Chapter 319
Chapter 319:
Helena gave an acrid laugh, shaking her head as she slowly stepped back.
In that moment, she understood. The man before her was no longer hers.
The look of disappointment in her eyes cut straight through Alden like a blade. Without thinking, he started toward her, reaching out. But he froze when he caught sight of the large scrape across the back of her hand.
The sight of fresh blood darkened his gaze. He wanted to take her straight to the emergency room, but she refused to budge from the doors of the operating room. With no other option, he called over a nurse to treat her wound right there in the hallway.
Helena let him take charge, moving mechanically through each step, but she never lifted her eyes to look at him again.
A peculiar emptiness settled inside Alden’s chest. Unable to hold back the bitterness, he said coldly, “Just as Eleanino mentioned, you’re still my wife. Taking good care of yourself is your duty p>
But as soon as the words left his mouth, they bounced back at him. That line felt so familiar.
A sudden, sharp pain stabbed through his head. He shut his eyes tightly, and in the darkness, a memory rose clearly into view. Helena had shielded his hearing aid with her hand, hurting herself badly when Rylan stepped down on her fingers. At that time, he’d quoted nearly the same thing: “Taking good care of yourself is the most important duty!” Alden’s eyes shot open.
Suddenly, it all came flooding back.
It was just a fragment, but it was enough to send his heart racing.
He threw a sharp look at Helena, but she kept her head down, her eyes refusing to meet his.
“You p>
Before Alden could say anything, Helena suddenly rose to her feet. In a cool, distant voice, she said, “Excuse me,” and turned to walk out the door. He stayed rooted to the spot, watching her retreat until she disappeared from sight.
After leaving, Helena found a quiet corner and pulled out her phone. Her fingers hesitated for only a second before she dialed a number she thought she would never call again.
“Helena?” came the voice on the other end, half teasing, half surprised. “Are pigs flying today? I can’t believe you’re the one calling p>
gαlnσνℯls․com has fresh updates for you
With Dominick’s life hanging by a thread, Helena had no patience for jokes. She said firmly, “I need you to investigate something for me p>
“That’s what I do best. Of course, I’ll help you.” The person agreed without a second thought, not even bothering to ask what it was about.
Helena hesitated for a moment, then added, “I… I might not be able to pay you the same as I did for your other jobs before p>
Alden and the Harrison family had more money than she could ever dream of, but she didn’t want to keep relying on them.
The person on the other end of the line turned out to be unexpectedly easygoing. He laughed lightly and said, “Payment is no big deal. Honestly, if it helps you out, I’d even chip in from my own pocket—just for the sake of our, uh, friendship.” Helena exhaled, clearly relieved, and offered him heartfelt thanks.