Chapter 152
Austin Grant froze when he heard this.
He reached out to grab Lina Holloway.
But Lina reacted quickly and dodged, making him catch only air.
Felix shot a look, and Major immediately shoved Austin Grant hard out of the way.
“Step back p>
The scolded Austin Grant was nothing like the dazzling President Grant of the past.
Now, he really did look like a miserable, abandoned dog.
But at this moment, he didn’t care about any of that anymore. He recognized Major as the bodyguard who had been beside Vivian Sinclair lately—and with Lina Holloway showing up here too, he finally confirmed that Julian Thorne had set his sights on Vivian long ago!
His anger overtook him as he pressed, “What did she find out p>
“Did you tell her p>
“No, absolutely impossible p>
Lina Holloway already knew the real truth behind Vivian’s pregnancy.
But she wouldn’t truly expose it.
After all, Miss Sinclair herself hadn’t said a thing—clearly, she was keeping an ace up her sleeve.
So Lina Holloway wasn’t about to ruin it.
She just crossed her arms coldly and said, “Miss Sinclair didn’t need all those daily shots to protect her pregnancy in the first place p>
“Wasn’t it you, President Grant, who told me to keep an eye on her, never miss a single shot, to watch her get them every day, right on schedule p>
“Did you think I was going to keep covering up for you in front of Miss Sinclair about this p>
“She’s long since known that her own body is all because you wanted her to suffer—but you did it on purpose p>
“President Grant, just for this alone, there isn’t a single woman in the world who could forgive you p>
After saying that, Lina Holloway began to back away, step by step, and revealed a strange, twisted smile. “Oh, and it’s thanks to you hiring me, President Grant, or else Master Julian wouldn’t have found his dream goddess so fast and so easily p>
“For that, President Grant, thank you so much p>
The so-called killing with words.
Lina Holloway’s words didn’t just hurl Austin Grant into hell—they made him taste the true agony of regret and heartbreak.
He turned and stumbled for several steps.
The umbrella in his hand—who knows where he’d already lost it.
By now, heavy snow had piled up on his shoulders and head.
Hundreds of meters later, clutching his chest, he suddenly pitched forward and collapsed to his knees.
Then, unable to control the pain in his heart, he retched violently and spat out a mouthful of bright red blood.
The crimson stains splashed together with flecks of plum blossom on the already-white road.
Austin Grant shook as he scooped up a handful.
His eyes had gone lifeless.
He couldn’t understand—how had things between him and Vivian Sinclair come to this day p>
He began to recall, thinking of all the things he’d done to her.
Ever since their marriage, he’d been biased against her, shielding himself behind false pleasantries, always responding with evasion and secretly targeting her.
Even her pregnancy… was nothing but a lie to deceive her!
To this day, she still didn’t know—what she carried wasn’t even her own child, right?
And the thought that what she was carrying was actually his and Zoe’s blood—Austin Grant was drowning in shame.
He used to think, as long as he settled things with Zoe, maybe this could remain a secret forever.
Vivian would think it was her and his baby.
She’d love them as if her life depended on it.
And even if he’d already divorced her—so what?
As long as he could use these two babies, as long as he could make them an excuse, then sooner or later, the broken mirror would be made whole again.
But is there really a secret the world can’t discover?
This secret was just like those injections—would she really never know?
If she only found out after giving birth—Austin Grant panicked at the thought—she would never, ever forgive him for the rest of her life!
He pictured that slap from Vivian Sinclair.
And her eyes, full of real, burning hatred when she spoke of ’hate p>
She really did… she truly hated him p>
Knowing the truth, Austin Grant crumpled to the ground, unable to get up.
“Ha… hahaha p>
“It was me… I ruined you with my own hands p>
“But why, why did I only fall in love with you when you hated me most p>
“Ha… hahaha p>
“It’s me. I’ve fallen in love with you p>
“When you left me, when you’ll never look back again p>
“Was when I loved you the most p>
“Hahaha p>
Big teardrops crashed into the snowy slush.
They froze instantly.
Austin Grant sobbed and laughed, then finally collapsed completely to the ground.
He curled up, screaming like a madman, “Come back—Vivian—come back p>
Back home, Austin Grant developed a raging fever.
He kept muttering Vivian Sinclair’s name in a haze.
By now he was too ashamed to return to the old Grant Family Mansion.
He bought back the old villa where he and Vivian used to live for a fortune, and moved there alone.
He lay in the pitch-black room, struggling by himself, refusing even to take his medicine.
It was Zoe Monroe who finally tracked him down, ringing the doorbell over and over, but he never answered. Eventually she called a locksmith to break down the front door.
She walked in to find Austin Grant passed out on the sofa.
She rushed to him, shouting, “Austin, Austin p>
After he’d taken medicine to bring down his fever, Austin Grant still kept mumbling, “Vivian… Wife… You’re my wife p>
“Come back, I love you p>
“I want you to come back—to be by my side, please p>
“Vivian p>
“I really, truly love you p>
He was talking in his sleep, crying as he did.
Zoe Monroe saw the whole scene and fell to the floor in shock.
She shook her head, unable to believe it. “No… This isn’t real p>
“Austin, what did you just say p>
“You love Vivian Sinclair p>
“Then—then what am I p>
“What the hell am I p>
And because three days were up, Gregory Monroe came after Zoe Monroe again today.
Zoe Monroe had no way of pulling together five million, and that’s why she ran away.
She knew he was living in that old place now.
She only now realized, Austin Grant had come back here because he couldn’t forget Vivian Sinclair at all.
“This was your love nest—so what about me? What am I p>
“For you, I sacrificed so much. Do you know what kind of humiliation I’ve been through p>
“Austin Grant, you bastard, get up p>
Zoe Monroe beat and punched at Austin Grant, and soon, since Austin Grant was already injured, he woke from the pain.
He opened his eyes, saw Zoe Monroe, and slapped her hard across the face.
Then, without a care, he grabbed her by the throat.
He rolled off the sofa onto the floor, his hand locked around her neck.
His eyes were bloodshot—full of ferocity.
“You really dare come for me again p>
“Zoe Monroe p>
“If it weren’t for you drugging me, how the hell would I have ended up like this? If not for you, Vivian wouldn’t have seen me hooking up with you, wouldn’t have misunderstood everything p>
“It’s all you—YOU p>
“I wanted to part ways for good, but you just won’t let me go—won’t let me go p>
“You turned me into this ruin—do you know I’ve lost everything p>
“Why did you have to do all this p>
Zoe Monroe kept slapping at Austin Grant’s arms.
Luck was on her side, Austin Grant’s other arm was still in a sling, so it was easy for Zoe to strike his weak spot.
She punched his injured arm again and again, and as Austin Grant was feverish and aching all over, she managed to throw him off in one shove, sending them both tumbling to the ground.
Zoe Monroe, already humiliated no end, spun around and straddled Austin Grant, slapping him twice in return.
“Austin Grant, you bastard p>
“You’re the one who kept saying you loved me, promised to give me everything p>
“Now you flip on me in an instant, saying you love someone else! So what about me? What am I p>
“Let me tell you, I’m pregnant with your child p>
“You have to take responsibility for me p>
“And you’d better forget about Vivian Sinclair giving birth to your child—I won’t allow it, I’ll never allow it p>
“If you can’t do it, I will p>
“And don’t think you can get rid of me p>
“For the rest of your life, you’re going to be tangled up with me, lifetime after lifetime p>
She slapped Austin Grant again, then grabbed her own neck and got up, storming out of the villa in fury.
On the street, Zoe Monroe wore a mask, getting angrier and angrier, so she took out her phone and dialed Austin Grant’s number.
“Hello p>
“Austin Grant, are you trying to screw me over on purpose p>
“Didn’t you promise me you’d blur my body out? Now I’m scared to even walk down the street, afraid I’ll get recognized, and today my dad nearly burst in here to kill me! Are you doing this on purpose p>
“Austin Grant, don’t forget, we agreed to be allies, not for me to be your stepping stone p>
This news was, indeed, a trap Zoe Monroe and Austin Grant set up together specifically to trip up Austin Grant.
Zoe Monroe wanted to force Austin Grant to marry her.
She wanted him to finally give up chasing after that bitch, Vivian Sinclair.
But who knew, even after meeting this kind of disaster, he still couldn’t forget Vivian Sinclair!
Zoe Monroe hated it fiercely.
She wished she could rip those two lumps of flesh out from Vivian Sinclair’s belly just to finally vent her rage!
Of course, those two lumps of flesh might be her own children, but Zoe Monroe was already carrying one herself and felt no attachment to the other two at all—she wanted them gone, the sooner the better!
Otherwise, wouldn’t her own child be just another stumbling block?
Sometimes you have to be ruthless!
Austin Grant: “Wasn’t this whole thing loud and messy enough p>
“Cover it up. If anyone starts suspecting, who the hell are you putting on this act for p>
“Don’t worry, I’ll talk you up in front of Dad and tell him you’re already carrying a Grant Family heir p>
“Dad hates Vivian Sinclair as much as you now p>
“Isn’t this the perfect chance for you p>
“Miss Monroe, remember to seize the moment—while things are still hot, let Dad see your devotion and sincerity p>
“Getting through the Grant Family’s doors is just a matter of time, isn’t it p>
Zoe Monroe hesitated, “Really p>
“But this whole thing doesn’t make me look good p>
“Will your dad really p>
Austin Grant gave a cold laugh, “The Grant Family needs Grandma’s inheritance now p>
“But only the Young Madam pregnant with a Grant Family child gets to inherit p>
“As soon as you hand over that inheritance money, will Dad really not give you a chance p>
“Everything else is irrelevant p>
Zoe Monroe was thrilled.
Before hanging up, Austin Grant reminded her, “Remember—Vivian Sinclair can’t get back together with Big Brother while she’s pregnant p>
After hanging up, Zoe Monroe stood by the roadside, her face full of ambition.
“Vivian Sinclair—I’ll never let you block my way p>
But Zoe Monroe had never considered—she already knew the old witch’s inheritance conditions because Vivian had called her deliberately to provoke her, but how would Austin Grant know?
Of course Austin Grant knew.
Because at that moment, in the suburban basement of an Ardis city townhouse, Mrs. Archer was tied tightly to a chair, bound hand and foot.
A gag stuffed in her mouth, letting out only muffled whimpers.
In another corner—behind iron bars—a disheveled, terrified teenage girl huddled against the wall, a long iron chain locked around her ankle, hair covering her face, panic in her eyes.
Who could that girl be, but Gia Grant, missing for days and nowhere to be found?