The Runaway Groom
Chapter 397

Chapter 397

Stephen heaved a soft sigh and glanced at Mick, who clearly did notcare about appearances now. “You heard? Honestly, he really isembarrassing himself in front of youngsters now..."

Irene gave no comment-she would not be here at all if not for Yvaine’sletter.

She said, “I'l take the fall.”

Stephen did a double take-she changed her mind already?

He could barely keep up!

“W-What was that?" he asked in slight disbelief.

“I said, I'll take the fall-”

“You don't have to. My selfishness killed her, and I don’t want to livenow that she’s gone. You don't have to sacrifice yourself to protectme..."

Mick wobbled even as he rose to his feet and tried to carry Yvaine, butIrene said, “She remembered.”

Mick froze, and turned around after a while. “W-What did you say?”Stephen was looking at Irene in shock too. “How did you replace out?”“She wrote me a letter, addressing it here since she doesn't knowwhere I live. I just read it-"

“What did she say?” Mick cried as he suddenly jumped toward Ireneand grabbed her by the shoulders.” Tell me tell me right now! What didshe say?!”

“She wants me to keep it a secret. I can't tell you.”

“Where is it?" Mick was not about to give up. “You don't want to tellme? Fine, just give it to me right now!”

“I can't give it to you either.”

Irene’s tone and expression was aloof, and she brushed Mick's hand offand left in silence.

Mick was about to keep bugging her, but Stephen stopped him.

“I know Irene. She's not going to give you anything since she refusedto, and there's even less of a chance since Yvaine has asked her tokeep it a secret. Don’t make things hard for her-didn't Irene just say thatYvaine would be sad if you died? I'm sure that was Yvaine, so you haveto pull yourself together, or she won't rest in peace. Live-for her.”

Mick turned toward Stephen. “She would be sad if I died?”

“Yes,” Stephen assured him. “You've been living together for more thana decade. Even if she remembers, she would still have feelings for youafter spending so much time with you.”

Mick repeated as if possessed. “She would be sad if I died...”

“Yes, that's why you have to live,” Stephen said.

After leaving the operating room, Irene sat on a bench in the gardenoutside of the hospital until sunset, and the streetlights lit up.Suddenly, a huge shadow shrouded her, and she slowly looked up toreplace a familiar face.

“I'm sorry, Isaac...” she rasped.

Isaac remained serene. “It wasn't you, right?”

Irene’s throat was parched even as her lips parted. “I-l..."

“Come on. We're going home.”

However, Irene had been sitting for so long that her legs turned numb,and dropped on the bench again. when she tried to stand.

Isaac scooped her up in his arms, and she buried her face against hischest as crystalline tears trickled from the corner of her eyes.

Neither of them spoke as they headed home, but Irene could not stopherself from shedding tears. Even so, she did not dare to make asound, and curled her lower lip, biting down on it even as Isaac kept hishands around her.

Her voice was hoarse from crying, with her nostrils stuffy and her eyesswelling. She was so exhausted that she dozed off, but was awakeenough to hear the faint sound of a door closing, and was jolted awake.She opened her eyes and saw that Isaac just left their bedroom, andshe got out of bed.

She was still in her day clothes, which were now wrinkled unseemly.Tiptoeing to the door barefooted, she opened it to replace James Crossand Stan Hill outside, following Isaac into his study.

She headed over, where the door was left ajar with a narrow slit, andshe gingerly moved closer when she heard James speak.