Bride of Retribution: Aloof Billionaire's Dominant Game-Chapter 517 - 280

Joseph Shaw reached out to take the bill from the departing nurse, intending to pay, but Charlotte Miller snatched it away, giving Joseph Shaw a cold glare. Her voice, overflowing with volcanic hatred, seethed with rage she couldn’t quell: "You’ve already pushed her to the brink of death. She’s using her own life to settle things with you. Do you think she wants you to pay, wants you to sign on this? You’re truly naive."

She is Annie Gray’s friend, and her dear friend is now struggling on the edge of life and death. She can’t let her know that Joseph Shaw paid for her. If she finds out, it might drive her to death from anger.

Joseph Shaw was even gloomier, seemingly more furious than Charlotte Miller: "What do you know? How well do you understand her? What right do you have to prevent me from paying?"

The issue of the fifty thousand dollars was already beyond his explanation. The woman being rescued had been with him for eight years, how could he let someone else cover her medical expenses?

Charlotte Miller looked at Joseph Shaw, her teeth gritted: "I know many things you don’t. I understand the life she’s always pursued, and I’m sincere to her. Is this enough?"

Annie Gray was still being rescued inside. This was a hospital, at least a place to maintain quiet. If it weren’t, she genuinely felt like she wanted to kill Joseph Shaw, truly wished to cut open his brain with a knife to see how it was formed?

Atlas Hallow signaled Joseph Shaw with his eyes and quietly spoke: "There’s a long way to go. If you intend to offer some compensation, it’s better not to argue right now."

He reached out and took away the bill that seemed awkwardly capable of instigating a war at this moment, then followed the nurse to settle the payment. He also transferred enough treatment fees into the account so they wouldn’t be bothered by this matter for the next few days, otherwise, he could see Charlotte Miller indeed about to explode at Joseph Shaw.

He understood the feelings inside Joseph Shaw’s heart; he didn’t like Charlotte Miller and always felt it was Charlotte Miller who incited Annie to buy a house, get a job, and leave him.

Actually, Joseph Shaw really didn’t understand, since Annie wasn’t a girl who valued money, she would have other pursuits. What Annie pursued was precisely what he couldn’t provide, at least not in the short term, so leaving became the best choice. Annie leaving him was just a matter of time.

Joseph Shaw’s troubles were worse than his own; at least he didn’t have a marriage to annul at the time. Whereas if Joseph Shaw wanted to revoke his engagement with Violet Carter, it wouldn’t be opportune without shedding some skin, or more likely, he might end up losing more than just a layer.

Atlas Hallow, after handling those payment records, returned immediately outside the emergency room. He worried that if he stepped away for a moment, Charlotte Miller and Joseph Shaw might end up fighting.

Charlotte Miller’s emotions were highly unstable now. After a brisk walk back, she saw Charlotte wrapped in his suit from afar, leaning against a wall. When she saw Atlas Hallow approaching, her eyes softened briefly in a daze: "It’s been over an hour already..."

"Precisely because it’s been over an hour that there won’t be any issues." Had there truly been a problem, as soon as they push the person in and notice failing blood pressure or pulse, they would immediately declare the person deceased.

This hour of continuous rescue most likely saved a life, simply caused by excessive bleeding leading to shock, and perhaps disinfecting and stitching the hand wound required more time.

Charlotte Miller nodded, closed her somewhat sore eyes, and seemed to see blood-red everywhere. Every time she looked at Joseph Shaw afar, her gaze seemed like sharp knives wishing to carve out his heart and cut his flesh.

Joseph Shaw has cruised through life smoothly, anything he wanted was just a matter of reaching out. Yet, he didn’t expect to stumble on matters concerning women. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

Even if Annie didn’t offer herself for fifty thousand, he would still assist, merely seizing the momentary advantage of the circumstances then. But now everyone perceives him as a despicable person, using fifty thousand to occupy a girl’s youth for eight years. He never felt so powerless to explain his actions.

He wished to offer her many things, but Annie never wished to accept them, so what else could he do?

Even if the waiting time was long, there would eventually come a moment of relief. When the doctor announced Annie was out of danger, the tightly-strung nerves within Charlotte Miller seemed to relax, a sigh of relief escaped her as she comforted herself that it was fine now.

When Annie, pushed into the ward, remained asleep, her complexion was terrifyingly pallid, the kind of translucent white devoid of blood, or rather, a ghastly white.

The IV drip on the stand beside her bed dropped minute by minute, striking the eerily silent air as if echoing death itself. Her wrist lying calmly on the bed, wrapped in gauze, appeared exceptionally thin, evoking pangs of pity.

This wrist would carry a hideous scar for quite a while.

But whether it’s beautiful or unsightly is no longer the concern; the crucial point is that such a scar constantly reminds one of past events, highlighting why she slit her wrist—this is the cruelest, most heartbreaking reality.

Joseph Shaw stood in the ward, somewhat dazed, his eyes filled with guilt and helplessness.

He didn’t know how to restore her to her former self, didn’t know how to bring her happiness.

Suddenly realizing that he truly was a useless man, who in times like these was utterly at a loss.

"Finish taking a look, then you can leave at ease; don’t feign sorrow here," Charlotte Miller pulled the chair and sat beside Annie, preventing Joseph Shaw from approaching her further.

Considering spending the night in the hospital with Annie, talking to her tonight, otherwise, Annie might wake up feeling utterly alone. Moreover, what if she gets upset again?

Atlas Hallow watched Charlotte’s frail silhouette; she was sorrowful yet exceptionally strong. Earlier, she was so distressed outside the operating room, almost tearing his clothes. Now, she seemed finally at peace.

He had engagements tonight, so he couldn’t stay with her. However, he also couldn’t let Joseph Shaw remain. With the tension between them currently, things could genuinely go wrong.

"You should get some rest and change your clothes. I’ll inform you of any updates. Considering Assistant Gray just had surgery, it’s best not to have too intense of emotions." Joseph Shaw, upon finding Annie submerged in the bathtub, immediately jumped in to carry her out. Now, his pant legs, shoes, and socks were drenched, along with traces of humidity on his suit sleeves stained with blood. A faint blood scent lingered in the air.

Joseph Shaw nodded silently; he wasn’t afraid of Charlotte going crazy. He only feared Annie would be unable to handle seeing him when she awoke, prompting another reaction.

"President Shaw, I will take good care of her. Please don’t appear before Annie again. You should be grateful she only slit her wrist. If she chose to jump from the window today, what we’d see wouldn’t be like this. Have you seen someone die from jumping? Because of falling from a great height, limbs break, the skull shatters, the face becomes deformed, large internal bleeding occurs, and there’s no chance for rescue, directly sent to the mortuary awaiting identification." Charlotte’s voice was faintly smoky, yet her words were truly horrifying.

Joseph Shaw’s body trembled heavily; indeed, thanking her choice to slit wrists, otherwise today would be the day of eternal separation?

But Annie was such a strong woman; she could endure any workload torture and wouldn’t be annoyed by his pranks. Even when he had whims subjected her to torment, she wouldn’t resist much. She seemed like the most perfect toy; so much so that after all these years, he never considered changing, as if he was already used to it, unable to play with anything else.

Yet, what if she was truly gone?

Joseph Shaw took a deep look at the woman lying on the bed, then turned to leave the ward, his silhouette appearing somewhat desolate.

Daniel Parker arrived at the ward just as Joseph Shaw was leaving, greeted him, but Joseph Shaw seemed not to notice him, leaving with light steps.

"President Hallow..." Daniel Parker handed over to Atlas Hallow the beautifully crafted leather paper bag.

The boss always tasked him with peculiar assignments, requesting he find a secretary from the office to buy a comfortable new outfit from the mall and bring it to the hospital.

Now, glancing at Charlotte, he too understood. The outfit Mrs. Miller wore was largely dirty, stained with blood making them look terrifying.

"You can stay here, I wouldn’t mind, but change your clothes first." Atlas Hallow approached Charlotte’s side, gently ruffled Charlotte’s hair; when she lifted her eyes to meet his gaze, her red eyes brimmed with helplessness.