The Ex-Wife's Redemption: A Love Reborn Chapter 208

Harper was gone. One more person who truly cared about me had left this world.

I knelt beside the hospital bed, clutching her hand tightly, refusing to let go even as her body grew cold. Before entering the emergency room, I'd been terrified she would hate me for not telling her about Sam's death, for not consulting her before donating his heart to someone else.

But from the moment I walked through those doors, Harper hadn't spoken a single word of blame.

The pressure behind my eyes was unbearable, but I refused to let the tears fall. I followed the doctor's instructions, helping to wash Harper's body and dress her in clean, dignified clothes.

My movements were mechanical and rigid, driven by a desperate need to do something—anything—to honor this woman who had loved me like her own.

The emergency room doors burst open as Ava charged in. She stared at her grandmother's motionless form, her face utterly devoid of grief. She approached Harper's bedside with cold detachment, releasing a contemptuous snort.

"I told you not to be so nice to outsiders," she said to her grandmother's lifeless body. "Look what she did to you. She literally scared you to death. Why couldn't you have taken her with you?"

She continued her heartless monologue, her voice growing louder. "Grandma, I told you: only you and I are real family. Outsiders are never reliable. See? Now that you're dead, I'm still the one handling your funeral arrangements!"

She turned to me, her eyes narrowing. "Sophia is just a stranger. How could she possibly give you a proper send-off?" Her voice took on an accusatory tone. "You stubborn old woman, you didn't even tell me where you hid the money before you died. Am I really your flesh and blood? Why did you always help this outsider over me?"

Her emotions continued to escalate until she actually reached out to shove her grandmother's body. That was the moment I snapped.

I slapped Ava hard across the face. Twice.

"Harper is dead! Can't you let her rest in peace?" My voice trembled with extreme anger.

If Ava hadn't revealed the truth about Sam's death, shocking Harper's fragile system, the doctor had said she could have lived at least three more years.

Three years! I could have spent more time with this woman who had shown me nothing but love.

The grief was overwhelming, and Ava's behavior was the final straw.

I was done coddling this spoiled, selfish child.

Ava stared at me in shock. She had never seen this side of me before, with anger radiating from every part of my body.

For the first time since I'd known her, genuine fear flickered across her face. She cradled her stinging cheeks, tears finally welling in her eyes.

"My grandmother just died," she whimpered. "Her body isn't even cold, and you're abusing me! I never want to see you again, you poisonous bitch!"

With that final outburst, she fled the emergency room, abandoning her grandmother's body without a backward glance. I knelt beside Harper's bed and gently slipped her shoes onto her feet, completing the final act of care I would ever perform for her.

Alexander helped me with Harper's funeral arrangements. Throughout the entire process, he remained a steady presence at my side, handling the details when I was too numb to function.

After Harper was laid to rest, something inside me broke. I fell into a state of complete emptiness, as if my soul had departed along with hers. Nothing seemed to matter anymore.

Alexander watched my deterioration with growing concern. He lifted me into his arms, not allowing me to refuse, and carried me straight to the hospital for examination.

As he carried my limp body down the corridor, we passed Catherine and Isabella coming from the opposite direction.

Isabella's eyes lit up at the sight of me in another man's arms. She revealed a calculating smile and quickly pulled out her phone to snap several photos. "Mrs. Harding," she said to Catherine, "your daughter-in-law is getting pretty cozy with another man. Aren't you going to do something about it?"

She admired the high-resolution photos she'd just captured, her face glowing with malicious satisfaction.

Catherine glanced at the photos with undisguised contempt. "A single photo proves nothing. They're both fully clothed, and they're in a hospital. No one would think twice about it." Her voice dripped with disdain. "If I were you, I'd find a way to catch them naked together. You need evidence of an actual affair, not just a man carrying a woman. Is this really the best you can do?"

The scorn in Catherine's eyes was unmistakable. "With these amateur tactics, you'll never become Mrs. Harding."

Catherine had always looked down on Isabella. Despite having been dealt a strong hand in life, Isabella had played her cards terribly. With even a modicum of intelligence, she wouldn't have ended up in such a pitiful situation.

Isabella's face darkened at Catherine's criticism. "What's that supposed to mean? If you're not going to help, at least don't mock me!" Her voice dropped to a threatening whisper. "You're my mother. If my life is miserable, I'll make sure yours is too!"

Catherine snorted coldly. "Don't call me 'mother' unless you want to die!" Her voice was ice. "Our relationship is something you'd better keep buried deep inside you. Otherwise, you'll find yourself locked up in the old estate again!"

Catherine clearly had no patience for her unpleasant illegitimate daughter. She walked away on her high heels, heading toward Henry's hospital room.

Isabella, afraid of losing Catherine's support, quickly hurried after her.

That day when Henry had doubled over with gastric spasms and been rushed to the emergency room, Isabella and Catherine had exchanged secrets about their true relationship in his hospital room.

Catherine wasn't sure if Henry had overheard anything, but she planned to test the waters once they entered his room.

Henry had been transferred from the ICU to a VIP room. The moment he regained consciousness, he immediately asked about Sophia's whereabouts. He remembered Catherine bringing Isabella to his room just before the pain overwhelmed him, driving Sophia away.

If he hadn't been so physically weak, he would have leapt from his bed to search for Sophia. Richard, unaware of what had transpired, saw his son's pale face and gently pushed him back onto the bed.

"She has things to take care of," Richard soothed. "Focus on recovering first. Everything else can wait until you're better."

Richard had heard about Harper's death and had paid his respects at her funeral, having just returned now.

When Henry woke up and didn't see Sophia, his handsome face darkened with displeasure. "What things does she need to take care of? You already took Billy, didn't you?" His voice grew contemptuous. "Work matters? That job where she waits on people all day? She'd be better off without it."

He recalled several occasions when he'd visited Sophia at the hospital, watching patients deliberately making things difficult for her. Instead of standing up for herself, Sophia had responded with patience and a smile.

"I don't understand why she's so attached to that servile job."

Richard frowned at his son's attitude. "There's no such thing as high or low status work. Stop being condescending! Sophia chose this career, and you need to respect her choices."

"So," Richard continued, "how did you manage to drive Sophia away this time?" He knew Sophia well enough to understand she wouldn't break her promise to care for Henry unless he had done something excessive.

Henry protested immediately, "Dad, don't jump to conclusions! I didn't do anything! Mom brought Isabella to harass Sophia!"

He explained how he'd suggested Catherine make fish soup, hoping to get her out of the room and give Sophia some peace. He never expected her to return with Isabella in tow.

Richard delivered a sharp slap to his son's uninjured left arm. "Who told you to be so unfaithful, keeping such a calculating woman around? Answer me this: how would you feel if Sophia brought her ex-boyfriend to see you, and they were all over each other?"

Alexander and Sophia had never engaged in any overly intimate interaction, yet even that had made Henry uncomfortable. The mere thought of seeing her being physically intimate with another man was unbearable.

The events of that day flashed through his mind frame by frame.

Suddenly, something clicked into place.

"Dad, there's something I need to ask you." With just the two of them in the room, he felt safe voicing the thought that had been circling in his mind.

"Is Mom really—" Before he could finish his question, the hospital room door swung open.

Catherine entered with Isabella close behind her. "Henry, darling, I've brought Isabella to see you!"