The Runaway Groom
Chapter 60

Chapter 60

There was a single night light staying lit within the ward, but it was quitedim. Still, Isaac ensured that Irene was sound asleep before closing thedoor behind him and walking to her bed.

He studied her, and saw that the color had returned to her face. It wasthe case over the past few days, and her cheeks were now almostvibrant and her lips a French pink hue. Her jet-black hair was spreadloosely, with a strand sprawled over her brow, but that only adds to herattractiveness.

Isaac could not help reaching out to caress her cheek, the tips of hisfingers feeling the delicate texture of it.

He furrowed his brow.

Perhaps his touch tickled her, for Irene turned her head, and Isaacpromptly withdrew his hand.

“Urgh...”

Irene turned around in bed, and kept sleeping with her back facing him.She shrugged off hier blanket when she turned, so Isaac pulled it overher before lying down beside her on what space was left on the bed.He leaned his face against her nape, and wrapped an arin around her-blanket and all-before falling asleep as well.

Despite the darkness of the night, there was warmth and sentiment inthat room.

Isaac had already left by the time Irene woke up in the morning, andshe was completely unaware that there had been a visitor last night.Mr. Watson brought breakfast at eight, along with plenty of fruit. Sheate them after she had her meal, and sat on the couch beside thewindow to breathe in the sun.

Knock, knock!

Suddenly, someone was knocking on the door, and Lionel enteredbefore Irene said a

thing

“Irene!” He promptly got to the point. “You have to talk to IsaacJefferson.”

After more than a week had passed, he was now more than aware ofthe details about the car accident Ricky was involved in. The boy hadcrashed into Isaac Jefferson's car, and though no one was killed, Stanwas extensively injured, even though he has recovered considerablyalter treatment.

However, Isaac was now pressing charges.

To make things worse, Ricky had driven without a license, and since hewas already an

adult, he must therefore face the law's judgment.

There had been traffic cameras which had captured the incidentperfectly as well, including how Ricky ran away immediately after theaccident, making it a hit-and-run which only added to his guilt!Nonetheless, Irene remained nestled on the couch, leveling her brightgaze for a moment and batting her thick eyelashes as she blinked. “Idon't know what you're talking about. Why do I have to talk to him?”She obviously knew what Lionel was talking about, but feignedignorance.

“Your brother drove your car and somehow crashed it into IsaacJefferson's car. You're his wife, but he’s still pressing charges and doingall he can to punish our family! How can he do that?! Ricky is yourbrother...”

“Lionel,” Irene cut him short. “Mom only had one child and that's me.Since when did I get a brother?”

Lionel's face stiffened and cleared her throat naturally. “He may have adifferent mother, but you both have the same father...”

“As in, the father who never cared about me? Why would I speak onbehalf of such a man?” Irene asked.

Even if she had long since become apathetic to Lionel's behavior, bloodruns thicker than water-the grievances more or less lingered.

Lionel took a deep breath, but kept himself from flipping out. “Have Iever wronged you in any way?”

Irene looked up at the man with white sideburns. “Lionel, have youforgotten how you tried to stop me when I enrolled in medical school?You actually refused to give me money for my tuition just because I wasstudying medicine -"

“And what good would come of studying medicine?” Lionel cut her shortbefore she could finish. “Being a doctor only leads to a busy andexhausting life, and you get paid peanuts for all that trouble. I wasgrooming you so that you could marry the finest men

— so that you wouldn't have to worry about a thing for the rest of yourlife. See what came of it? You're now Isaac Jefferson's wife, and I'msure he'd be heads over heels for you if you actually made an effort.”Irene could not retort immediately, but eventually asked, “I'm a humanand I can think for myself, to decide what I want. Do you even haveambitions, Lionel?".

“Of course,” Lionel replied. “My grandfather was just an average Joe,and my father was just a chauffeur. I don't want to lead a life ofmediocrity- I want success, a legacy... And do you have any idea howhard it is to achieve that without a powerful family, backers, orconnections?”

Irene was actually given pause then.

All she knew was that Lionel was self-centered.

He only ever cared about himself, and used everyone like they weremere tools-just like how he did not hesitate to kick her into hell.