NovelEnglishChapter 143
Chapter 143
He didn’t agree-but arguing with Chris right now was a waste of breath.
8 3 87%t
The way Kevin saw it, if being pretty was all it took to succeed, the world would be crawling with self-made
millionaires.
There was more to Stephanie Giovanni than a pretty face and a sharp tongue.
“Oh, by the way,” Kevin added, trying to shift the topic, “did Stephanie ever tell you who actually owns
Whispering Bay?”
Chris had been trying to corner her for days, hoping to shake the truth out of her. Except Stephanie never
showed.
At this point, everyone knew Chris was planning to move Olivia into Whispering Bay to recover.
The Harts were already packing her stuff.
Chris’s chest tightened.
His jaw clenched hard enough to crack a tooth.
That damn woman.
Kevin didn’t need a reply-Chris’s silence said it all. Stephanie hadn’t given him a damn thing.
That mouth of hers could throw knives, but when it cto the truth? Locked up tighter than Fort Knox.
sok
All the way to the hospital, the squestion kept looping in Chris's head-why did she say yes back then?
Sure, the Harts pushed for it.
But after everything he knew about her now, she didn’t seem like the type to do anything she didn’t want to.
By the tthey got to the hospital, he still didn’t have an answer.
The second Chris walked in, Olivia lit up like Christmas. “You're finally here.”
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtChris gave her a quick nod.
Catlin’s smile wasn’t far behind. The second she saw Chris, her whole face brightened.
She'd already heard Ch..
more than that.
was buying Whispering Bay for Olivia. And as far as Catlin was concerned, nothing mattered
Who cared if the Ashfords had opinions? Chris's choice was the only thing that counted.
“Ill leave you to it.”
She slipped out, even closing the door behind her.
Now it was just Chris and Olivia. She reached for his sleeve, her voice soft and sweet.
“Something wrong?”
Chris could tell, ever since he promised her Whispering Bay, Olivia's mood had lifted.
Even her health seemed better.
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Chapter 143
And now? There was a real chance that deal wasn’t happening. But Chris couldn’t bring himself to say it.
“It’s nothing,” he said instead. “Did you eat?”
Chris ran his hand through Olivia’s hair, fingers brushing over her soft curls.
She seemed in a better mood lately, but he could still hear it-the weakness in her voice, like every word took
effort.
And all he could think about was Stephanie. Loud, sharp, full of life.
Why couldn't Olivia have that kind of strength?
“Chris? Chris?”
“Hm?”
He snapped back, meeting Olivia's soft gaze.
“I called you, like, three times. What were you thinking about?”
“Just work stuff,” he lied. “What's up?”
“I was thinking... If we really move into Whispering Bay, can we change the curtains? | want sunflowers.”
Chris’s chest tightened.
His brow twitched, but when he saw how much it meant to her, he swallowed down whatever he was feeling and
forced a nod.
Even though deep down, he knew-Whispering Bay wasn’t happening.
They still had no clue who actually owned it.
And even if they did, so what?
Stephanie was living there now. All it would take was a few sweet words in the right ear, and that house would be
off the table for good.
“If I could just spend my last days at Whispering Bay,” Olivia smiled faintly, “I'd die happy.”
“Don’t.”
The word shot out like a bullet, sharp and unfiltered.
His voice shook.
“I mean it, Chris. And when it happens... Don’t sendto scold, sterile crematorium. Buryby the
ocean.”
Her voice trembled. “I'm scared, Chris. | don’t want to just... disappear.”
“Getsomewhere facing ocean, with trees, somewhere peaceful. Okay?”
“Enough. You're not dying. End of discussion.”
The word ‘death’ hung between them, too heavy for either of them to carry.
It used to feel far away. But now? It was in the room with them, every second of every day.
Before either of them could say more, Chris's phone rang.
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Chapter 143
It was from Grace.
“Get back here. Now. Your dad’s waiting.”
Her tone was clipped, no room for argument.
Fred barely stepped in since handing Chris the company.
So if he was asking for a sit-down-twice in one week-Chris didn’t need a crystal ball to know it was bad news.
“I can’t right now...”
X87
“Chris,” Grace cut him off, voice like ice. “Don’t makespell it out. You know Olivia can’t handle any more
stress.”
Chris glanced down at Olivia's hand, still wrapped around his sleeve. Her fingers were so thin now, so pale. He
gave in. “Fin I'm coming.”
He hung up, looking down at Olivia.
She slowly let go of his sleeve, smiling soft and small. “Go. It's okay.”
But they both knew-when Grace got pissed, nobody walked away unscathed.
And right now, Olivia was too fragile to take another hit.
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