The Billionaire's Regret: His Secret Wife Turned Medical Genius novel Chapter 75

"A brief pain for a lifetime of freedom. Isn't that worth it? Or do you want to watch Emily die under Gabriel's hands?" Amelia asked.

Robert thought again of the wound at Emily's throat.

Amelia wasn't wrong about where this was headed. If nothing changed, Gabriel would indeed drive Emily to her death.

His grip on reason slipped.

Maybe Amelia's vicious idea truly was the only way for Emily to cut ties with Gabriel and escape the hell—even if it broke her along the way.

As long as she lived, Emily could hate him forever, and he would take it. He would get her out no matter the cost.

After a long while, Robert lifted his glass and downed the whiskey in one gulp. Then, he set the empty tumbler down on the bar with a sharp, muffled clink.

He looked up at Amelia and said through clenched teeth, "Fine. We'll do it your way."

...

Across town, Emily sat on the couch when her phone buzzed in her palm.

Robert's name appeared on the screen, but Emily simply watched it glow and go dark without answering.

A moment later, a text arrived.

"I'm working on a way to settle the Sterling Group's and your father's debts. Let's meet and go over a concrete plan."

The Sterlings again—the burden she had never shaken off.

Emily owed Robert because Gabriel had hammered the Dowlings' business for her sake, and that guilt made refusal feel impossible.

So, she called back.

However, after the call was answered, the other end of the line was quiet.

When Robert finally spoke, his voice sounded tired as he said, "Halcyon Hotel. Presidential suite, Room 1808. It's private. No one will interrupt us."

Emily paused, then said, "Okay."

…

In Room 1808, Robert stood by the window with a glass of water in hand.

Amelia's sweet yet malicious face kept flashing through his mind, along with the plan that could damn him forever.

He hated the vicious idea, and he hated the version of himself about to use it. Yet, he had no other choice. If it got Emily out, he would carry the sin of it and every grudge Emily would bear toward him.

The order in Robert's words made sense, and the care behind them eased the knot in Emily's chest. She lowered her head and reached for the folder.

"Have some water," Robert softly said. "You look pale."

Emily's hand paused as she glanced at the glass.

The water looked clear, and there was nothing unusual about it.

Maybe the past few days had left her so tense that she really did feel parched. So, she drew her hand back from the file and lifted the glass.

At that moment, Robert's breath almost stopped. He watched Emily raise the glass to her lips, his eyes locked on her every move.

It was so close. Just one gulp and it would be over, and he could get her out of the hell.

As Emily's lips met the cold rim, a faint bitterness—reminiscent of almonds—threaded through the water's clean scent and rose into her nose.

Emily stopped cold.

As a top surgeon, she was hypersensitive to the smell of medication.

This wasn't right. Something had been added to the water.