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Novel Catalog
Chapter 32
“This is what you call not hating me?” Matthew’s voice was cold, but his words cut through the tension in the room, pulling something from Veronica’s heart that left her feeling strangely empty. His words landed heavy, as though he’d struck a chord deep within her.
Veronica, leaning against the headboard, didn’t respond immediately. Her body still ached, her energy low from the toll of the night. She stared at him, unperturbed, her gaze unwavering.
“You’re the richest man in Bloomstead,” she said slowly, her voice steady, “you get to live a life of luxury every day. Meanwhile, I’m just trying to survive, scraping together whatever I can to get by. We are two people on parallel paths. There’s no reason for our worlds to intersect.”
She lowered her head, fingertips nervously tracing the quilt beneath her. “Once I recover, I’ll go to Saint Hospital to handle my parents’ discharge,” she added quietly, the weight of it all evident in her words.
Matthew furrowed his brows, but said nothing, watching her closely.
“I’m nothing but an ant in this world,” she continued, her voice tinged with bitterness. “A speck in the vast sea of people. Young Master Matthew, I’m asking for one thing—please give me a way out. I’m not just trying to feed myself. I have my parents to think about too.”
For the first time, she spoke with such seriousness, with no hint of the defiance or bitterness she often wore. Matthew felt a flicker of doubt cross his mind, but he pushed it away quickly.
“That’s it?” he asked, his tone sharp. “Didn’t you go to great lengths to make me fulfill your and Xavier’s wishes? Was all this just for that?”
It was the first time he had heard her speak to him in such a way—this cold, direct, and almost resigned tone. For a brief moment, he almost believed her.
Veronica’s voice hardened. “As I said, the only connection between us was that unborn child. Now that it’s gone, we have nothing left. Understand?”
She looked at him with defiance, her eyes fierce despite her pallor. She stood, her voice rising, “Are you trying to force me to the edge? If that’s the case, why did you save me yesterday? Huh?”
Matthew’s eyes flickered, but he said nothing. He stared at her, his gaze intense, trying to read her, trying to see past her words.
But there was nothing—only coldness.
Without another word, Matthew turned and left.
Meanwhile, Xavier had woken up with a pounding headache, the remnants of last night’s excess alcohol still clouding his senses. “I drank too much again,” he muttered, lying on the bed for a moment before remembering that Veronica had called him several times the day before. His stomach clenched in unease as he grabbed his phone and checked the missed calls. The last one had come at 11 PM.
Why would she call so late? Something didn’t sit right.
He immediately stood up, washed up, and drove to Brocade Gardens. As he made his way up to the eighth floor, he felt a strange sense of urgency.
When he reached Veronica’s apartment, he saw that the living room door was half-open, the lock broken. His pulse quickened. He pushed the door open cautiously, stepping inside.
The sight that greeted him made his heart drop—crimson blood stained the floor.
“Roni? Veronica?” he called out frantically, his voice full of panic.
He moved from the living room to the bedroom, then to the bathroom, but there was no sign of her. His phone rang in the living room, and he rushed out to find it on the sofa.
“What happened?” Xavier muttered, his panic rising.
His eyes landed on the table where Veronica’s medicine was scattered. He noticed an invoice from a pharmacy, with the purchase timestamped at 11:30 PM the night before. The medicine box had four blister packs, two of which were empty.
“W-Why did she take so many pills?” His breath hitched as the horrifying thought crossed his mind.
Suicide?
A cold shiver ran down his spine as he immediately rushed out of the apartment. His mind was racing—he called someone to find out which hospital had taken Veronica in.
Ten minutes later, he received the information: she was at People’s Second Hospital.
Xavier sped to the hospital, barely able to contain his worry. When he reached the ward, he found Veronica asleep in the bed, her pale face looking fragile but alive.
Relief washed over him as he stood there, his heart slowly settling back into a normal rhythm. Still, the fear from the previous hours lingered in the back of his mind.
He went to find her attending doctor. The doctor explained that Veronica had been pregnant and had overdosed on motherwort, causing a miscarriage and significant blood loss. By the time she arrived at the hospital, she was in critical condition.
“Who sent her here?” Xavier asked urgently.
The doctor eyed him curiously. “Who are you to her?”
“I’m… her boyfriend,” Xavier replied quickly.
The doctor raised an eyebrow. “Her boyfriend? Then who was that man yesterday?” He handed over the signed risk notice from the operating room. “This is the person who signed the form.”
Xavier glanced at the signature, a jolt of realization running through him. “Matthew?” He stared at the name, bewildered.
What had happened yesterday? He couldn’t piece it together.
Returning to the ward, Xavier took a seat by Veronica’s bed, his mind a whirlwind of questions. He had no answers, only more confusion.
Veronica woke up after some time and found Xavier sitting beside her, looking worn out.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, surprised.
“How did you find me?” Xavier replied with a slight edge to his voice. He was still trying to make sense of everything, but relief that she was alive seemed to outweigh his frustration for now.
“I called you yesterday, but you didn’t answer,” she said quietly. She could see the concern in his eyes, and it made her feel oddly comforted.
“Yesterday… I’m sorry. I had too much to drink,” Xavier admitted, his voice apologetic. “I should’ve been there for you.”
Veronica smiled weakly, despite herself. “Were you upset yesterday after what happened with your dad? You know, because of me?”
Xavier shrugged, his expression turning slightly evasive. “It’s none of your business. I just felt like drinking. But I should be the one asking you why you were sent to the emergency room after I left you alone.”
Veronica gave him a knowing look. “You already know, so why ask?” she responded, her tone cool.
Xavier didn’t answer right away, instead, he began peeling an apple from the fruit basket that had been left on the bedside table. He had bought it just for her while she slept. He hadn’t done this for anyone else before—cutting fruit, showing this level of care—but with Veronica, it felt right.
She paused, eyeing him. “How did you know Matthew?”
Xavier’s expression faltered, but he didn’t respond immediately. His gaze was intense as he tried to gauge her reaction. “I don’t want to talk about him,” she said quickly, sensing his discomfort.
“Right,” she continued, shifting the conversation. “I need you to do something for me. The doctor said I need to stay here for a few days, so I can’t go to Saint Hospital to visit my parents. Could you go and tell them that I’m out for field training and will be back in two days? I don’t want them to worry.”
Xavier hesitated, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed the request. After a moment, he gave a single nod. “Fine. I’ll go.”
