The Ex-Wife's Redemption: A Love Reborn Chapter 172

In the hospital.

Isabella lay motionless in her hospital bed, her eyes red and swollen. The steady beep of the heart monitor was the only sound breaking the oppressive silence of the private room.

Nancy anxiously stood by her side. "Miss Scott, please stop crying," she urged, her voice tinged with barely concealed impatience. "The doctor specifically said you shouldn't cry. It's not good for your condition."

Isabella didn't respond, her vacant gaze fixed on the ceiling.

Since Henry had stormed out of her hospital room, she had barely spoken. That cold, contemptuous look in his eyes had destroyed something deep within her.

Inwardly, Nancy was seething with frustration. How could Isabella be so stupid? She had completely missed Nancy's desperate signals behind Henry's back.

If only Isabella had admitted to the hit-and-run incident, shown some remorse, or at least fabricated a plausible explanation, perhaps Henry wouldn't have left so abruptly.

Now Henry was gone, and God only knew when—or if—he would return.

Despite her growing resentment toward Isabella, Nancy maintained her sympathetic facade. She couldn't reveal her true feelings, after all, her livelihood depended on this job.

No one paid better than Henry for nursing services.

Since becoming Isabella's caretaker, Nancy's life had transformed dramatically.

She could afford expensive skincare products, lived in a better apartment, and regularly received Isabella's cast-offs—designer clothes that were barely worn but no longer wanted.

The timid, plainly dressed woman of before was gone; in her place stood someone more confident, more refined.

Having tasted a better life, Nancy wasn't willing to return to her previous existence of desperate subsistence.

Even with Isabella wallowing in self-pity, Nancy remained determined to keep her position.

"Miss Scott," Nancy tried again, forcing enthusiasm into her voice. "Remember, the one who laughs last, laughs best. Nothing is truly over yet—you can't give up so easily!"

Isabella's eyes finally flickered with a hint of life.

She turned her head slightly, a bitter smile twisting her pale lips. "Stop trying to console me, Nancy. This time, he won't be coming back."

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "The anesthesia hadn't even worn off when he started questioning me about what I did to Sophia. But he doesn't understand—I should have been Mrs. Harding, not her! That bitch is nothing!"

Isabella's hands trembled as she clutched at the blanket. "He promised to marry me, but then he married someone else. Even after that, I believed he still loved me, that Sophia was just... temporary. But now I realize the truth: his heart has changed. He loves Sophia now. He's betrayed everything we promised each other."

The thought of Henry's ice-cold demeanor made Isabella sink deeper into despair. She closed her eyes, fresh tears leaking from beneath her lashes.

Nancy sighed, sitting down on the edge of the bed. "Miss Scott, if you ask me, Mr. Harding isn't as heartless as you think. If he truly didn't care about you anymore, why would he still be paying your hospital bills? The medical expenses, my salary—he's covering all of it. Would someone who doesn't care do that?"

She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "In my opinion, he's just been blinded by Sophia. All you need to do is reveal her true face. Once you do that, he'll definitely come back to you."

Isabella struggled to sit up, a spark of interest finally lighting her eyes. "What do you suggest?"

Nancy smiled, pulling out her phone and pointing to a news headline. "We'll use this!"

After lunch, Alexander returned to his hotel.

Sophia's troubled expression still remained clearly in his mind. That phone call had obviously upset her, and he wasn't going to let it slide.

"Find out everything you can about the person who called Ms. Wilson," he instructed his security team. "Anyone who upsets her will answer to me."

Within thirty minutes, his men returned with a comprehensive file on Ava Davis.

Alexander's handsome features hardened as he reviewed the information, a dangerous glint appearing in his eyes.

"Locate this Ava," he ordered, his voice cold with determination. "I think it's time we had a little chat."

After her failed attempt to extort money from Sophia, Ava hadn't given up.

She decided to stake out the Harding Estate, hoping to encounter Sophia's husband and reveal everything she knew about Sophia's past.

Ava was just approaching the exclusive neighborhood when a black SUV pulled up alongside her. Before she could react, four men emerged and surrounded her.

What happened next was so swift that she barely had time to react—a series of precise strikes that left her in significant pain but without visible injuries.

By the time she regained her senses, the men had already returned to their vehicle and driven away, leaving only a cloud of exhaust fumes.

Ava clutched her side, wincing from the intense pain radiating through her body.

Those bastards knew exactly where to hit to cause maximum pain without leaving evidence.

She had no idea who had sent them or why, but one thing was clear—someone powerful didn't appreciate her actions.

It was a busy workday, and I rushed to Billy's kindergarten immediately after my shift ended. I'd been delayed by an emergency case.

As I approached the school, I spotted Henry's car parked at the curb. The rear window was rolled down, and I could see Billy and Henry sitting together in the backseat, apparently deep in conversation.

Henry noticed me first. He gently patted Billy's head and gestured in my direction with a slight nod. Billy turned, his face lighting up with delight when he spotted me.

"Mommy!" he called out. "Why are you late today?"

Billy had grown accustomed to me picking him up every day. When I hadn't shown up on time, he must have thought I wasn't coming at all. Now, seeing me approach, he pressed his small face against the window, waving his little arms excitedly.

"Mommy, I'm over here!"

My brow furrowed as I realized my son was in Henry's car. What was this man doing here? Was he trying to take Billy away from me?

"Who gave you permission to pick up Billy?" I demanded sharply.

Henry's response caught me off guard—instead of his usual coldness, his eyes softened, almost glowing with warmth as he looked at me. "You were late from work. I was worried Billy might feel scared waiting alone at the kindergarten, so I came to get him."

Though Billy wasn't particularly fond of his father, he stuck to the facts: "That's right! Mommy came late today. I was almost the last kid left in class."

Hearing my son's confirmation, I realized I had misunderstood Henry.

My expression became slightly more calm. I decided to ignore Henry completely, focusing my attention solely on Billy. "Sweetheart, come to Mommy. It's time to go home."

Before Billy could move, Henry placed a restraining hand on our son's shoulder, keeping him in the car.

"Billy mentioned he wants fish for dinner," Henry said, his voice unusually gentle. "I know a restaurant that serves excellent fish. Why don't we go together?"

It was obvious that Henry could sense my aversion to him, my reluctance to even speak to him directly.

His eyes pleaded in a way I had never seen before.

Billy immediately cheered at the suggestion: "Yay!"

I frowned, looking at my son sitting happily in his father's car, my displeasure evident. "Billy," I said sternly, "what have I always taught you?"

I shook my head in disapproval. "How can you so easily accept someone's temptation?"