âIf you donât acquiesce, Iâll die right here!â Stephen threatened dramatically.
Adrian scoffed, âDie as you please.â
If Stephen were truly having a heart attack, he would have been desperately searching for his medication, but Adrian wasnât fooled. The old man wouldnât dare to dieânot before Milaâs marriage was settled.
Sure enough, after five minutes of performing like an award-winning actor, Stephen stopped his theatrics, but Adrian remained completely unfazed, not the slightest bit concerned. This only enraged Stephen further, and in a fit of frustration, he punched Adrian squarely in the chest.
âIâll ask you one last time,â Stephen said, his voice hard with authority. âWill you take her as your wife?â
âI refuse to marry Mila,â Adrian responded without hesitation.
âDo you truly believe I am incapable of handling you?â Stephen countered, his tone filled with authority. Armed with a vast network of connections and years of experience, Stephen held a distinct advantage over Adrian. With the wisdom gained from a long life, he had a firm and unwavering foundation.
Aware of this, Adrian had always shown him a measure of deference. Some people might lack the power to topple Stephen, but they could complicate his life in other waysâundermining his efforts, dragging his name through the mud, and manifesting malice in a staggering number of ways.
Adrian regarded Stephen with a composed expression. âDo you truly believe that marrying her would serve her best interests?â
âI donât care!â Stephen declared, his voice filled with obstinacy. âI would procure for her anything she desires! Even if she wanted the stars in the sky, I would make sure she got them!â
The vehicle had already entered the hospitalâs parking lot.
âThen you ought to go and retrieve the stars for her,â Adrian replied nonchalantly.
With that, he swung open the car door and stepped out, not bothering to glance back. His position was clear: marrying Mila was a much more daunting task than reaching for the stars.
The driver, noticing the tumultuous expression on Stephenâs face, understood that the discussion had not gone well. âSir, what should we do?â
Stephen held his breath and declared, âItâs fine. If I canât sway him, Iâll turn my attention to Joelle instead!â
He took out his phone. His presbyopia made the font large and legible, and the driver watched as Stephen dialed a number. The identity of the person on the other end remained a mystery.
âHello? Do as I instructed and proceed to Joelleâs ward now,â Stephen commanded.
A nurse approached to take Joelleâs temperature. âMs. Watson, have you heard the news?â
Joelle, just waking up, yawned. âWhat news?â
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