Chapter 244
Chapter 244
Todd said, “No matter how wealthy we are, we can’t buy you a magic pill for regret. You’ve seen how determined Ellie is to leave you. Show her some respect and keep your dignity. Don’t bother her anymore!”
Nancy struggled to get up. grasping Alex’s hand and pleading through tears, “Alex, your older brother is gone, Grandpa has passed away too. You have the entire Warren Group, the Warren family, and us–your dad and me–on your shoulders.
“How are we supposed to go on like this? I’m begging you, let it gof”
Alex lifted his gaze, his blurred vision lingering on his parents for a long while. His bloodshot eyes were wet at the corners. After a moment of silence, he finally spoke with difficulty, “Mom, Dad. I promise you. You both rest well. I’m heading to the
office.”
As Alex turned to leave, he clumsily knocked over the metal coat rack behind him, causing a loud crash. Watching Alex’s unsteady steps, Nancy cried out of heartache.
At
Sht AM sharp, Alex entered the office. His intense presence made everyone around him feel like they were walking on eggshells, with Barry and Chris being the most affected.
Throughout the entire morning, Alex was in work mode without taking a single break until lunchtime. Chris finally sighed in relief once it was break time.
“Go p
get
the orchids that Grandpa used to care for and load them into the car,” Alex instructed Barry before getting up to head to the break room.
Around two or three in the afternoon, Ellie woke up and took a stroll in the garden. The hospital had called her at the last minute to cover in the emergency room, switching her from outpatient duty with a schedule of twelve hours on and twenty-
four hours off
She was on shift tonight from 8 PM until 8 AM the next day, so she was taking this time to rest.
“Ms. Thompson,” someone called her.
Hearing a familiar voice behind her, Ellie turned around. She saw Barry standing not far away with a pot of orchids and frowned, “Who let you in here?!”
Barry awkwardly turned to look at Alex.
Alex said, “The front door was unlocked.”
Ellie ignored Alex, frowned, looked down, and walked away.
Alex said in a hurry, “I’m here to drop off Grandpa’s orchids and I’ll leave right after!”
Hearing Alex’s urgent voice behind her, Ellie ignored him. She had promised Carlos to take care of those orchids, but that was when she was suffering from amnesia.
Holding a pot of orchids, Barry watched as Ellie left without looking back and reluctantly asked, “Mr. Warren, should we continue moving them?”
“Of course!” Alex said in a subdued voice as he watched Ellie depart.
These orchids were planted by Carlos himself. Ellie had been learning to care for them since she was a child. No one but Ellie could take proper care of them.
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Alex believed she wasn’t avoiding the orchids, it was him, the person she couldn’t stand. She was innocent and kind–hearted; she wouldn’t abandon her Carlos’s cherished orchids.
Alex wasn’t moving quickly. Even after moving the last pot, Ellie still hadn’t emerged.
Standing by the car, he stared off into the distance. He said, “From now on, I won’t disturb you anymore. You must be happy!” But in his heart, he added, “My feelings for you will always be there!”
“Mr. Warren, the meeting time is almost here, Barry reminded him, finally eliciting a response from Alex.
After Alex left. Ellie was taken back to the garden by Whitney. Ellie gazed at the few pots of rare orchids Alex had left behind, her expression complex as she stood in silence.
Whitney said. These orchids are incredibly rare and valuable. If someone who doesn’t know how to care for them gets them, they’ll only be ruined. Since that jerk gave them to you, you might as well keep them.”
Ellie nodded, not dwelling on it too much.
Whitney said, “Come on, let’s go inside and help your mom prepare dinner. You still have to work the night shift later.”
In the evening. Aaron had just come home from work, and the family gathered for dinner. “Did you guys catch the news? Haley’s father committed suicide by jumping off a building and it was all over the news!”
Ellie was visibly shocked. Haley’s father had gone through his son’s imprisonment, the bankruptcy of the Owens family, and his daughter’s death, yet he never committed suicide. Why would he suddenly do it now?
Aaron nodded calmly. “The body was discovered this morning. The police have confirmed it was a suicide. He jumped off the rooftop of an unfinished building in the suburbs.”
“Let’s eat our dinner and not dwell on such depressing topics. Aaron, after dinner, take Ellie to the hospital for her shift,” Joanna said, unable to stomach such grim details due to her age.
Aaron quickly intervened, ‘Got it, Mom. I’ll take Ellie to the hospital shortly.”
Ellie put down her utensils and noticed the serious expressions on everyone’s faces. She said, “Mom, Jason. Whitney. I’m fine now. I can drive myself to and from work. Aaron doesn’t need to keep picking me up and dropping me off.”
During this time, Aaron had been driving Ellie to and from work, no matter how late it was. Even on weekends, Joanna wouldn’t feel at case unless Aaron was the one picking her up and dropping her off.
Ellie understood that everyone was looking out for her well–being and concerned about her. But she was an independent adult. She couldn’t keep taking up Aaron’s personal time indefinitely.
Due to Ellie’s insistence, the family had to agree to let her drive herself to work. By a little after 7:30 PM, Ellie had safely parked her car in the emergency parking lot of the hospital.
“Aaron, you can relax now,” Ellie said after stepping out of her car and video calling Aaron. As she chatted with him, she walked towards the hospital’s outpatient building, utterly unaware that a stranger was tailing her.
“Ellie, Diana called, waving at Ellie from the emergency lane near the building while carrying a late–night snack
Ellie hung up the phone and noticed the sudden change in Diana’s expression! Diana shouted, “Who are you?! Before Ellie could react, Diana tossed something over her shoulder.
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Instinctively, Ellie spun around. Not too far away, a stranger was dashing off.
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Ellie stood rooted to the spot, every hair on h
