they turned the corner, Candice happened to catch sight of a white car in the rearview mirror. She noticed it tailing them when they left, but she didn't pay much attention to it at first.
However, as they approached the elevated road, she realized the car was still behind them, keeping the same distance and showing no signs of overtaking or changing lanes.
"Driver, could you speed up a bit?" she asked, her voice tinged with hesitation.
"Why? Are you in a rush?" the driver questioned. This content is © NôvelDrama.Org.
"I..." Before she could finish, a loud honking sound came from behind, followed by the driver swearing and suddenly making a sharp turn—
They were just about 200 meters away from the entrance to the elevated road with a turning intersection to the right and a green belt to the left.
However, the honking continued!
_
Meanwhile, over at the Aether Corporation branch, Alex was seated at his desk, a document laid out in front of him.
Sawyer spoke cautiously, "We've gathered all the information we could find. It appears that 30% of the Aether Corporation shares have indeed been transferred to Oscar by the Chairman."
Glancing over the document, Alex's expression remained serious and unreadable.
Sawyer paused, uncertain about what to say next.
Given that Oscar Sanburg had been personally brought to headquarters by the chairman, it was evident to many that Daniel intended to groom Oscar.
Alex, despite being the chairman's biological son, had been exiled and had difficulty returning to headquarters, while Oscar...
Despite the situation, Sawyer continued, "Recently, there was a board meeting at the headquarters led by Mr. Chandler and a few other major shareholders. They seem to be at odds with the Sui family and are likely to side with Oscar. The Sui family may approach you soon. Just be prepared..."
Before he could finish, Alex's personal phone suddenly rang.
The next moment, Sawyer witnessed a sudden change in Alex's expression as he picked up the phone.
Alex then rushed straight to the hospital.
Locating the hospital ward was a breeze, but he paused at the entrance.
His eyes constricted, and his lips tightened. Even his hand on the doorknob trembled slightly.
"Hey, look who's here! It's Alex," a voice called out from behind.
Turning around, he saw Yana and Hanley approaching.
Yana's tired and worried look vanished upon seeing Alex, replaced by a mocking sneer.
She taunted, "What brings you here? Is your precious Ms. Burgess or your noble mother sick? Did you get lost and end up in the wrong ward?"
Alex looked at her quietly.
Yana took a deep breath and gestured toward the exit.
She snapped, "Go away! What are you doing here?! You're not wanted! We don't want to see you! Hanley, get him out of here. If it weren't for him, Candy wouldn't be in this situation!"
Her voice began to tremble with emotion as she stepped forward to push Alex.
He allowed her to push him without budging an inch, but his focus remained on the closed door of the ward.
Hanley restrained Yana and spoke coldly, "I suggest you leave now. The troubles brought by the Elysians are more than enough."
Both he and Alex stood firm, refusing to back down.
Alex's gaze turned frosty as he locked eyes with Hanley, his hostility evident as he challenged, "And what authority do you have?"
In response, Hanley's gaze grew equally cold and fierce.
As the two remained locked in their standoff, the door to the ward suddenly swung open.
The nurse, who had just administered Candice's injection, emerged, leaving the door ajar.
Alex's gaze immediately snapped to the bed. He was shocked beyond words by the sight. His body trembled involuntarily.
Candice was half-leaning on the hospital bed. Her complexion was pale, and she was draped in a loose hospital gown that accentuated her frailty. Bandages were wrapped around her forehead and neck, stained with faint pink spots.
Overall, she was in poor shape.
She seemed to sense the disturbance at the door and turned to glance in their direction.
Her once-vibrant eyes now mirrored emptiness and desolation, void of their former sparkle. They resembled a barren desert, devoid of life and unable to ignite a spark.
Just one glance and Alex was rooted to the spot.
His fingers clenched involuntarily. He wanted to speak, but his throat felt constricted, rendering him speechless.
To his surprise, Candice spoke first.
Her voice was raspy, barely audible. She addressed Alex, "You came so quickly. What do you want? Curious to see if the child has finally left?"
Her pale, bloodless face betrayed no other emotion. Her words were deliberate, each one cutting into Alex's heart like a knife.
"Congratulations! Your wish has finally been granted."
Alex's intense gaze bore into Candice. Her complexion, pallid and frail, seemed on the verge of vanishing into thin air.
His throat was constricted, rendering him incapable of saying anything.
In silence, they locked eyes.
At some point, a tear escaped from the corner of her eye.
Soon, it was followed by more tears that streamed down her cheeks.
Her eyes on Alex filled with an indescribable emotion, where it held an inexplicable mix of sorrow and self-destruction, tinged with unmistakable despair.
Her voice grew even hoarser as she continued, "Alex, your child is gone."