CHAPTER 52“You startled me, Bella. I thought you went to bed?”Bella sat beside him on the bench. She was covered in thick sweaters.“I could not sleep. I am restless,” she muttered, leaning into the bench.“Hmm, I can understand this. I guess you are worried about your mother's health? But I urge you not to let that eat deep into your peace. She will be fine, eventually,” he tried to be gentle with her even though deep inside his heart, he still had grievances against her for all that she did to him."Google says that Leukaemia is a terminal disease. It hurts and kills pretty fast. So, I do not know how to feel.”The garden lights were shining dimly but enough for Jayden to see the tears building up in her eyes. She was filled with pain.“I had no idea it was Leukaemia,” he replied with the same gentleness in his voice and pity in his eyes.“It is Leukaemia and according to the doctors, she is at the critical stage of it. They need to do a blood transplant for her immediately. But w

CHAPTER 54Jayden left the house after taking one last look at Bella.“Sorry ass,” he whispered before shutting her bedroom door gently. “Not that I care what she does with her life, but I still feel hurt that she is becoming a social nuisance,” he muttered to himself in a soliloquy.Amber was already outside waiting in his official car with the driver.When she saw him coming towards the car, she rushed to his side and took his briefcase.“Good morning young master,” she bowed with respect.“You do not have to call me that anymore, Amber. Mr. Jayden would be just fine.”“No—I mean, I owe you respect and honour,” Amber stuttered, feeling slightly embarrassed.They were already seated in the car and moving towards the Gracehill Corporation building.“You do not owe me anything else apart from doing a great job in your roles,” Jayden corrected her immediately. “You do not serve me in that capacity anymore. Hence, you will not be seen referring to me in that manner. Okay?” Amber nodded

CHAPTER 56 Bella got to the hospital in Woody's car and sat back in the car for a while.“You do not want to get down,” Woody asked curiously. “Or do you need me to come along with you?”“I would appreciate that,” Bella replied with a calm voice. She seemed overtaken by self pity and withdrawn as a result of the anxiety of meeting her father and wondering how to feel around his presence.“Is this about Mr Desmond Moore, your father?”“You already know Woody. I feel angered at how he has treated me these past few days but again, I feel guilty that I am the burden he and my mother have. I am not sure how to react if he is there at the hospital.” She spoke solemnly.“Well, you would still have to face him eventually. I would suggest you do it now. So, gather up yourself and get down, we have to go in there and see him and your mother,” Woody was trying to encourage her to be courageous.“What would I say to him if he starts making angry comments or saying things?” Bella asked anxiously.

CHAPTER 58Jayden was shocked to see his grandfather and so were a few other board members.“You all look too surprised to see me. Am I unwanted or simply in the wrong room? Or perhaps, looking ghostly, considering my travails in the past few months.”Even though his voice was frail, he still wielded the Kind of authority he had prior to the incident.Jayden sat on the edge of the long board table, trying to put his thoughts together.“We are not displeased to see you…,” Sir Thompson started to speak but Lord Barracks cut him off. “I and a few others are more than pleased that you showed up at such a critical time but there is this other few that I am sure are biting their lips from the misery they feel because you have returned,” he turned over to sir Thompson and Jayden and shot a spiteful look at them.“Why would anyone dislike the fact that I am back?” Sir Benjamin asked, sitting on what has always been his chair, his symbol of authority over the Gracehill Corporation.“Nobody is

CHAPTER 60As Bella and Woody sped away from the hospital, the tension between them and Bella's father lingered in the air. Bella couldn't shake off the weight of her father's words, and the reality of being disowned settled heavily on her shoulders. She knew what her father was capable of doing especially when he was angry. Allen Moore had been the anchor between the father and daughter but now that she was struggling for her life, there is no telling what Bella's father would do to her."I can't believe he said those things," Bella muttered, wiping away a fresh set of tears. "I just wanted to be there for Mom, and now... he's pushing me away."Woody glanced at her friend sympathetically. "Bella, your dad is going through a lot too. People say things in the heat of the moment. Give him time, and he might come around. Besides, I haven't seen him change your name yet to god knows what he will change it to." Wood said with a smile."I don't know, Woody. It's like he's determined to cast