Ch. 2271..2280

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2271-Bella's bright red sports car was struck forcefully on the right side.

Luckily, there were just the two of them on the highway-her red car and the other black one. If a large truck had passed by at that moment, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

"Damn it!" Bella cursed under her breath, her forehead covered in cold sweat as she gritted her teeth.

It was obvious that the black car was intentionally trying to stop her.

Bella clenched her teeth, slammed her foot down on the gas pedal, and swerved hard to the left.

Another loud crash echoed as the two vehicles collided again, sending sparks flying in a dazzling display as their doors scraped against one another.

In that brief flash of light, Bella glanced over at the car, which seemed like a demonic presence in the darkness. But it was no use. The windows were tinted, blocking any view inside, and the surroundings were pitch black, leaving her unable to see the driver.

Yet in that instant, Bella understood.

The black car had been following her all the way to the airport, just to ram into her right before she arrived.

It was clear they wanted to stop her from getting to the airport and finding Arnold.

"That bastard! I won't back down!" Bella let out an angry roar, her eyes burning with fierce determination.

Without hesitation, she rammed her car into the black sedan once more.

The chilling wind howled as the loud crashes filled the air, sending a shiver down her spine.

The driver of the black car was caught off guard by the seemingly fragile girl's unexpected strength and bravery, briefly halting the attack.

With the flight's departure time approaching, Bella had no desire to engage them further. She stepped on the gas pedal, determined to speed away and leave them behind. Suddenly, a deafening explosion tore through the night sky.

Seated in the car, Bella felt the violent impact as the windshield shattered with a resounding crack, leaving her unable to see anything.

All the windows exploded at once, sending shards of glass flying like piercing icicles, slashing across her delicate cheeks.

The next second, searing pain pierced through her head, and the world around her began to spin.

The red sports car flipped over and rolled onto its side. If not for the guardrail, the car would have plunged down the slope, leaving little hope for her survival.

Her vision blurred as darkness crept in. A piercing sound rang in her ears, and severe pain shot through every inch of her body, as if each bone had been shattered.

"Justin… Justin…"

In the wreckage of the car, she lay on the cold, hard ground with tears streaming from her eyes.

The once vibrant and confident young woman had been reduced to this vulnerable state.

In her weakest, most hopeless, and despairing moment, her thoughts instinctively turned to Justin. But she soon snapped back to the painful truth. 'He's gone.' The man who had once protected her from danger, who had risked everything for her, was gone.

Bella struggled to breathe as she tried to cry and yell hoarsely. Her delicate fingers clawed at the ground, desperately trying to escape from the wreckage.

Suddenly, a pair of dark leather boots came into her blurry sight.

A faint familiarity stirred within her.

Bella stopped crying, trying to lift her head to see the face of the person standing before her. But the pain overwhelming her body made it impossible for her to move.

Jace watched as Bella struggled to climb out of the wreckage. Her fragile frame was even more delicate than the falling snowflakes on the ground.

He could not help but frown as he gently scooped up the exhausted Bella, cradling her in his arms.

"Let me go… I need to… Find… Arnold," Bella mumbled with her eyes shut, unable to stop the tears streaming down her face.

Jace glanced down at his watch.

Arnold's flight had already taken off, so his mission was complete.

Yet, for some reason, his chest felt unbearably heavy, as if something was suffocating him.

Bella's voice was faint and confused, her mind hazy from the crash.

"Arnold… Don't leave us," Bella murmured weakly.

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2272-Bella murmured Arnold's name, crying and begging him not to leave.

'How could there be such a foolish girl?' Jace thought.

Bella leaned against the man's chest, groaning in agony, her tears soaking through his shirt.

The faint warmth of her tears helped chase away the deep, bone-piercing chill in his heart.

"Bella…" Jace murmured, his lips parting as he softly called out her name.

However, Bella had already lost consciousness, so she could not hear him.

Jace held the injured girl close and carefully carried her toward his car.

"Bella…" Jace silently said her name again. For some reason, a sudden, sharp pain shot through his head, and an intense, uncontrollable emotion welled up within him, making his chest tighten.

Jace gritted his teeth, looking at the severely wounded Bella in his arms, her head bleeding profusely.

His heart also felt as though it was being torn apart and bleeding uncontrollably.

Similar to what happened in Sentania, Jace intercepted Bella and swiftly took her to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment.

The key difference this time was that he did not leave. Instead, he stayed hidden at the hospital.

Early that morning, up on the hospital rooftop, Grant's voice came through the phone, calm and pleased. “Jace, you did well. I'm on my way to the hospital now. You can leave now."

The strong wind blew against Jace's tall, sturdy frame.

He pulled up his collar and lit a cigarette, turning his back to the freezing wind as he pressed the phone to his ear, his voice low and gruff. “Sir."

"Hmm?"

“This time… Ms. Thompson almost lost her life." Jace clenched his jaw, his frown growing deeper. “Wasn't it too much? After all, she's just a defenseless woman."

Grant chuckled softly. "Jace, are you feeling sorry for her?"

Jace's eyes narrowed, and he immediately replied, "No, but I may have been a bit too rough. I'm worried might seriously hurt her one day. After all, Ms. Thompson is someone you care about, isn't she?"

There was a brief silence on the other end, the only sound being the wind howling through the phone.

Grant replied, "I trust you. You know how to handle things, especially when it comes to her."

Jace furrowed his brows as a strange feeling welled up inside him. Grant's words had been too ambiguous.

"Do you know why Bella is someone I care about?" Grant suddenly asked.

For as long as Jace and Grant had known each other, their relationship had been one of master and subordinate.

Grant would sometimes show concern for Jace and even engage in conversation with him, but he never really opened up about what was on his mind.

Grant's heart was like an abyss that swallowed up anyone who tried to get too close.

"Because my brother loved her deeply, and she loved Justin." Grant burst out laughing, his voice piercing like the cold wind, cutting to the bone. "Her love awakened Justin's ability to love. She was the ray of light that saved Justin from the darkness of his past and brought brightness to his gloomy existence. Her brothers became his friends, and her family became his. All of this was simply because he had Bella."

Jace's vision blurred momentarily. In his hazy memory, he saw many men and women surrounding him. They felt familiar, but he could not remember their names.

"Justin was truly fortunate to have what others could never obtain in their entire lives." Grant was still laughing but his laughter grew colder, Jike a sharp blade slicing through Jace's eardrums. "But did he deserve any of that? Why couldn't those things belong to me?"

"Sir…"

"That's why I want Bella gone from his life forever. I want his world to be empty, with no one left by his side."

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2273-The unconscious Bella was immediately rushed to the emergency department after Jace brought her to the hospital.

Just before she was wheeled into the emergency room, Bella faintly regained consciousness.

She vaguely recalled the man in black leather boots carrying her all the way to the hospital and into the emergency room.

His chilling, piercing aura felt strangely familiar to her. But Bella was in excruciating pain. Her mind was drowning in a haze of agony, leaving her no room to think of anything else.

During the harrowing moments of the surgery, Bella drifted into a state between waking and sleeping. In this hazy, dreamlike state, she began piecing together the events that had transpired since her time at Rose Island, linking the seemingly disconnected clues in her mind.

Bella vaguely realized that Arnold's abrupt departure was only the beginning.

She could not let anyone else around her get hurt. So, even with only a fragment of awareness left, even in her battered condition, she refused to let her mind stop working.

Bella thought about RC Biotech's Research Facility in Meridan, Christopher's involvement in the drug trials, Jace who looked just like her fifth brother Hugh, as well as Christopher's suspicious death in prison that was allegedly from drug abuse. Finally, she thought of Justin, whose brain was damaged by the drugs, stripping him of his ability to feel emotions.

Today, Asher's former subordinate suddenly resurfaced to tear apart his relationship with Amold. A suspicious car even stopped her from meeting Arnold at the airport before his flight.

There had to be a connection between all these events!

In her blurred vision, she saw the doctors and nurses moving hurriedly around her, their anxious voices echoing in her ears.

Her eyelids drooped heavily, her long lashes trembling with unshed tears that sparkled under the dim hospital lights.

She thought to herself, 'Bella, pull yourself together! You can figure out what's going on. You can do it!' With a loud thud, her body felt as cold as ice, as if she had plunged into a deep, bottomless pool, sinking further and further.

Just as she was on the verge of suffocating, about to fall into the arms of death, she faintly heard someone calling her name.

"Bella? Ms. Thompson? Bella..*

Only Justin called her "Bella" with that tone.

Bella gasped sharply, her reddened eyes snapping open. But the face that met her gaze was not the one she wanted to see.

What met her gaze was a cold, fair, handsome, and refined face that caused her heart to sink back into the icy abyss.

This was not the person she longed for.

It was Grant.

"Thank goodness, Ms. Thompson, you're finally awake!" Grant sat in his wheelchair, stationed by her bedside.

His deep, dark eyes were fixed on her pale, tear-streaked face, his expression filled with unmistakable tenderness as he said, "How do you feel? Where does it hurt? I've already called for the best surgeon in the entire capital to come here. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."

Bella's moist eyes shimmered weakly, clear and pure, stirring a sense of pity in anyone who saw her.

"Earlier… What did you call me?" Bella asked in a fragile voice.

Grant did not take his eyes off her beautiful eyes. His voice was warm and steady. *Bella. Is it okay for me to call you that?"

Bella said nothing, but her brows furrowed slightly.

It was clear she did not like that.

Grant noticed her resistance and let out a light chuckle.

"I'm sorry. I know that I overstepped. But please, believe me, it wasn't intentional.*

A sharp pain pierced Bella's chest, and her eyes reddened with tears.

Grant patiently continued to explain, "The doctor told me that it's best for someone to stay by your side and call out your name to help wake you up."

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2274-"From now on, I won't call you that if you dislike it. But I was genuinely concerned about you and wanted you to regain consciousness quickly."

Bella responded with a cold smile.

Her heart carried deep wounds, so such trivial matters held little importance to her.

"Mr. Salvador… Why are you here?" Bella's body was in pain as she struggled to sit up, but her strength failed her.

"Don't move yet." Grant quickly held her down, his voice soft and persuasive. "The doctor said you were very lucky. You didn't suffer any fractures, but you have several external injuries and a mild concussion, which shouldn't be taken lightly. You need to rest and be under observation for a while."

Bella, stubborn as always, shot him a sharp look. "You still haven't answered my question."

Grant's lips curled faintly, responding calmly, "My personal doctor, Ms. Amaryllis, has a villa nearby. I went to visit her because I suddenly felt unwell, and she brought me to the hospital. Coincidentally, I saw you being rushed into the emergency room."

'Coincidentally?' Bella's heart sank. If anyone else said that, she might believe it. But she could not trust this man's words.

"How long was I unconscious?" Bella asked.

"It wasn't for too long-just about a day or so." Grant leaned in closer, his voice soothing and reassuring. "I didn't have your family's contact information, but I reached out to my grandfather. He has already let Chairman Thompson know about your car accident. Don't worry, your family is on their way to SavroW." Bella's expression wavered. She tried to sit up again, but Grant gently held her down.

Bella protested. "I'm fine… I can be discharged!"

"I know you don't want your family to worry, especially your father." Grant's gaze deepened, filled with concem. "But Ms. Thompson, you're still a young woman, constantly running around on your own. Don't you think your family must be terribly worried about you? Rest assured, I only contacted my grandfather after confirming you were no longer in danger."

"Mr. Salvador, you're meddling too much in my affairs!" Bella bit her lip, her emotions visibly flaring.

She struggled to push her trembling body, trying to leap out of bed. However, her legs gave out, and she fell "Careful! A deep, concerned voice filled with urgency echoed in her ears.

In the next moment, Bella fell straight into Grant's arms.

The man, with his well-defined muscles hidden beneath his tailored suit, tightened his arms around her in a protective embrace.

A faint scent of medicine mixed with an indescribable fragrance wafted into her nose. It was so familiar…

This was the second time they had come into physical contact since she had helped him stop his wheelchair from sliding off the slope.

This time, it was even closer.

"Ms. Thompson, you can't move around just yet. You need to rest and heal, Grant murmured, lowering his head to look deeply into her tearful eyes, his voice hoarse and a bit strained.

His tall frame sat in the wheelchair, while Bella was perched on his lap, her head resting against his firm chest. She could hear his strong, steady heartbeat.

The scene was undeniably intimate.

However, Bella's gaze remained cold, her face pale and delicate. She was composed, and her suspicion deepened.

She was a doctor herself, skilled in surgery and knowledgeable in medicine.

For a man who had relied on medication to control his illness and who had suffered organ failure, how could his heartbeat be so steady and powerful?

Not to mention, it was difficult to recover from organ failure. How could someone who had been confined to a wheelchair for over a decade have such defined, tense muscles in his limbs?

She could clearly feel her hips pressing against the firm muscles of his thighs.

When she was young, she had sat on her brothers' laps, and as an adult, only Justin's.

Though Grant's muscular frame was concealed beneath his suit, she had the distinct feeling that his physique was no less impressive than Justin's.

Something was not right!

"Ms. Thompson, would you prefer to stay in my arms, or would you like to lie back down on the bed?"

Seeing her remain quietly nestled in his embrace, Grant arched his dark, clear eyes and spoke in a low, deep voice. "I don't mind either way. It's up to you. I just don't want you to be uncomfortable."

Bella's heart tightened. Her mind was momentarily blank as she tried to move.

Just then, the door to the hospital room swung open.

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2275-"Bella!"

Wyatt and his three wives, Asher, and Axel rushed into the hospital room.

Amelia, who was pregnant, had insisted on coming to see Bella, but everyone forced her to stay at home, leaving Steven to take care of her.

Seeing Bella nestled in Grant's arms, everyone was momentarily stunned. The room fell silent.

"Dad…" Bella's eyes were brimming with tears as she struggled slightly against Grant's broad chest, unable to get up. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, making it seem as if they were lovers caught in a private moment.

Grant smiled faintly as he stood up from his wheelchair and gently placed Bella back on the bed, carefully tucking the blanket around her.

Everyone exchanged bewildered glances.

Though the Thompson family resided in Hatchbay, they were still one of the top-tier families.

They were just as familiar with the gossip of Savrow's upper circles as anyone else, especially the kidnapping case from 20 years ago, which had been the talk of the town.

They knew well the damage Grant had suffered in that incident, leaving him dependent on a wheelchair for the rest of his life. Yet here he was, standing, appearing no different from a healthy man At that moment, Clarice hurried back and was surprised to see Grant caring so gently for Bella.

Clarice was taken aback, crumpling the medical report in her hand.

After observing Grant for so long, she knew him to be aloof, ascetic, and refined. Grant appeared gentle, but in truth, he was unfeeling.

Yet this man before her was showing such tenderness and consideration toward Bella.

Clarice knew she should not feel jealous, but jealousy was a natural human emotion. No matter how hard she tried to suppress it, she could not ignore the feeling.

"Chairman Thompson and respected ladies," Grant bowed gracefully, his posture upright. "I am Grant, the eldest son of the Salvador family. It's an honor to meet you all."

Wyatt's expression was complex, but he nodded understandingly as a response.

"Mr. Salvador!" Clarice seized the moment, hurrying to Grant's side. As she rushed past Axel, her shoulder brushed against his.

The men in the Thompson family were all physically fit and trained in self-defense. When Clarice brushed against Axel, his broad shoulders were like rocks, and the impact made her wince in annoyance.

Their eyes met. Axel's gaze was sharp and intense.

Perhaps due to his many years as a prosecutor, Axel had a remarkable ability to perceive details. He could not shake the feeling that this stranger seemed oddly familiar to him.

While a person's appearance and voice might change, there was one thing that remained constant-their eyes. Axel's brows furrowed slightly as he made a mental note to investigate this woman.

"Mr. Salvador, please sit down." Clarice rushed to help Grant back into his wheelchair, her face full of concern." You're still weak. It's best to be careful"

Grant smiled faintly. "I'm fine."

"Bella! My dear daughter!" Wyatt stepped forward, tightly grasping his daughter's scarred hand, his tall figure trembling with emotion. He was barely able to stand, supported by Mila. "How are you feeling? Tell me, where does it still hurt?"

"Bella, how could this happen? How did you end up in a car accident? You have no idea how worried we've been! Your father, he even…" Mila's eyes were brimming with tears, almost letting something slip, only to be silenced by a sharp look from Wyatt.

But Bella noticed everything, her heart filling with even more guilt, self-blame, and sorrow. "Dad…. I'm sorry for worrying you all…"

As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall. Within those tears lay a sense of grievance.

The one who once stood beside her through thick and thin was no longer there. From now on, if there was a mountain of blades, she would face it alone. If there was a sea of fire, she would dive in herself.

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2276-Justin would no longer be there to whisper in her ear, "Bella, don't be afraid, I'm here."

"You little brat… you're already 26. When will you finally stop making me worry?" Wyatt's voice was hoarse and gruff. His reproachful voice cracked as tears welled in the eyes of the powerful man who had always been in control of everything.

"Ash, how could Bella, with her excellent driving skills, end up in a car accident?" Axel's voice tightened with anxiety as he glanced at the pale-faced Asher beside him. "I heard it happened on the way to the airport. The weather has been so awful these past few nights. What was she doing going to the airport alone?"

Asher's long lashes were wet, and his heart felt as though it had been ripped apart, overwhelmed by deep SOIIOW.

Sensing the change in his brother's expression, Axel asked with concern, "Ash, what's wrong?"

"Bella went to the airport to chase after Arnold," Asher muttered, as a strong metallic taste of blood filled his throat Axel froze, his heart sinking. "Arnold went to the airport? Bella chased after him? What's going on?"

Asher could no longer speak. His tall figure shook in defeat, and he nearly lost his balance.

Arnold had left. His little sister got into a car accident because of him, and now she was covered in wounds. Asher had vowed to protect them both, but in the end, he had ruined everything Asher turned away, his steps faltering as he left the hospital room.

Sensing something was wrong, Axel immediately chased after him.

In the empty hallway, Asher stood facing the wall. He rested his forehead against the cold surface, repeatedly banging his head against it.

Tears spilled uncontrollably from his eyes, splashing onto the ground.

"Ash! What are you doing?!" Axel had never seen his brother lose control like this. He panicked and rushed forward to pull him away, gripping his trembling shoulders tightly. "Tell me what happened! We're brothers. We'll figure this out together!"

"Arnold left…" Asher's forehead was red from the impact. His eyes were distant, and his voice shattered. "He broke up with me… He's gone."

Axel sucked in a sharp breath of cold air in disbelief.

Inside the hospital room.

After reviewing Bella's latest medical report, Wyatt and his three wives finally felt a slight sense of relief.

"Mr. Salvador, thank you for stepping in to help. Otherwise, my daughter would've been alone in the hospital, and who knows what could have happened?" Wyatt said.

Though he was puzzled by the ambiguous scene he had walked in on earlier, he still felt it necessary to express gratitude to the man who had helped his precious daughter.

"Chairman Thompson, you're too kind. You can just call me Grant. I was only at this hospital for a checkup when I happened to run into Ms. Thompson* Grant's handsome face was as smooth as fine jade, and he gave a modest smile, exuding an air of grace. "Ms. Thompson and I seem to be connected by fate."

Wyatt pressed his lips together. If his daughter were single, such words would not have been an issue. But Bella already had someone in her life, so hearing that felt a bit awkward.

Bella took a deep breath and glanced over at Grant. Coincidentally, Grant also looked at her with a gentle gaze. When their eyes met, it looked like there was some lover's tension between them.

"When we arrived, we heard that the person who caused the accident dropped Bella off at the hospital and then ran away. Without a word?!" Sasha was furious. "What kind of heartless person does that?! Even if they didn't want to take responsibility, they should've at least apologized to us! Running off like that is considered a hit-and-run! The Thompson family won't care about a few dollars of medical bills, but we deserve an explanation!"

Mila bit her lip, her eyes still red. "Sasha, you should be thankful. If they were truly heartless, they wouldn't have even brought her to the hospital. That would've been terrifying Celeste furrowed her brows in worry. "Check the surveillance footage. After all the suffering Bella has endured, we need to find the person responsible. We can't just let this slide."

Sasha nodded in agreement. 'Exactly! We can't let it go! I'll send the Southern Star Syndicate to investigate. We'll catch that person in three days, no matter what!"

"Bella, where's Justin? You're in this condition, so why isn't your man by your side?" Wyatt asked anxiously, still clueless about everything that had transpired.

Wyatt was confused seeing his daughter unconscious for an entire day and night and noticing that the one caring for her was not her boyfriend, Justin, but rather his brother, Grant.

Bella's heart momentarily stopped. She forced herself to stay composed, suppressing the pain deep within her dark eyes.

Just as she was trying to figure out how to explain things to her father, Clarice suddenly feigned surprise and said, "Chairman Thompson, didn't you know? Mr. Justin and Ms. Thompson have already broken up."

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2277-Clarice's words were like a thunderbolt out of a clear sky, catching the Thompson family completely off guard.

Bella shuddered violently, her fingers clenched into fists beneath the quilt.

"What did you just say? Justin and my daughter broke up?!" Wyatt's face was full of shock, thinking he must have misheard.

Clarice replied, "It's absolutely true. Your sons are all aware of it, but it seems that you're still unaware."

Celeste nearly burst into tears, shaking her head repeatedly. "That's impossible… How could it be?!"

Mila's eyes were wide with disbelief. She asked shakingly, "Broke up? Why would they break up for no reason? They were so in love! How could this happen?"

A shadow of malice flickered in Clarice's blinking eyes. "You shouldn't be asking me; you should ask Mr. Justin. From what we heard, it was he who suggested the breakup…"

"Break up, my ass! Even if you held a gun to Justin's head, he would never do such a thing to our Bella!" Sasha completely lost control, her anger exploding as she pointed directly at Clarice's seemingly innocent face. "Who the hell are you? Stop spreading rumors and trying to stir up trouble! If you've got some twisted feelings toward Justin, I'll tear your mouth off and break your hips!"

"Madam Sasha, I'm merely stating the facts. Why are you yelling at me? Don't you think that's unbefitting of an elder?" Clarice's sharp eyes held a cold gleam as she bit her lip and sneered. "Besides, even Ms. Thompson has accepted the reality. If you truly care for her as an elder, you should respect her decision rather than take it out on others."

"Damn it…!" Sasha was about to rush up and slap her, but Mila and Celeste held her back.

Grant's cold, ink-black eyes darkened as he sternly rebuked, "Clarice, enough! Don't be rude to Ms. Thompson's family."

Clarice immediately lowered her head in obedience, taking a step back. However, the corner of her lips barely lifted, revealing a chilling satisfaction.

So what if she got scolded? Her goal was already achieved. She had successfully provoked the Thompson family, stirring up their negative feelings toward Justin.

"I suggested the breakup with Justin." Bella was already feeling deeply miserable. Seeing her family fighting over her and Justin's relationship only added to her exhaustion and heartache. "Don't blame Justin… Our breakup has nothing to do with him. He did nothing wrong…"

Tears brimmed in Mila's eyes as she asked, "Bella, why? What happened?"

"About a month ago, Christopher kidnapped Ms. Thompson in Sentania." Grant, seeing that Bella had no energy left to explain, spoke on her behalf.

"Kidnapped?!" Wyatt and the three ladies nearly fainted on the spot.

"Please don't worry; the danger has long passed. My brother rescued Ms. Thompson from Christopher unharmed." Grant sighed heavily before continuing, "Unfortunately, during the confrontation, Justin fell into Christopher's trap and ingested a drug that damaged his brain, causing him to lose the ability to feel emotions. So…"

"That's enough! Don't say any more!" Bella's eyes filled with angry tears as she struggled to sit up.

Just then, the man's broad, warm hand gently rested on her shoulder. His gaze was deep as he looked at her flushed face.

"So, Justin decided to break up with Ms. Thompson. Since they haven't registered their marriage, there's still time to reverse course. Although my brother no longer loves Ms. Thompson, he is kind-hearted. Ms. Thompson is still young, and he doesn't want to ruin the rest of her life, so he made this choice. That is why they broke up."

Bella stared at the man's calm, composed face, her eyes brimming with tears.

Everything he said was true. But at this moment, was it necessary to lay it all bare in front of her father, cruelly exposing the truth to the elder man?

After so much time spent together, her father had already come to see Justin as a son. How could he possibly accept such a blow?

The three ladies were completely unable to process the devastating news, glancing at each other, each at a loss for words.

"How is Justin now?" In the end, it was Wyatt who held himself together, asking with concern for Justin's well-being.

He was not just asking for formality's sake. Wyatt genuinely cared for Justin as if he were his own son.

Grant's expression grew darker, though his lips curved faintly. "My brother is fine now. Please don't worry."

"That's good… That's good…" Wyatt murmured softly. He looked at his daughter, but his heart was filled with indescribable pain.

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2278-Wyatt thought, 'But what about my Bella?' His most cherished daughter, born with a deeply affectionate nature, had set her heart on Justin for life. Now that Justin no longer loved her, how could she possibly move on? The one left behind always suffered the most.

At that moment, a nurse knocked and entered the room. "Mr. Salvador, it's time for your follow-up."

"Alright, I'll be right there."

Clarice gripped the wheelchair handles as Grant bid Wyatt farewell, maintaining his respectful demeanor.

Grant said, "Chairman Thompson, I'm sure you have a lot you want to discuss with Ms. Thompson, so I'll take my leave. This hospital has excellent medical facilities, and I've arranged for renowned surgeons to conduct a consultation for her tomorrow morning. If you're not comfortable with this arrangement, you can transfer your daughter to another hospital. I can assist with that as well. It won't be an issue."

Wyatt took a deep breath before responding, "Thank you."

After Grant left, Wyatt asked his three wives to leave the room as he wanted to speak to Bella alone.

"That Clarice girl, what's her deal? The more I see her, the more I dislike her!" Sasha fumed, hands on her hips, stomping her foot in frustration. "If it weren't for Wyatt being there, I would've slapped her already!"

"I heard she is Grant's personal physician," Mila said, pulling a handkerchief from her bag to wipe away her tears.

"A personal doctor?"

Though Celeste was quiet, she was incredibly observant and had an excellent memory. "I recall Cece, who takes care of my daughter, mentioning that Clarice loves doing her nails, but her profession doesn't allow it. None of the doctors at their hospital even wear nail polish, yet this woman's nails are noticeably long-not outrageous, but still inappropriate for her profession."

Mila and Sasha, one too consumed by sadness and the other too busy arguing, had not noticed that detail at all.

Celeste frowned. "The Salvador family is prestigious. Grant is Chairman Salvador's eldest son, raised with the utmost care. If Grant is in poor health, how could they let such an unprofessional doctor near him? It's quite strange."

"Hmph, she may be a doctor in name, but who knows what she really is?" Sasha sneered. "I remember when I was young, some of my father's colleagues would keep all sorts of 'help' around them-nannies, massage therapists, instructors, you name it… But in the end, it was all about what was going on between their legs!"

Celeste remarked, "But Grant seems quite upright…"

Sasha retorted, "How upright could Gregory Salvador's son be?"

Celeste bit her lips in silence.

Realizing her slip, Sasha quickly added, "Of course, Justin is an exception!"

Mila, deep in thought, suddenly asked, "Where are Asher and Axel?"

Both women mentioned that they had not seen them.

"You two wait here. I'll go find them." Although Mila said she was looking for the twins, she also wanted some quiet time alone to clear her head.

Among the three ladies, her love for Bella was no less than the others.

Mila had been the first to marry into the Thompson family and had watched Bella grow up, treating her as her own daughter.

Seeing Bella go through a car accident and a breakup left Mila heartbroken, and she struggled to compose herself.

Her eyes still red, Mila wandered slowly down the empty corridor, her steps heavy with sorrow.

As someone from a medical family and a board member of a pharmaceutical company, she could not fathom what kind of drug could separate two people who had once loved each other so deeply.

Such a substance could not even be considered medicine. It was pure poison!

"Alvin…" Mila suddenly thought of her brother, who was serving a sentence in prison.

Although he had later gone into business, in his youth, he had been a top student in the field of biopharmaceuticals and had contributed greatly to the expansion of the Larson family's enterprise. It was because of this that their father had entrusted the family business to this adopted son.

Perhaps her brother might have some insight into what had happened to Justin.

Suddenly, Mila stopped dead in her tracks, her breathing erratic as a heavy tremor ran through her body.

Less than 100 meters away, leaning against the balcony railing, stood a man in a black leather jacket. He was tall and sharp, his brows cold and stern.

He tilted his chin upward, his neck taut, giving off a striking yet melancholic air. The man exhaled a puff of smoke, his expression carrying a deep sense of loss, dejection, and solitude.

"Hugh…" Mila blinked hard, her heart aching fiercely as her body trembled. Overcome with emotion, she cried out, "Hugh!"

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2279-Mila's emotional cry echoed down the entire hallway. Naturally, Jace heard it loud and clear.

He froze for a moment, locking eyes with the middle-aged woman, whose eyes were brimming with tears just a few meters away.

For some inexplicable reason, his heart felt heavy and sluggish, his breathing laced with an indescribable gloom. It was the same feeling he had when he watched the severely injured Bella crawl out of the overturned car.

"Hugh… Is it really you? Hugh!" Normally dignified and composed, Mila now stood sobbing uncontrollably, completely losing her composure. "Hugh… It's your mother! You're still alive… You're really alive!"

'Mother…?' Jace stared blankly at the woman approaching him, his heart seeming to pause as though someone had pressed the spacebar. His fingers holding a cigarette trembled slightly.

The next second, a sharp headache pulled him back to reality.

Jace quickly extinguished the cigarette on the balcony and disappeared like lightning before Mila could reach him.

"Hugh!" Mila, ignoring everything, rushed forward but lost her balance and fell heavily to the ground. She scraped both knees, the pain and sadness overwhelming her as she lay on the floor, unable to get up.

Meanwhile, on the adjacent balcony, just a wall away, Jace took a deep breath, listening to the woman's sorrowful cries.

His muscles tensed as he suppressed the headache, his eyes turning bloodshot.

Inside the hospital room, Wyatt and his daughter were finally having a long-overdue heart to-heart conversation.

"Dad… Please don't worry."

Wrapped in a loose hospital gown, I Bella looked so small and fragile. Her face was pale as snow, as though it would melt with the lightest breath. Yet she smiled while looking up at her father, trying her best to appear strong. "I'm fine. At first, it was really painful, but now… I'm over it."

"You and Justin have broken up?" Wyatt gripped his daughter's cold hand tightly, his eyes filled with concern. "You're my precious daughter. Do you think I can't tell what you're feeling? I'm old, not stupid, and certainly not blind!"

Bella choked up, "Dad…"

"Sigh! I'm just an old man with one foot in the grave. What's the point of dignity at this age?" Wyatt sighed heavily, gritting his teeth. "Tomorrow, I'll go to the Salvador family and have a proper talk with Justin. Let's see if there's any chance of reconciliation.

"You both loved each other so much and went through so much hardship together. I saw it all. I don't believe in all this talk of medicine or emotional disorders… As long as he's still alive, as long as his heart is still beating, I don't believe that boy can stop loving you just like that!"

Wyatt knew what it was to love someone deeply. That kind of love, etched into your bones, could only end when life itself ended.

The Thompson family had a distinguished lineage, surpassing even the Salvador's status. Wyatt had only made one formal proposal in his life, to Bella's mother. Now, he was ready to make a second proposal-on behalf of Bella.

"Dad, there's no need. I've already come to terms with it."

Bella forced herself to suppress the bitterness inside and smiled faintly. "Justin's health is the most important thing right now. With his elder brother back, there may be upheavals in the Salvador Corporation. Justin needs to focus on the family struggle, and I don't want to distract him. Let fate decide everything else…"

"Silly girl… You've already endured three years of suffering by Justin's side! Now that you two are finally together, you're going to sacrifice yourself for him again? You're the apple of my eye. How could I bear to see you hurt yourself like this?"

Wyatt's voice trembled with pain. "You think of everything for him… But what about yourself? What will you do if he doesn't love you anymore? He promised to protect you, didn't he? What has he protected?"

The words were harsh, but Wyatt was heartbroken and spoke without thinking.

"Dad, Justin became like this because of me. So whatever he does to me… I don't blame him." Bella smiled gently. "From now on, I only wish for him to be healthy and safe. That's all that matters. Nothing else is important."

Suddenly, the door to the room opened.

Mila, disheveled and unsteady, entered the room, supported by the other two ladies.

Wyatt had never seen Mila in such a state before, so he was alarmed. He quickly rushed over to support her trembling body.

"Mila, what happened to you?"

"Wyatt!" With a voice trembling from deep within her chest, Mila collapsed into her husband's arms, sobbing. "I saw Hugh… Our son, Hugh! I saw him!"

Wyatt's heart skipped a beat, shocked. "How is that possible? Hugh has been gone for years!"

"Mila, could it be that your mind is playing tricks on you because of all the stress?" Sasha expressed her concern for Mila's mental state. "Hugh was in a plane crash, and no one survived that crash. The plane went down into the sea. This was all officially confirmed."

"Hugh is my son! How could I be mistaken?" Mila wept uncontrollably. "Just now, on the balcony in the hallway, I saw a young man in a black leather jacket, smoking… He looked exactly like Hugh! How could there be two people in the world who look so alike?"

Wyatt's emotions surged within him, but fearing it might be a false hope, he remained calm and said, "Mila, maybe it's just a coincidence…"

The Divorced Heiress Revenge Chapter 2280-"It's not a coincidence!" Bella sat up straight, her eyes burning with intensity. "Aunt Mila didn't mistake what she saw. There is a man who looks exactly like Hugh! I know him. His name is Jace. I met him while I was under Christopher's control on Rose Island in Sentania!"

The Thompson family was utterly stunned.

"Bella! Is he Hugh?!" Wyatt pressed for an answer.

Bella bit her lip, falling silent. She was deep in thought. 'Why would Jace appear at the hospital at this time?' There was only one possibility. That night, the person who hit her with the car was Jace. The person who brought her to the hospital was also Jace.

But when she woke up after losing consciousness, the first person she saw was Grant.

'Christopher, Jace, Grant…' Suddenly, Bella felt a shiver run down her spine, as though she had just woken from a dream.

A thought leaped into her mind, one that seemed absurd on the surface but terrifying when examined closely.

Bella did not believe in coincidences, especially when all the coincidences seemed intricately connected.

"Bella, speak up!" Mila's eyes were red with urgency. "Is he Hugh? Hugh didn't die… He survived, didn't he?"

Bella took a deep breath. Her eyes suddenly brightened with realization. "Aunt Mila, did you say that he was smoking in the hallway? Did he leave after finishing his cigarette, or was he still smoking when he left?"

"Maybe… I scared him off. He crushed the cigarette and left in a hurry."

"Aunt Mila, tell my brothers to go to that balcony and look for the cigarette butt he left behind."

Bella's heartbeat quickened, feeling as though the fog of deception and confusion before her was beginning to clear. "Then, take that cigarette butt and compare it to Hugh's DNA. We'll know whether it's him or not with a single test!"

Jace, with his hands stuffed into the pockets of his leather jacket, walked alone through the hospital's underground parking lot, his expression dark and brooding.

He recalled the woman who claimed to be his mother, and his heart clenched painfully. His mind was a chaotic mess.

"Jace!"

Jace's head snapped up, and he saw Clarice approaching with a cold look on her face. "Why are you still here? Didn't the Boss tell you to leave immediately after bringing Bella to the hospital?"

The man's eyes narrowed. After he had delivered Bella to the hospital two nights ago, his heart remained unsettled, though he could not explain why.

Jace feared he had hit Bella too hard and feared that she might not make it out of the emergency room alive. So he stayed, watching from the shadows. But none of this was something he would ever tell Clarice.

To him, this woman was a snake, a scorpion-cold-blooded under a human disguise and anything but human. He would not reveal a single thing to her.

"I'm watching over the Boss. After all, the Thompson family is here now." Jace's voice was indifferent, his gaze icy.

Clarice blurted out anxiously, "It's precisely because the Thompson family is here that you shouldn't be!"

Jace took a step closer, his voice low and dangerous. "What do you mean by that?"

Clarice had initially harbored suspicions about him, but after her own slip of the tongue, she panicked and quickly explained, "Bella isn't someone to be underestimated, and you've already shown your face in front of Drew. If the Thompson family finds out you're at the hospital, they might connect you to her car accident. If you and the Boss are seen together, Bella could start questioning your relationship with him, and that would cause a lot of trouble."

Jace pressed his lips into a thin line, remaining silent.

"You should leave now. Take my car." Clarice urged.

"No need."

Jace coldly refused, brushing past her.

"Oh, by the way, you didn't leave any traces behind in the hospital, did you?" Clarice, meticulous by nature, asked one more question.

Jace suddenly remembered the cigarette butt he had left on the balcony, but he did not give it much thought. Over the years working for the Boss, he had never left any evidence at a crime scene.

His DNA was not in the police database, so even if he left a cigarette behind, nothing would come of it.

"No traces."

With that, he walked away, his back solitary and proud as he disappeared into the distance.