Ch. 1591..1600
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1591
Joan was taken into the operating theater as soon as she reached the hospital.
Larry was so nervous that he wanted to go into the room as well, but the doctor stopped him.
“Sir, the patient’s condition is grim at the moment, and we must operate immediately. Please wait here patiently,” instructed the doctor firmly.
“Doctor, please…”
Larry spoke up, but the doctor ignored him. Instead, the doctor just turned around and went into the operating theatre to do his job.
The lights in the operating theater were on, and an hour crawled on by.
Larry kept pacing around in front of the operating theater. He would turn his gaze to the door of the operating theater every now and then, and he would pray that the surgery would be over soon. He wanted to see how Joan was.
“Joan, Joan!”
Hurried footsteps accompanied nervous calls as they echoed in the hospital corridor. Finnick had taken Vivian over to the hospital.
“Larry, how is Joan?” asked Vivian.
Her eyes shone as soon as she saw Larry, and she hurried over to him to ask him about the situation.
“Things are not looking good. She is inside, and the doctor is operating on her now,” answered Larry while wearing a horrified expression.
“Everything was fine just days ago. How did turn out like this?” said Vivian.
She looked terrible and was holding Finnick’s arm as she spoke.
“Please let everything be alright! If anything were to happen to Joan…”
“Shut up,” scolded Finnick, “They’re treating her now, aren’t they? Stop bullsh*tting and just wait patiently. What’s the point of panicking?”
Only then did Vivian realize that she had said the wrong words. She lowered her head guiltily and stopped talking. She waited patiently outside the operating theatre. It seemed she had recalled something soon after, and her eyes reddened with tears.
Finnick was just as nervous as Vivian, but he had been through a lot of hurdles and dealt with too many disasters. He knew that they couldn’t afford to panic, so he walked to Larry and tapped on his son’s shoulder. Finnick then said, “You should stand numbly here, either. Take a seat and rest up. You will be very busy once Joan’s surgery is over.”
Larry nodded because he knew that his father was right. The former turned around quietly and sat on the bench.
Time trickled by, and two more hours passed them by.
Just then, the door to the operating theater was opened. The doctor walked out of the room with a heavy heart.
Larry, Finnick, and Vivian rushed over when they saw the doctor.
“How is it, doctor? Is Joan alright?” asked Larry quickly as he stared at the doctor.
“The patient’s life is still hanging on the balance. Her water broke, and it is likely that the baby will be born prematurely. Unfortunately, her bleeding is a bad sign, so you should all prepare yourselves for the worst,” replied the doctor grimly.
“What is that supposed to mean?” asked Larry.
He felt as if he had fallen into the deepest, coldest pit. Fear was spreading all across his body.
The worst case scenario is that it is likely that you will have to choose between saving the mother or the baby. If that happens, the mother might become barren afterward…”
The doctor trailed off. It was obvious that he was waiting for Larry to decide.
“If the worst happens, then please save the mother,” replied Larry without even a hint of hesitation.
Larry’s love for Joan was deeply rooted in his very soul. He still felt apologetic and guilty for abandoning his unborn child, but he could not hesitate at a moment like that.
“He’s right. Save the mother,” added Finnick. Vivian, on the other hand, didn’t say anything.
Both Finnick and Vivian wanted to have grandkids, but under such circumstances, saving the mother was the best option. It didn’t matter if Joan would become barren, and they would never have a grandkid. They wouldn’t regret their decision.
The doctor nodded when he saw that everyone was in agreement. He said, “Okay, then if it comes to it, we will save the mother. Still, nothing is set in stone. There is a good chance that we can save both the mother and the baby, so you don’t need to feel hopeless. We will do everything we can.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1592
“Thank you, doctor,” said Larry upon learning that there was still hope. He sounded hopeful when he uttered those words.
The doctor gave Larry an affirmative nod before returning to the operating theater.
“Joan is such a sweet girl. Why is this happening to her?”
Vivian couldn’t hold her tears in any longer. After the doctor went back into the operating theater, she wiped her tears away as she was very sad to hear the news.
Finnick sighed. He couldn’t bring himself to say anything, so he waited quietly and patiently.
Larry’s mind was all over the place at that moment. He recalled everything that happened after Joan got pregnant, and he knew what having a baby meant to her. He didn’t know how to face Joan if they lost the baby, and he could only imagine how devastated she would be.
The more he thought about it, the more frustrated he felt. In the end, he stopped his mind from going to that dark place and waited patiently.
The torturous wait continued to drag on. Two more hours passed.
The light on the door of the operating theater finally got turned off. Everyone stared nervously at the door of the operating theatre as they waited for the end result.
Larry was so terrified that he didn’t dare to face anything, but he had no choice. He had to go through with it.
“How is it, doctor?” asked Larry stiffly after he walked up to the doctor.
The doctor exited the room while looking exhausted. When he saw Larry and the others, the doctor shook his head in exasperation.
Larry’s heart skipped a beat when he saw the doctor shaking his head like that. We must’ve lost the baby.
The mere thought got Larry’s legs to go numb. He was about to ask the doctor what the verdict was when the doctor spoke up.
“What is going on? Your wife is only eight months pregnant, so how is the premature baby over three kilograms? The baby is so plump and healthy that there is no sign of him being premature.”
The doctor looked confused. He was talking to himself and to Larry at that moment.
“Wait, what did you say? Did you say that the baby is fine?” asked Larry in disbelief. He was so happy that he smiled from ear to ear.
“Yeah, I just told you, right? It’s a chubby fella that weighs over three kilograms,” replied the doctor, who stared at Larry. It looked like the doctor was wondering if there was something wrong with Larry’s ears.
“Then, why the hell did you shake your head earlier?” growled Larry.
He was tempted to punch the good doctor right across the face, but happiness soon overwhelmed him.
The baby is fine, and so is Joan! There is nothing better than that.
Moreover, I’m a dad now!
Larry felt surreal and ecstatic when he thought about how he was a father.
Vivian and Finnick sighed a breath of relief upon hearing the good news from the side. Both the mother and the child are safe,. All is good!
“Doctor, can we go see how Joan is?” asked Larry immediately. He really wanted to see how Joan was and to meet his baby.
“Of course, but please be aware that the patient is still weak and needs to rest. Remember not to make a ruckus,” answered the kind-hearted doctor.
“Got it. Thank you, doctor.”
Larry was quick to thank the doctor before he walked into the room with his parents.
Joan had regained consciousness by then, but she still looked pale and weak. A baby was sleeping in her arms as a beautiful smile donned her face.
“Joan,” said Larry softly when he entered the room.
Joan shifted her gaze as soon as she heard Larry’s voice. She sounded delighted when she told him, “Come quick, Larry. This is our baby.”
“Mom, dad, you’re here too,” greeted Joan politely when she saw Finnick and Vivian.
“Yeah, we came to see you. How are you feeling, Joan?”
The elderly couple walked to Joan. They were genuinely concerned about her.
“I’m okay now. Sorry for worrying everyone,” replied Joan sweetly.
Larry couldn’t speak. He was staring at the baby in Joan’s arms. His heart filled with an inexplicable feeling that words could not describe.
That was the bond between a father and his child. The endless paternal love within him got ignited the second he saw the baby.
“Come, let daddy hold you.”
Larry got the baby from Joan. At that moment, he was on cloud nine, and it felt like his life was complete. He no longer had any regrets.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1593
The little baby in Larry’s arm was exploring the new world he had just arrived in. When the baby’s gaze found Larry, his tiny lips curved slightly. It was as if the baby was smiling at Larry.
“Look, look! The baby is smiling.”
Finnick and Vivian were beyond excited. They had been waiting for so long, and they were finally blessed with a grandchild. The joy in them was indescribable.
“Come here. Let grandma hold you too.”
Vivian suppressed the immense joy in her heart before she headed over to take the baby from Larry.
The family of five was happy together, and the bland hospital room seemed much brighter.
Caspian and Nancy still had some things to tend to at their engagement party, so they couldn’t visit Joan at the hospital.
Regardless, Larry called the newly engaged couple and told them the good news.
Joan went into labor while attending Caspian’s and Nancy’s engagement party. There weren’t many guests there, but a lot of journalists showed up.
Those journalists witnessed everything, so the news entitled ‘The Wife of Norton Corporation’s President Was Rushed To The Hospital’ started trending.
It made it so that many instantly learned that Joan was hospitalized, and that Larry was in the hospital as well. That was just how influential the paparazzi were.
Larry didn’t want to let people with ill-intentions take advantage of the situation and spread malicious rumors. Hence, when the journalists showed up in the hospital and asked Larry about Joan, he announced directly that his fiancée had given him a son that day.
Soon, Larry’s response to the camera became a written story shared all over the internet. Everyone learned of it, and Marsingfill, which was usually quiet, became lively.
Carl was watching the television when he learned everything.
His serene expression instantly turned dark upon hearing that news. He clenched his fists, and hatred burned wildly in his eyes.
It is them again! Larry Norton and Joan Watts.
My life is so miserable, and I can’t even live like a normal person anymore. Why do you two get to be so happy and even have a baby together?
“I will not take this quietly!”
Carl tossed the remote to the floor. He looked downright evil at that moment.
You think you’ve gotten your happily ever after? I will make you pay for everything you’ve done!
Carl’s gaze exuded a vicious and toxic vibe. I will fight! I will fight this unjust destiny even if it’s the last thing I do.
It was obvious that the emotional distress Carl had endured had distorted his mind. At that moment, nothing was more important to him. He must destroy the happy life that Joan and Larry shared.
Gabriella was no longer with Carl. She had lost all hope after going through all that injustice at the Johnsons.
She struggled for a long time before she finally made the tough decision of leaving the Johnsons by divorcing Carl.
Doing all that undoubtedly meant that Gabriella’s life would be full of hardship and poverty.
She had no skills, and no one was around to protect her.
She would struggle all alone in that complicated society, and she would definitely face a lot of danger. The direst bit, however, was that Gabriella was pregnant with Carl’s baby at the same time.
She could’ve chosen to tough it out with the Johnsons because she was pregnant. They would have to be good for her and the baby regardless of how Carl treated her, she would at least have no financial troubles.
Unfortunately, she was truly done with Carl. She didn’t want to waste her youth on a man who only saw her as a plaything.
She might’ve been chased out of the Ward family, but that didn’t mean that she no longer had any dignity.
When Gabriella first asked for a divorce, Carl laughed and mocked her.
He didn’t believe that Gabriella could survive without the Johnson family’s care, so he took it as a joke.
He didn’t know that she was serious until she had requested several times for that divorce.
In the end, Carl agreed to grant her the divorce she wanted. He believed that Gabriella would regret her decision soon and would be on her knees to beg him to take her back. That belief got Carl to grin amusingly.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1594
It had been a while since the divorce was finalized, but Gabriella never returned to the Johnson family’s home or ask Carl to take her back.
That prompted Carl to send his men out to look for her. Unfortunately, Gabriella was nowhere to be seen. It was as if she had fallen off of the face of the world, and there was no sign of her anywhere.
Carl became even more worried when he learned that Gabriella was pregnant with his baby. He prayed that she would be back soon, but even something as minor as that had become a fantasy.
He became more unreasonable after Gabriella left. He locked himself in the house all day, and no one knew what he was doing.
The news about Joan and Larry simply triggered Carl and made him redirect his focus to them. He had put everything on the line to destroy them.
At that moment, Carl was defeated and had lost everything, so he no longer cared about his life.
When Larry broke both of Carl’s leg and got the latter disabled, the insurance company compensated Carl with a hefty sum.
Carl had always been unwilling to spend that money. However, he could carry out his final plan if he added that money to the liquid assets that he embezzled earlier from his family business.
He knew that even if he were successful in exacting his vengeance, Norton Corporation would still have enough resources to trace everything back to him.
But who cares? Living meant nothing to Carl at that moment. Death was a sweet release, and with that idea in his mind, he decided to tap into his last resource.
That day, a man in a black outfit and a black mask showed up in Carl’s place.
Everyone was curious about who the man was, but they didn’t investigate further because he specified that he was there to see Carl Johnson.
The man in black knocked on the door to Carl’s room.
“Come in.”
Carl’s voice was calm. It seemed he had been expecting that visit.
The door slowly flung open. Carl grinned when he saw the guy there, and he greeted, “Yuri, you’re here.”
“Carl, I heard that you got into some trouble lately.”
The man in black had a heavy accent when he spoke, and he was definitely from a foreign country.
His name was Yuri Jovovich, a member of the mafia in J Nation. He traveled to Marsingfill some time ago while on a mission, but his subordinates were all killed before he accomplished his mission. Carl showed up in time and rescued Yuri when the latter was in grave danger. Due to that, Yuri was thankful for that help and promised that he would do Carl a favor in the future.
When Carl called Yuri over, it meant that it was time to return that favor.
“My issue is rather complicated, but with you here, anything is possible,” replied Carl.
He laughed it off. Carl never told Yuri the truth, anyway.
Rescuing Yuri was just a coincidence. Carl was driving around that day when a bloody man suddenly stumbled on to the middle of the street and asked for help.
Yuri was already dying at the time, so Carl wanted to step on the gas and leave as quickly as possible. However, the man spoke with a heavy accent and claimed that he was a member of the mafia in J Nation. He also promised to repay Carl a favor when the time came.
That promise was what got Carl to change his stance. He was an ambitious man and having an ally like that would undoubtedly be beneficial.
Regardless of the situation, having an ally from J Nation’s mafia would help a lot. Moreover, if he was sent to Chanaea for a mission, then he must be rather influential within his organization.
Carl helped Yuri into the car upon coming to that conclusion. The former even sent the latter to the best hospital to receive treatment.
Yuri and Carl had been friends since then. Whether their friendship would last without the allure of power and money… Well, that was something no one really knew.
Yuri Jovovich, the mafia member of J Nation… That was Carl’s last trump card.
“Stop lying to me, Carl. You wouldn’t have called and asked for my help if your issue is only slightly troublesome. Besides, you promised that this will be the only request you will ever make from me.”
Yuri spoke arrogantly. He knew just how powerful he was, and Carl making the call meant that the latter couldn’t solve the issue on his own.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1595
Carl wasn’t angry when he saw how proud Yuri was. If anything, the former felt like laughing aloud.
Good. The more arrogant you are, the more likely you will help me accomplish the mission.
That thought made Carl’s day that there was a spark in his eyes.
“It’s been so long since we last saw one another, but I still can’t hide anything from you,” said Carl to butter Yuri up, “If that’s the case, then I won’t hide the truth anymore. I’d like to ask you to help me destroy a man. He is Larry Norton, the president of Norton Corporation.”
“Larry Norton… From what I heard, this man is not a simple enemy.”
Yuri was proud, but that didn’t mean that he was dumb.
On the contrary, his intelligence and ability to read other’s expressions were the reason he got to where he was.
“Norton Corporation is the biggest corporate entity in Marsingfill, and having almost complete control over the company is just one of Larry’s advantages. He also has a good rapport with the underworld You’ve really overestimated me when you say that it is just slightly troublesome.”
F*ck, this arrogant punk knows so much. Carl still wore a polite grin on his face.
“Norton Corporation might be powerful in Marsingfill, but you are not a citizen of the city. You live in J Nation, and from what I have learned, you will be heading back over soon.
“Yes, this is an arduous task, but you will return to your country, regardless of whether the mission is carried out successfully. Larry might be powerful, but even he can’t go all the way over to J Nation and fight a formidable foe like the organization you work for. The notoriety of your organization is famous globally, and he is not stupid enough to go after you guys.”
Every word made sense, and Carl spoke so politely and firmly that Yuri’s ego was slowly chipping his rationality away.
“Well, you’re right about that. We have always thought little of all Chanaeans, and the president of a puny corporation means nothing to us.”
Yuri lifted his chin proudly as he spoke, and his voice was filled with discrimination.
You assh*le. I wish Larry kills you off as soon as you accomplish the mission.
Carl secretly gritted his teeth. He loathed Larry and Joan, but hearing a J Nation citizen diss Chanaea made him angry.
I can’t act out my frustration before the deed is done…
“You are right, Yuri. Then, will you be able to do it?”
Carl waited patiently for Yuri’s reply.
“Well…”
Despite everything that was said, Yuri was still hesitating because he had to go back to J Nation in two days. There was no point in offending a powerful figure in Marsingfill at that moment.
“Yuri, I heard that you are a man of your word, and I will not ask for anything else from you. All I ask is that you do this one thing for me,” said Carl with a straight face on, “Besides, you are too strong to be toppled by a task like this. Why are you still hesitating? Are you scared?”
Carl knew that the more arrogant Yuri was, the more bothered he would be when his ability was questioned.
“Hah! Me fearing him? That’s not even possible. Just tell me what you need me to do. I will show you how powerful my organization and I are!”
Yuri no longer hesitated and agreed to help when he saw that a cripple was discriminating against him.
“That is great. I knew I can count on you, Yuri.”
Carl was delighted to hear that. He quickly butter Yuri up even more by saying, “The task is actually quite simple. Let me give you an overview. “Both Larry and his wife, Joan Watts, are in the hospital now because she just gave birth to a child. She will be tired because she needs to take care of the baby.
“You and your men have many options. You can kill Joan, or go after the baby. “It’d be best if you can bring them over, but if that is not possible, just kill them off in the hospital!”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1596
Carl’s voice had so much hatred in it that even Yuri, who was standing at the side, could sense it. A chill ran down Yuri’s spine.
“Y-you want me to kill them?”
Yuri started hesitating. Killing either Joan or the baby would mean making a lifelong enemy out of Larry, and Yuri wondered if it was worth it.
“Do not let them off the hook even if you can’t kill them. I want you to torture them,” spat Carl through gritted teeth.
After saying his piece, he got a package out from under the table and handed it to Yuri before promising, “Here’s two million, Yuri. Take it as your compensation for carrying out the mission. Once everything is done, I will give you another three million. Don’t feel bad accepting the money. It is but a small thank-you gift from me.”
Carl didn’t give Yuri all the money because he wanted to keep some for himself. If anything went awry, Carl would use it for his escape plan.
The sack of money in front of Yuri drowned out that last bit of hesitation he felt. For a middle-ranked mafia leader like Yuri, two million was a huge deal.
At first, Yuri only felt compelled to carry out the task because he wanted to clear his debt. He became a lot more inspired with the cash in front of him.
“I see that you are truly a good friend, so don’t worry, Carl. I will definitely complete the task and make Larry pay for what he’s done!” said Yuri confidently.
Carl nodded in satisfaction. As suspected, Yuri is a greedy, money-minded fool who changes his stance as long as money is involved. That’s good. This is exactly what I need.
You’ve accepted my money. Now, do my bidding!
Carl grinned slightly. A calculating glow that screamed double-cross was on his face, but Yuri was too engrossed in the money to notice anything.
The scheme was slowly and secretly unfolding…
Larry had been taking care of Joan every day from morning to night after she gave birth to the baby.
Hence, she had recovered quite a bit and could go home after a few more days.
“Leslie, come let daddy hold you.”
Larry had a loving grin on him when he took the baby out of the baby cot. Happiness was overflowing in his heart.
“My mom said that the baby looks exactly like me when I was younger. Looks like he chose to take after me. Awh, I guess that can’t be helped since I am so amazing,” said Larry in a narcissistic tone. Glee was written all over his face.
Joan found Larry’s immature style to be hilarious. Still, she mercilessly retorted, “I just hope that he doesn’t become like you when he’s older. I heard that a certain someone didn’t like going to the toilet and often wet his bed until he was eight years old. Dear, you are such a wet… I mean, wonderful example.”
“H-how did you know?”
Larry turned red with shame. Joan’s grin and her seemingly nonchalant gaze got him to feel so awkward that he wanted to hide under the bed.
“Ah, my mom is just messing with you. That is not real at all. Don’t be fooled.”
Larry tried to deny it, but Joan had already seen through it all. “It’s fine. So what if you wet the bed? It’s not a big deal. You’re so good in everything else after all, so it’s only natural that there are some things that other kids can do easily while you struggled a little,” teased Joan.
Then, she stared amusingly at Larry. Hah! I’d like to see you boast now.
“T-that only happened because I had a nightmare… Ah, never mind, let’s just change the topic, okay?”
Larry was blushing red when he tried to explain the situation, but he later realized that there was no way to do so. Hence, he ignored Joan completely and went out to have some fresh air.
When he left the room, he bumped into a stranger and instinctively looked up to see who it was. Turned out, it was a plump doctor in a white coat. Larry had hit the doctor so hard that the good doctor was massaging his own tummy.
“Sorry, doctor. I didn’t see you there. Are you alright?” asked Larry, who sounded a little apologetic.
“I’m fine.”
The doctor’s reply was a little stiff and walked away without ever looking back.
Ah, the doctor was probably behaving that way because he’s mad at me. Larry tossed that incident out of his mind after grinning bitterly.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1597
Larry was working on his phone as he stood behind the door. He had been using his phone to read the reports that his assistant sent and would deal with certain matters when needed.
Just then, a nurse with a cart walked over.
“Hi Denise, are you here to deliver the meal?” asked Larry with a smile.
As requested by Larry, the hospital specially assigned Denise to take care of Joan’s diet. Naturally, that cost extra.
“That’s right, Mr. Norton.”
Denise didn’t look at Larry, and she sounded a little off when she said, “I, uh, I better head in now, Mr. Norton.”
“Okay, Denise. Thank you,” replied Larry politely before asking, “Denise, are you troubled? Or are you in a bad mood or something? How about I take over for you?”
Larry suggested sweetly when he saw how distracted Denise was.
He could help take care of Joan anyway, and it was right for him to take over if Denise was burdened.
“No, no. It’s fine. I can do it. You don’t need to worry at all, Mr. Norton,” replied Denise quickly as if she didn’t want to trouble Larry.
Larry didn’t push when he saw how reluctant she was. The two of them weren’t close anyway, and they only knew each other on a professional level.
Denise pushed the cart into Joan’s room.
“Hey Denise, you’re here,” greeted Joan politely when she saw Denise there.
“Yeah, Ms. Watts. It’s time for lunch,” replied Denise with a skin-deep grin on, “This is what the hospital prepared today. Here, let me feed you.”
“Wow, everything looks good today.”
Joan was grinning like a kid. She never noticed anything off with Denise and was simply happy to see the delicious meal.
Larry entered the room just then.
“Why are you so happy over a meal? It’s as if you’ve been starving,” teased Larry lovingly.
Joan ignored him and picked up her cutleries to chow down.
“Ms. Watts, wait,” interrupted Denise suddenly.
“What’s wrong, Denise? Is something up?”
Joan didn’t know what was up or why Denise was acting so strangely, so the former asked curiously.
“N-no, I just made a mistake and thought that I saw something in the food,” answered Denise. She looked like she was struggling to speak up, and grinned awkwardly when she added, “Ah, these old eyes of mine are getting worse. Sorry, Ms. Watts.”
“Denise, that is not true. You’re only a little over thirty. How is that old?” replied Joan with a smile. She thought that Denise was just joking.
Larry stood at the side and stared at Joan without saying a word. For some unknown reason, he felt like something was off with Denise that day, but he couldn’t quite put a pin on it. It’s as if she is hiding something…
Unfortunately, he had no way of figuring the problem out since Denise refused to voice up. All he could do was to observe from the side.
Joan picked up the spoon and sipped some soup.
“Wow, that is amazing. Denise, the hospital chef’s cooking is getting better!” praised Joan instantly. She showed no signs of hesitation and was ready to dig in.
“M-Ms. Watts, the food might not be cooked properly. Let me get you something else.”
Denise finally spoke up when she saw how Joan was about to eat up. The former had been struggling for a while, but she had since made a decision. The gaze in her eyes was filled with sorrow.
Joan got curious and was stunned momentarily. She simply stared as Denise put the food back into the cart.
“What’s wrong, Denise? Just tell us if there is anything troubling you. I will help you if I can.”
Larry finally figured out what was up. There must be something wrong with the food.
Denise panicked after hearing what Larry said.
“I-I…”
Denise hesitated. She didn’t know what to say, but the sweat forming on her forehead had betrayed her and showed everyone just how nervous she was at that moment.
“The food was poisoned, wasn’t it? Who is the culprit? I know you don’t want to hurt anyone, so just tell me the truth, Denise. We won’t make things difficult for you.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1598
Denise’s expression had exposed everything, so Larry was quick to deduce everything.
Hearing those words got Denise to stop hiding and finally confessed.
“I am so sorry, Mr. Norton and Ms. Watts,” said Denise apologetically and in a regretful tone, “I didn’t want to do this either, but I have no choice. Someone made me poison your food. I never wanted to do any of it. Please forgive me!”
“Someone ordered you to do that? Who is that person?”
Larry was furious when he heard Denise’s confession. We’re lucky that she has a conscience. If she doesn’t… the consequences would be unimaginable.
“I don’t know who the culprit is either. I received a call today, and the man told me that he has kidnapped my child. He said to do as he instructed or he will hurt my baby. He even forbade me from calling the police and threatened to kill my baby if I do.”
Denise cried as she told the truth. She walked to Larry and went on her knees to beg for his help. She said, “Mr. Norton, I never intended to hurt Ms. Watts. Please save my child since I confess in time and turn things around before it’s too late? I know that you are a powerful man, and you must have the means to save my baby.”
Joan had always been kind, so she couldn’t bear to see how crushed Denise was.
“Denise didn’t have a choice, Larry, and she never actually ended up doing anything to hurt us. Instead, she confessed, and that alerted us. Please help her,” said Joan.
“Calm down, girls. I know that Denise’s hands must’ve been tied, and I never intended to blame her. Still, we have to work around this carefully. I will send Caspian to find out where Denise’s kid is. I am almost certain that they guessed that Denise wouldn’t do as asked, so they must’ve had a backup plan,” replied Larry.
He helped Denise up before giving her a forgiving and understanding nod.
“Then, what do we do now?” asked Joan nervously. She knew that Larry must’ve already made a plan because he had already put things that way.
“All we can do is wait until they reveal themselves,” answered Larry, “Denise, it’s not safe for you to stay here, so go home for now. If that is not an option, then stay in another corner within the hospital. I will call you immediately after I learn about your kid’s situation.”
“Okay, sure,” replied Denise immediately, “I will do anything as long as my child is safe. Please help me, Mr. Norton.”
Larry didn’t answer. He simply nodded. Denise said goodbye to Joan before leaving the room entirely.
Larry was deep in thoughts as he watched Denise leave.
Who would want to hurt Joan and I?
He honestly couldn’t figure it out. Anyone who held any grudge against them was either crushed or disabled, so they didn’t have the resources to carry out a task like that.
Looks like I will have to watch my back for now.
He called Caspian later and instructed, “Caspian, help me locate Denise’s child right away. The kid was kidnapped, and you must have him rescued.”
“Understood.”
Caspian had always been that direct when dealing with serious matters.
At that moment, Caspian and Nancy were on their way to the hospital. They had been busy and didn’t have time to visit Joan until then.
After hanging up, Larry realized that someone was spying on him from behind the door. That got Larry’s eyes to glow with cruelty and evil.
“Who’s there?” roared Larry before he went over to chase after the culprit.
The man outside the room quickly ran upon realizing that he was discovered.
He had already left when Larry opened the door, and all that could be seen was a shadow turning a corner.
“Joan, I’ll go check things out and will be back soon,” informed Larry, before he turned around and ran down the corridor.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1599
The man was fast, but he left an obvious trail behind him so Larry wouldn’t lose him. It was almost as if he wanted Larry to catch him.
Eventually, Larry found the man on the rooftop of the building.
He was dressed in a white lab coat and wore a face mask which covered most of his face, but Larry could see the look of mockery in his eyes.
“You fell for it!” the man said in Chanaean with a strange accent.
He’s from J Nation? Oh, no… I’m not his target… They’re actually after Joan! I can’t believe how stupid I was! They were obviously trying to lure me away, but I was so obsessed with finding the mastermind behind everything that I let this possibility slip my mind! I’m almost there, Joan! Please be all right…
Larry thought to himself as he turned around and ran back to Joan’s ward.
Larry heard her scream as he got closer to her ward and ran at full speed towards the door.
He let out a sigh of relief when he arrived and saw Joan about to leave the room. Oh, thank goodness, she’s all right!
“Larry! Our baby! They took our baby! Go get him back!” Joan’s voice was filled with despair.
A man dressed like a doctor had entered her ward moments after Larry left and snatched her baby out of her arms.
“What?”
Larry tensed up instantly when he realized he had been so focused on Joan that he didn’t even notice his child missing.
It hasn’t even been a minute since her screams earlier, so whoever took my baby couldn’t have gotten far! If their plan was to kidnap my baby, then their main priority must be escaping the hospital!
With that thought in mind, he then ran out of the room and made his way towards the hospital’s entrance.
Larry stopped in his tracks when he saw the two guys from J Nation at the hospital’s entrance. His eyes were filled with rage, and he looked like he wanted to rip them both to pieces.
The two guys stopped running as well and had troubled looks on their faces when they saw Caspian and Nancy in front of them.
The guy holding the baby was Yuri who had been sent by Carl to go after Larry and Joan.
After a lot of planning, Yuri decided it was easier for him to complete the mission by kidnapping the baby instead of Joan.
Yuri didn’t have a lot of men in Marsingfill, and it would be too conspicuous to kidnap someone in a public area with a large group of people anyway.
As such, Yuri decided to only bring one guy with him for the operation.
Unfortunately for him, Caspian and Nancy had arrived right as his plan was about to succeed.
“Give me my baby, and I’ll spare your life,” Larry pointed at Yuri and said coldly.
“Do you take me for a fool or something? I’m not about to hand over my one and only ticket out of here!”
Yuri was panicking a little at being surrounded, but he refused to back down without a fight.
“You guys had better think this through! I have your baby, and he’ll be the one to pay the price for your rash actions!” Yuri threatened them coldly, not leaving any room for doubt.
“No, please! Don’t hurt my baby, I’m begging you!”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1600
Joan was the first to crack in the face of Yuri’s threats.
She was the type who wouldn’t think twice to sacrifice her life if it would keep her baby safe.
Yuri sneered. “Good! It’s reassuring to see how much you love your baby! Now, back off and let me get out of here unless you want to see your baby bleed! I’m not sure how much blood he can afford to lose, though!”
His tone was ice-cold, and he sounded like he would really kill the baby.
“All right, you have our word! Just don’t hurt my baby!”
Joan had lost all rationality when she saw her baby in danger. “Larry, will you please let him go? I just want our baby to be safe!”
It pained Larry to see how helpless and desperate she was, but he knew it was even more unlikely for him to get his baby back if he let Yuri leave.
As he couldn’t tell her that in front of Yuri, all he could do was flash her a reassuring gaze.
Joan seemed to have understood what he meant and slowly calmed down.
She had so much trust in Larry to get the job done that it had become second nature to her.
Yuri got increasingly nervous when he saw them all simply staring at him in silence.
“This is your last warning! Let me go, or be prepared to give your precious baby a funeral!” he repeated his threat in a louder voice.
Fearing for his baby’s safety, Larry gave in and motioned for Caspian and Nancy to step aside.
Yuri let out a sigh of relief when he saw them backing off. Phew! Good thing I’ve got this baby in my hands, or I wouldn’t even be able to make it out of here alive!
With a gleeful smile on his face, he then slowly stepped out of the hospital while keeping an eye on Larry and Caspian.
Larry waited until Yuri was about to pass him and Caspian by when he asked, “Carl sent you, didn’t he?”
His tone was filled with certainty, and Yuri felt his eyelid twitch a little when he heard that.
Did he already know about me and Carl? Is this all just an act? Yuri’s confidence began to waver when he assumed Larry had known about his plans all along.
“It doesn’t matter who sent me. Your baby is in my hands right now!”
He tried his best to sound as calm as possible despite being utterly terrified.
“Carl must’ve paid a lot of money to have J Nation’s mobsters working for him!” Larry said with a smile.
“Y-You…” Yuri was at a loss for words from the shock of having his suspicions confirmed. So Larry does know all about it!
Noticing his window of opportunity, Caspian made his move while Yuri was distracted. He grabbed the arm that Yuri was holding against the baby’s throat and twisted it with all his might.
Thanks to his immense strength as a former special forces agent, Caspian was able to dislocate Yuri’s shoulder with ease.
There was a loud snap, followed by Yuri’s agonized screams. “Ahhhhhh!”