Female Novel
Chapter 702
Bailey gave Veikko a meaningful stare before striding toward the door.
She sighed again as she placed her hand on the door handle.
“Veikko, they may be your enemies, but they're also your family. I hope you can avenge your mother,but please don't drag innocent people into this.”
She left the study without awaiting Veikko's reply.
Veikko stared at her back, his hands slowly curling into fists at his sides.
Painful scenes surfaced in his mind. The hatred he had barely managed to tamp down threatened toburst forth in full force again.
I put up with the humiliation for so many years, flirting with danger just for the opportunity to destroy myenemy and avenge this ignominy. The opportunity is now ripe. I won't just change my years-long stanceover someone's well-meaning advice, not even if it comes from Bailey. No one can truly understand mypain until they've been in my shoes.
Veikko's past was a nightmare he could never outrun. Only bloodshed and violence could quell thedemons in his heart.
In the corridor outside, Lindsey clung to Bailey's elbow and cast wary glances toward the study.
She asked timidly, “Who was that young man, Bailey? Why is he so hostile toward me? Is there somesort of bad blood between us?”
Bailey shot her a sidelong glance, appearing conflicted.
Frankly, the Carter family's well-being had nothing to do with her.
Yet the young woman beside her was close to Edmund, and at one point, Bailey even believed shewould be the one to break the walls around Edmund's heart.
She even wished Lindsey could spend a long and happy life with Edmund.
The significance of Lindsey's identity as the eldest daughter of Epea's most prestigious family onlystruck Bailey then. That makes her Veikko's...
Bailey snapped out of her thoughts and answered Lindsey's question with one of her own. “Why do youthink he hates you? Have you met him before?”
Lindsey shook her head hastily and said, “No, no, I don't know him at all. He looks like someone whoruns in underground circles. His hands are probably stained by the blood of countless men. Why wouldI know someone like him?”
Bailey's gaze dimmed.
That's right. Veikko runs around with gangs and has plenty of lives on his hands. He's from a totallydifferent world from the naive, sheltered daughter of a prestigious family. But does she know that thetwo of them share the same blood? He's simply not as fortunate as her. Her mother is the official wife,while his mother is a lowly mistress. The two of them are biological siblings, yet your lives have
diverged in such extreme directions.
Something compelled Bailey to advise Lindsey, “You'd do well to stay away from him in the future,Lindsey. He's a loner, plus—”
Surprise cut off the rest of her warning. Lindsey suddenly increased her pace and dragged Baileytoward the elevator, muttering, “I don't know him, Bailey, and I don't think we'll ever meet again. Let'snot talk about him. Bring me to see Edmund.”
Still, Bailey hesitated.
Edmund doesn't want to see anyone. Would he throw a fit if I brought his admirer to him? It would betactless of me to infuriate him while he's recovering.
“Lindsey, he's in an ICU ward now, and it's a clean room. Anyone who wants to enter his ward mustendure several rounds of disinfection to ensure they don't bring in any germs that could infect hiswounds. Why don't you watch him from outside his ward inside? I'll ask them to open the curtains to thefloor-length window,” suggested Bailey.
An objection appeared to be on the tip of Lindsey's tongue, yet as though remembering something, shemerely nodded obediently, accepting Bailey's suggestion.
Lindsey said, “I hated you so much when I was rushing back because you landed him in this state. ButI heard from Mrs. Chivers that you saved his leg, so I don't hate you anymore. Since you said he's notin a state to receive visitors, I'll take your advice and not cause a commotion by going to his ward. I'mhappy to see him from the outside.”
Her surprisingly mature assessment of the situation impressed Bailey.
She used to think the Carter family's daughter was a sheltered princess who steered clear of thedifficult things in life. It was quickly becoming evident that her family was responsible for most of thesheltering and that Lindsey was not avoiding adversity but simply experiencing it later in life.
Love can sometimes teach a person the best lessons in life. I suppose Lindsey has become moremature while pursuing Edmund.
Bailey's thoughts continued to wander. The real test will come when Veikko and her brother begin theirbattle. Eventually, I will support Veikko, and if Lindsey sides with her family, she will be Veikko's and, byassociation, my enemy.
No one could change or escape the course of fate. Acceptance, willing or not, seemed to be the onlyanswer.
In another area of the medical base, Victoria carried a thick stack of documents and entered Lionel'sward.
Lionel scrambled to sit up in bed once he saw her.
He asked, “Vicky! Didn't you return to the Saunders residence? Why are you back at the medicalbase?”
Victoria placed the documents on his bed and replied, “I only want the Saunders family's shares. Youcan have everything else.”
She added quickly before Lionel could reply, “We've discussed this earlier. All I want are the shares. Idon't want any other assets, especially your private ones. I can't accept them, so please take themback, Mr. Gezmond.”
Lionel sighed and explained in a resigned tone, “Marriage laws dictate that a married couple shares allassets. After our divorce, I must give you half of our shared assets. I'm merely following the law;whether you want it or not is independent of my obligation to give it to you.”
Victoria smiled and challenged him with his own logic. “Well then, I can't control your decision to giveme your assets, but you can't control my decision to reject them. I'm telling you that I don't want them,so I'm here to return the assets to their original owner. That's all I came here to say. I need to rush offfor a meeting at the office. I'll visit you again when I'm free. Take care of yourself, and... I wish you thebest in life. May you meet a partner who can stand by your side and share your ups and downs in life.”
A bitter smile curved Lionel's lips. When he noticed Victoria turning to leave, he called out hastily, “Becareful. You haven't recovered fully, so don't burn yourself out. And, uh, I hope we can work togetherprofessionally in the future.”
“Sure.”
She soon disappeared from his view, and Lionel's gaze slowly dimmed.
Her visit felt like the final nail in the coffin of their relationship.
While he did not cause her mother's death, his father did. That tragic history would always hang overtheir heads and prevent them from being together.
Vicky, now that you've thrown off the shackles of your tragic fate, I hope you are blessed with thesuccess you deserve.
After leaving Lionel's ward, Victoria turned the corner and promptly ran into Bailey, who was leaving theICU ward.
Bailey greeted her warmly, “I heard you're rebuilding the Saunders family business, Vicky. How'severything going? Do you have enough funds? Need any investment from me?” novelbin
Victoria smiled and continued walking toward the elevator. “Sure. I'll get someone from the investmentdivision to discuss this with you in detail. I'll make sure you get a higher dividend as well.”
The smile on Bailey's face widened.
She was happy that Victoria was finally coming out of her gloom.
Suddenly, an anxious cry rang out behind her, “Bay, Clarence's not going to make it.”