Ch. 237: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 237
Chapter 237
Bonnie approached the group just as Kevin ended his phone call. She caught the tail end of his conversation: “Block the news. Don’t let anyone find out about Bianca’s condition—it wouldn’t look good.”
Kevin brushed past Norah without so much as a glance, preoccupied with his concerns for Bianca. The moment stung. Norah’s chest tightened as she stood there, feeling invisible to him. She had always convinced herself not to dwell on such things, but seeing Kevin’s clear devotion to Bianca planted a seed of unease deep in her heart.
She sighed, choosing not to trouble Kevin further. Instead, she made her way to the doctor’s office. If Kevin was too busy to answer her questions, she would get the information herself.
After a brief conversation with the doctor, Norah learned the truth about Bianca’s condition: she was completely deaf in both ears. The doctor explained that Bianca’s hearing could potentially recover with the help of top specialists Kevin had hired. However, if the treatment failed, she might have to wear hearing aids for the rest of her life.
Norah furrowed her brow. She recalled hearing rumors about Bianca’s health issues—whispers about how her career had been derailed by both physical and emotional setbacks. But this new information troubled her. If Bianca’s condition wasn’t congenital, how had it worsened so suddenly? Could it really be as simple as a brain or ear injury? Or was there more to the story?
Something didn’t add up, but Norah decided not to linger. She thanked the doctor and returned to her hospital room, lost in thought.
Back in her ward, Norah tried to distract herself by scrolling through news articles about Bianca, but there was no mention of her hospitalization or hearing issues. It struck her as odd—how could such significant news be completely absent from the media? It was as if someone had deliberately erased all traces of it.
Her thoughts were interrupted when the door opened abruptly. Steven stood there, out of breath, his face a mix of concern and relief.
“Norah,” he gasped, “are you okay? I heard from Lincoln that you were in the hospital, and I came right over.”
“Steven?” Norah blinked, surprised. “Why are you here? I didn’t tell you I was in the hospital.”
Steven smiled sheepishly. “Lincoln told me. You scared me. I just wanted to make sure you and the baby are okay.”
Norah felt a twinge of guilt. Steven had always been there for her, but she didn’t want him to worry unnecessarily. “I’m fine,” she assured him. “The baby’s fine too—just a little scare. The doctor said I need to rest more, that’s all.”
Steven visibly relaxed and wiped the sweat from his brow. “Thank goodness. I came straight here when I heard—I didn’t even have time to change.”
Norah chuckled lightly. “Well, sit down, at least. I’ll get you some water.”
“No, no, I’ll do it myself,” Steven said, grabbing a cup and filling it at the sink. “You need to take it easy.”
Norah watched as he settled into the chair beside her. His calm, steady presence brought her a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in a long time. But Steven’s next question caught her off guard.
“The baby,” he asked gently, “is it Kevin’s?”
Norah froze, unsure of how to respond. She had been keeping the baby’s paternity a secret, even from Steven. She feared that revealing the truth would only complicate things further.
Steven seemed to sense her hesitation. “It’s okay,” he said softly. “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to. But I can tell you’re not happy, Norah. You’ve never been happy with Kevin. If you want to leave him, I’ll support you.”
His words touched a nerve. Tears welled up in Norah’s eyes as she confessed, “I’ve thought about leaving him so many times. But it’s not that simple, Steven. Divorce is messy, and I don’t know if I have the strength to go through with it. Sometimes I think about staying, just to avoid the pain of starting over.”
Steven reached out and took her hand. “You deserve to be happy, Norah. And you don’t have to go through this alone. I’ll help you.”
“Help me how?” Norah asked, her voice trembling.
Steven smiled, his expression full of quiet determination. “Do you trust me?”
Norah nodded. Despite everything, Steven had always been her rock.
Steven pulled out his phone and made a call. His tone was calm but firm as he spoke into the receiver: “Weren’t you looking for answers about the baby’s father? Well, I’m telling you now—the baby in Norah’s belly is mine.”
Norah stared at Steven in stunned silence. She had never expected him to say such a thing.
“Steven, why would you do that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
He looked at her with unwavering confidence. “Because I want to protect you. If this is the only way to keep you safe from Kevin and the people around him, then so be it.”
Norah’s heart ached at his selflessness. For the first time in a long while, she felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, there was a way out of the tangled mess her life had become.