After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 155

Jeffrey was sitting on the sofa, the picture of calm. His eyes landed on the frantic Rebecca as he said flatly, “He’s not out of the woods.”

Rebecca tried to steady her racing mind. This was the Hanson Group’s hospital, one of the best in the world. They could fix this. “What did the doctors say? What did he react to? What are his symptoms?”

“I haven’t authorized them to treat him,” Jeffrey said, locking eyes with her.

The words seemed to hang in the air, making no sense. “What?”

“Let me be clearer,” Jeffrey said. “Samuel’s survival depends on you. On whether or not you come back home.”

For a heartbeat, she just stared. Then the horror crashed over her. “Are

you insane?”

This was pure fury, unlike anything she’d felt before. She never dreamed he would use their son’s life as a bargaining chip. “He is your son, too,” she shrieked. “Don’t you even care if he dies?”

“That’s why I left the door open for you,” Jeffrey said with that same chilling calm. “I’ve been waiting for your answer.”

Rebecca froze as the pieces clicked into place with horrifying clarity. Lena must have called Jeffrey first. He knew she’d come, and he’d been waiting to bargain with her.

“The choice is simple. You agree to be Mrs. Hanson again, and I’ll make one phone call to save Samuel’s life,” Jeffrey stated. His calm, even tone was a form of torture, pressing down on her. “Otherwise, he’s on his own.”

“You wouldn’t do this to him,” Rebecca said, trying to stay calm.

Jeffrey was cruel, but he’d always been a good father. He was Samuel’s dad. She couldn’t believe he would risk Samuel’s life like this.

“Wanna bet?” Every word was a threat. “Go ahead and gamble. Just be sure you can live with the consequences of losing.”

Rebecca stared, searching his face for any sign of a bluff. But there was nothing.

Fumbling for her phone, she placed a video call to Timothy. “Dr. Johnson, how is Samuel?”

“He’s in the ER,” Timothy said, turning the camera so Rebecca could see. “Mr. Hanson gave a direct order. No one touches Samuel without his say–so.”

“Can I just see him?” Panic was rising in her throat like bile. Her gut screamed that this was all some twisted game, but the tiny, terrifying “what if” was choking her.

Timothy didn’t say anything.

her phone. “You can,” he said,

hope–the stubborn belief that there was a line he would never cross–began

swinging doors of

red welts. His lips were bloodless, and his forehead was gleaming with sweat. A team of doctors and nurses surrounded him, standing

Rebecca’s heart. Her head snapped up, her eyes locking on Jeffrey. “What the hell do

be my wife, Mrs. Hanson. I don’t want to hear another word about divorce,” Jeffrey said, lifting his eyelids lazily as if nothing

balled into fists at her sides,

Jeffrey added, his tone unchanged, “is another second

bit down on her lip, fighting for control. “And what

gaze. “Your heart is soft for everyone in the world but

into her palms, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the agony ripping through her chest. She wanted to fight, to scream, but

him,” she choked out.

“is that a

died because she was too proud to break,

across the coffee

with disbelief. “Are you kidding me? Samuel is fighting for his life,

Jeffrey spoke to the phone in her hand. “You

“Right away,” Timothy replied.

the door, and locked it. He picked up the agreement and held it in

this heartless?‘ she thought. ‘Our son is in the ER, and this is

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Chapter 155

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said coldly, every word laced with hatred. “But I will never, ever forgive

said, holding out

isn’t willing,” she

he replied simply. “And that makes

raged behind her eyes. The man in front of her was someone she didn’t know

have ten seconds,” he said, his voice low. “Or I’ll text the

treatment.”

She pressed down with so