Farewell to Love: The CEO's Desperate Chase novel Chapter 412

Tyler stared at the ring in his hand, unable to process what had just happened. He simply leaned back against the headboard, numb.

A moment later, his stomach twisted in agony, and he coughed up blood—right onto the wedding band.

His mind went blank. Instinctively, he reached out and tried to wipe the blood away, but the crimson stain clung stubbornly to the metal.

Pain crashed over him, late and merciless. He glanced at the perfume bottle on his nightstand, then at the ring smeared with blood, and finally shut his eyes, overwhelmed by misery.

…

Emilia was alone at home.

After both Theodore and Tyler had left, she sat by herself on the lounge chair on the balcony, letting the cool night breeze wash over her.

Around her neck hung a blue heart-shaped pendant.

She reached up and closed her fingers around it, her thoughts drifting back over everything that had happened that day.

She remembered the earnest, loving look in Theodore’s eyes when he gazed at her, and the things Tyler had done to her.

She didn’t know what burdens Tyler was carrying, but she knew one thing for certain: there was no way back for them now.

From here on, she would make a life with Theodore, with Bella, and perhaps with her mother, too.

Because Paisley was Bella’s legal guardian and Emilia was only a supporting caretaker, every official document, from medical records to school forms, listed Paisley as Bella’s mother.

Whenever there were home visits from social workers, Paisley handled everything.

That was why Emilia needed to keep her mother close.

Even if their conversations were still few and far between, things were slowly improving between them.

Her mother…

Emilia looked down at the pendant.

Did her mother still remember her father?

Her gaze dropped, heavy with thought.

Maybe it was normal if she didn’t—after all, her father had been gone for so many years.

She couldn’t expect her mother to hold onto those memories forever.

“Yeah. The old man is handling things now.”

“Oh man, you don’t think Mr. Erickson is terminally ill, do you?”

“Don’t say stuff like that. It’s scary.”

…

On the top floor of the Erickson Building, Parker sat in his office, his wife beside him.

Secretary Jensen came in to help manage the mounting issues.

Parker glanced at him and asked, “How is he now?”

Secretary Jensen responded at once, “He was rushed to the hospital last night. After the examination, the doctors said there’s nothing seriously wrong with Mr. Erickson physically—he’s just deeply upset, and with the amount of alcohol he’s been drinking lately, his body just couldn’t take it and he vomited blood.”

“The doctor said that with proper treatment, he’ll be fine,” Secretary Jensen added, hoping to ease their worries.

Parker nodded finally.

“Did he say what caused it?” Parker pressed, after a moment’s thought.