Forgotten Love: Mr. President, Mrs. Fordham Has Rejected You!-Chapter 216: Let Go—Stop Hurting Her

Stella moved her lips, seemingly wanting to ask something, but didn’t know how to begin.

Hugh had already seen through all her unease.

"Don’t worry, Aiden can’t find this place."

His voice turned cold, filled with undisguised disgust.

"I’ve already spread the news that your child is gone."

"And I sent the divorce papers to the Fordham Family."

Rage surged in Hugh’s eyes, he clenched his teeth.

"That bastard dared to harm you like that; he doesn’t deserve to be our Whitman family’s son-in-law!"

After a pause, he asked, "Sierra, do you want... a divorce?"

Stella nodded, her eyes vacant.

She knew, the fate between her and Aiden was over.

From the moment he stopped trusting her, from the moment he did the paternity test, from the moment he forced her to drink that bowl of medicine... there was no turning back.

Everything had come to an end.

Suddenly, as if she recalled something, there was focus in her eyes.

"There’s an issue with Central Hospital."

Her voice was not loud, but each word was clear.

"They fabricated the paternity test results."

Hugh’s expression instantly darkened, unfathomable.

He looked at her, without a trace of doubt.

"Don’t worry."

"Brother will investigate this."

"I’ll make them pay."

...

After this family punishment, Aiden suffered from repeated high fevers for three days and nights.

In a half-dreaming, half-awake state, the only name he murmured repeatedly was...

Stella.

A week later, his wounds were still faintly aching, but he had already returned to the company.

The vast CEO office felt empty enough to inspire fear.

On the phone, his gaze fell on the divorce papers sent from the Whitman family.

His mind again conjured up her face when she left, the terror and despair etched with blood.

At this moment, he tasted fear once more.

A fear that penetrated to his bones, chilling him to the core.

He feared that he’d never see her again in this lifetime.

"No matter the method, you must find her. Keep tabs on everyone who might contact her."

He angrily hung up the phone, rubbed his temples with distress.

He dispatched all shadow team members to search, mobilized all possible connections, yet she seemed to vanish into thin air, with no trace.

Aiden’s brow furrowed into a knot.

Where is she now?

How is her health? There hasn’t been bad news from the Whitman family, she must’ve gotten through... this ordeal.

There was so much blood that day, the child probably couldn’t be saved.

Does she hate him now?

Is she still... heartbroken and grieving?

Thinking of this, that familiar ache surged again, leaving him lost.

A knock on the door pulled his thoughts back.

Secretary Cole entered, followed by someone in technical department attire.

"President Fordham, this is Ryan Lowell from the technical department, he says there’s something very important to report to you."

Secretary Cole finished and closed the door.

Aiden turned around.

The young engineer named Ryan immediately handed over his file, palms sweaty with nerves.

"President Fordham, this is the garbage data from terminal 001, I... I discovered it while cleaning ahead of schedule, it’s a physical examination report of Mrs. Fordham from three weeks ago, thought... thought I must submit it to you."

Three weeks ago?

"Alright." Aiden took the thin two-page report, and Ryan turned to leave.

He walked over to the executive chair, carefully examining the data.

First item: Early pregnancy, five weeks, HCG: 435.

So she knew she was pregnant long ago, but never told him.

Was it his lack of assurance, or was this child really...

With these thoughts, his brow furrowed again.

Second item: Moderate anemia, hemoglobin: 71g/L

His gaze continued down, reaching the seventh item at the end of the page, pepsinogen I: 129ng/ml

Just as he was about to turn the page, Keegan Lindsey knocked and entered urgently, "President Fordham, Hugh Whitman has returned, he’s at the Sterling Residence now."

"Bang" Aiden immediately set down the report in hand, donned his suit jacket, and strode out.

The report was brushed by the coat, falling to the ground, opening to the second page which read: [Item No. 10: According to genetic database comparison, the biological father of the fetus is: Aiden Fordham.]

Not long after, Secretary Cole entered with meeting notes, noticed the report on the ground, and placed it at the outermost side of the file rack, where Aiden could easily reach it...

Outside Sterling Manor.

A black Maybach came to a steady halt.

Aiden stepped out of the car, his deep gaze resting on the intricately carved iron gate.

On the gate, a stark A4 white paper boldly stood out, the handwriting neat and beautiful, forceful beyond the page: Dogs may enter, those surnamed Fordham may not.

Keegan’s brow twitched hard.

Oh, how did President Fordham fall to a status inferior to that of dogs, it’s even more heartbreaking than a nosediving stock.

He carefully probed.

"President Fordham, should I go in first to inquire about the situation?"

"Or... invite Young Master Whitman out?"

Aiden’s lips pressed into a thin line, jaw clenched, silent, in agreement.

Keegan immediately hurried over to knock on the door.

The door opened, and Butler Young peered out, his face turning dark at the sight of the man standing outside.

"Sorry, the Sterling Family doesn’t entertain anyone surnamed Fordham."

Keegan quickly tidied his suit jacket, forcing a professional fake smile.

"You’ve misunderstood, I am surnamed Lindsey, not Fordham."

He turned slightly, using his body to block Aiden’s direction.

"That man... I don’t know him, I just came to deliver snacks to Miss Claire."

Keegan nervously concocted an excuse.

Butler Young skeptically sized him up, his gaze falling upon the empty hands.

"Where are the snacks?"

Keegan’s mind raced, retrieving a brand-new Green Arrow chewing gum from his inner suit pocket.

Bought to refresh himself before morning meetings, thankfully still unopened.

Butler Young lazily extended his hand, "Give it to me."

Keegan held back from handing it over, leaned forward, lowered his voice, pretended to ask mysteriously.

"Do you know 108 ways to chew gum?"

Butler Young was taken aback.

He reassessed Keegan, then opened the door a bit wider.

"Come in."

Standing beside the car, Aiden’s body moved imperceptibly.

And just like that, Keegan got in?

The Sterling Family’s security awareness, tsk tsk tsk!

The door slammed shut in front of him with a "bang".

Butler Young led Keegan into the spacious hall.

Vivi Sterling, Mrs. Sterling, and Hugh Whitman sat formally on the sofa, the atmosphere of a trial in full swing.

Claire playfully focused on teasing an animated model 001 on the carpet nearby.

Butler Young reported respectfully.

"Madam, Mr. Lindsey is here to see Miss Claire, says he wants to teach her 108 ways to chew gum."

Mrs. Sterling immediately stood up.

That sharp, imposing aura pressed Keegan into instinctively retreating a step.

rolled up to him like a little whirlwind, its blue electronic eyes blinking.

"Wow, Assistant Lindsey, you have such hidden skills, why not apply for the Guinness World Records?"

"Based on precise analysis of the human mouth and tongue structure, a tongue cannot chew a piece of gum into 108 styles."

"Assistant Lindsey, you are definitely lying, just trying to use far-fetched and unrealistic means to pick up girls, or perhaps..."

"Shut up!"

Keegan Lindsey couldn’t take it anymore, he rushed forward in one swift motion, covering its mouth with one hand and precisely reaching for the blue dormant dot on its back with the other.

Ungrateful wolf, always siding with outsiders!

In an instant, the hall fell silent, and 001 lay wide-eyed on the ground.

Claire anxiously moved forward and gestured for a couple of sentences.

Keegan Lindsey said, "It’s not broken, it’s just tired, it’ll wake up in ten minutes automatically."

Mrs. Sterling’s cold gaze fixed on him as she spoke, "Do you want to leave standing, or horizontally?"

Keegan Lindsey quickly calmed down and spat out a sentence.

"Mrs. Sterling, I’ve come to see Eldest Master Whitman, I want to have a word with him."

Hugh Whitman stood up.

Today he wore a white shirt, his figure was upright, his demeanor cold, but his tone was as icy as ever.

"Tell Aiden Fordham, he can forget about seeing Sierra for the rest of his life."

Just then, the doorbell rang again.

Keegan Lindsey fearlessly met his gaze.

"The divorce agreement sent by the Whitman Family had issues, President Fordham wishes to discuss it in person with Eldest Master Whitman."

Mrs. Sterling looked at Butler Young and instructed.

"Bring them in."

"Okay." Butler Young quickly ran out.

Shortly after, Aiden Fordham and Damian Hawthorne walked in one after the other.

Indeed, Damian was brought by Aiden Fordham, purely as a smokescreen.

Upon seeing Aiden Fordham, Mrs. Sterling’s usually volatile emotions were unexpectedly stable.

She said nothing, turned around, and yanked a baseball bat out from a corner, the metal head scraping across the floor with a harsh "sii" sound.

The atmosphere in the scene plummeted to a freezing point, so tense it was hard to breathe.

Mrs. Sterling dragged the bat to stand in front of Aiden Fordham, calmly asking.

"Left leg or right leg?"

Aiden Fordham showed no fear, not even a flicker of his eyelids.

"As Mrs. Sterling pleases."

Mrs. Sterling suddenly swung the bat high.

"Ah!"

Claire let out a cry of surprise and dashed forward without thinking, trying to grab the bat.

She couldn’t let anyone really get hit! She felt guilty for her earlier words about dog legs.

"Claire."

A steady male voice rang out, as Damian Hawthorne swiftly moved forward, wrapped his long arm around her, and held her tightly in his arms, protecting her.

"Whack!"

A dull hitting sound.

The bat landed heavily on Damian Hawthorne’s left shoulder.

"Ah." Claire was terrified, frantically gesturing something in his embrace.

Damian Hawthorne lowered his head, warmly brushing her hair with his hand, his voice deep and gentle.

"It’s okay, doesn’t hurt, don’t worry."

Mrs. Sterling finally snapped then, pointing at Aiden Fordham, cursing.

"Aiden Fordham, I told you, if you dare to bully Stella, I’ll break your legs!"

"You best stand still for me!"

Mrs. Sterling swung the bat down a second time.

"President Fordham!" Keegan Lindsey shouted.

"Everyone don’t move." Aiden Fordham spoke, his voice not loud, yet carried an undeniable command.

The bat landed solidly on his left lower leg.

Aiden Fordham’s body jerked violently, instantly kneeling on one knee, beads of cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

It seemed the hit wasn’t light.

Only then did Vivi Sterling leisurely approach, looping her arm through her mother’s.

"Mom, don’t tire yourself out for someone like this."

"Besides, letting him take a hit only lightens his guilty conscience, it’s useless."

She cast a glance at Hugh Whitman.

"Hugh, you go."

"Okay." Hugh Whitman responded, striding forward, elegantly unbuttoning his cufflinks one by one.

Suddenly, without warning, he delivered a harsh punch to Aiden Fordham’s handsome face.

With a "thud," there was a muffled sound.

Blood trickled instantly from the corner of Aiden Fordham’s mouth.

He didn’t dodge.

He looked at Hugh Whitman, his tone imploring, "Please tell me, where is Stella, I want to see her."

The response came in the form of two more punches.

Hugh Whitman’s force was immense, with each punch carrying a ruthless intent to break him apart.

"Aiden Fordham, you don’t deserve to be a husband, nor a father."

"You don’t even deserve to have your own child."

Each word was like a dagger driving into Aiden Fordham’s heart.

Aiden Fordham still didn’t dodge, simply endured, his eyebrow split open, warm blood trickling down his brow.

"President Fordham." Keegan Lindsey was anxious, shouting again.

Aiden Fordham showed not a trace of anger, humbly begging, "Where is Stella, how is she now, please tell me."

Hugh Whitman shook out his hand, his voice icing over, "Come with me."

Hugh Whitman strode outside, Aiden Fordham limping a bit from the earlier hard hit.

Hugh Whitman lit a cigarette, exhaling a smoke ring, his words cutting cruelly.

"If Vivi Sterling was pregnant with someone else’s child, I would still love her, never harm her life or force her to terminate the pregnancy."

"Aiden Fordham, you’re too self-absorbed, you no longer deserve to be with Sierra."

Aiden Fordham realized he was wrong.

He had let that damned anger and possessiveness cloud his judgment, committing grave mistakes.

"I beg you, tell me where she is, how her health is now?"

"I want to see her."

Hugh Whitman looked at him, his gaze as cold as ice.

"Aiden Fordham, she is already shattered, do not disturb her anymore."

"If you have any sliver of affection left, sign the divorce papers quickly."

Aiden Fordham’s tone was resolute, "No, I will not divorce her, never!"

Hugh Whitman exhaled another mouthful of smoke, continuing.

"Aiden Fordham, let me ask you, if Sierra had fallen in love with Andy Lockwood, and she was willing to hurt herself to save Andy Lockwood, and you happened to have the antidote, would you spare her beloved, your rival, out of love for her?"

Aiden Fordham didn’t reply.

He didn’t even need to think; a voice deep inside him clearly told him.

He would not.

Hugh Whitman chuckled, the smile full of disdain.

"I know you couldn’t do it, but Andy Lockwood did."

"Andy Lockwood, to prevent her from feeding you her blood, to grant her happiness, he chose to let go. He personally went to Mardale to save your life."

"Andy Lockwood understood loving her better than you."

Aiden Fordham staggered back a step, barely able to stand.

So... at Mardale, at the last moment, it was Andy Lockwood who saved him?

Hugh Whitman’s words continued, each more heartbreaking than the last.

"Aiden Fordham, love has never been about possession. Until you learn how to love her, let go, stop hurting her."

"She has given you fourteen years of her life, even ventured forty meters underwater."

"Her journey has been arduous, from now on, let her walk it alone."

Aiden Fordham’s eyes were completely red, how could he possibly let her go?

He couldn’t!

He shook his head firmly, "No, I won’t divorce her, not ever."

"Aiden Fordham." Hugh Whitman’s voice sharpened suddenly, delivering a thunderous revelation.

"The day at Skylake Peak, after she sent you on your final journey, she never intended to return."

"She wanted to accompany you, to be buried together in Mardale!"

"How many times must she repay that one life-saving grace?"

Hugh Whitman pulled out an envelope from his suit pocket, the sharp script unmistakably her handwriting.

The words "Last Will" on the envelope stung Aiden Fordham’s eyes...