Substitute Bride: Utterly Pampered by Her Billionaire Husband-Chapter 1035: Loving Him Has Become a Karma She Cannot Surmount
He said nothing, and Leah felt a crack appear in her heart, spreading deep into her being.
"Take me to the hospital for a check-up tomorrow. I want to see Serena."
After a long silence, she heard his voice, "Okay."
...
In the hospital.
Leah’s examination reports came out, and the nurse handed them to Justin Xavier.
Justin glanced at the papers in the nurse’s hand but didn’t take them.
The nurse smiled reassuringly, "Mr. Xavier, don’t worry, your wife is in very good health, and the baby is healthy too, no problems."
At this moment, Leah was sitting on a bench in the hallway, blinking her beautiful eyes, looking very gentle.
Justin reached out to take the report.
He read the report carefully. Leah’s health was indeed fine, but his handsome face started to lose its warmth, because no problems were the biggest problem.
From his pocket, he took out his phone and called Serena Sterling.
Serena still had one report that she hadn’t taken out.
The call connected quickly, and it was Serena’s voice, "Hello, President Xavier."
Justin’s left hand fished around in his pocket, wanting to grab a cigarette and lighter. When he was irritated, he’d like to smoke a couple.
But he didn’t find any; he then remembered he had quit smoking because Leah was pregnant—he couldn’t smoke around her.
"Hello," Justin’s thin lips moved, his tone flat and emotionless. At his age, perhaps his pride was in his self-control, "Has Leah’s last report come out?"
"Yes, it’s in my hands. The result, as I said, is that Leah’s psychological issues have resurfaced."
"Why does she have psychological issues? Is it because of her brother?"
"No, Leah’s psychological problems didn’t just appear now—they’ve been there for a long time."
"What?" Justin furrowed his handsome brows.
Serena slowly said, "Leah’s psychological issues started back when she was 18. President Xavier, you’re so clever, you should be able to figure out... Leah’s psychological condition is because of... you."
"You’ll never know the pain you gave Leah. The shadows you left behind made her unable to conceive at one point, even caused frigidity, rejection, fear... You will never know how much Leah loves you. Because she loves you, she feels guilty towards her parents and brother. Every day, she’s crushed under that weight. When her brother came back, he wanted to take Leah away. From both a friend and a doctor’s perspective, I agreed that Leah should leave you, restart and live. But Leah chose to stay, to be with you."
"She’s never gotten better over the years; this illness comes and goes. Being with you, she has to heal her scarred and broken self while shattering the parts she just healed."
Justin’s gaze remained on Leah ahead. She had lowered her small head looking at the ground, a small, lonely figure.
To Justin, she seemed like the girl from many years ago standing outside the Thorne family’s gate, yet at the same time, she wasn’t. That sunlight on her was gone.
"What... should I do now?" Justin asked hoarsely.
Yes, what should he do?
He didn’t know what to do.
Serena fell silent, and after a few seconds, she spoke, "In this case, there’s little I can do. Leah has to overcome this on her own. But clearly, with her brother’s departure, Leah is... self-destructing."
Self-destructing...
Those words pierced deeply into Justin’s heart, and he understood, Leah ended up hating him after all.
"President Xavier, only the one who tied the bell on the tiger can untie it. Why don’t you... let go of Leah’s hand."
Serena suggested he let go of Leah’s hand.
Justin shook his head, "That’s impossible. I’m willing to do anything for her, except that, no."
"Even if you don’t let go, Leah will soon forget you."
"It doesn’t matter; if she forgets me, I can make her recognize me again, over and over, time and again. I think I can engrave the name Justin Xavier deep into her soul, never to die, never to fade."
Serena was silent for a long time, finally saying, "President Xavier, if that’s the case, both you and Leah will suffer greatly. Clinging tightly to her will bring you pain, and being held onto will bring Leah pain."
Justin leaned his handsome back against the wall, looked up at the ceiling, his eyes full of sadness, and at that moment, sadness welled up like a river against the current, "I don’t know how difficult it will be in the future, I just know that if I let go, I won’t... survive, there’s still my child in her belly, I really can’t... can’t do without them."
...
Justin took Leah back, and that night, after Leah fell asleep, Justin went into the study to handle some documents.
Soon an "Ah" scream came from the master bedroom, Justin quickly stood up and pushed open the bedroom door.
In her sleep, Leah tossed and turned on the bed, her small face as white as a sheet, tears covering her cheeks. She was talking, murmuring constantly, "Daddy, Mommy, I miss you so much, sob... Brother, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it, it was me who killed you, I should have gone with you... Daddy, Mommy, you all blame me, don’t you... I’m your daughter, don’t drive me away..."
"Leah." Justin quickly ran to the bedside, kneeled on the bed with one knee, reached out his hand to gently pat her small face, "Leah, wake up, wake up, it’s just a dream. Daddy, Mommy, and your brother love you, they won’t drive you away."
On the bed, Leah’s whole body trembled, her silky black hair wet with tears and sweat clinging to her cheeks. She murmured in pain, "Daddy, Mommy, Brother, I’m sorry, really sorry, I love you... sob, I hurt so much, in my body and in my heart... I’m scared, I’m too scared to love Justin Xavier anymore, I’m too scared to love him again..."
Justin felt as if a knife was wringing his heart listening to her words, he was torn and bloody, the pain reaching his soul.
She said she was too scared to love him.
Loving him was an insurmountable obstacle for her!
Justin sat on the bed, reaching out to hold Leah, not knowing what to say, as every word felt so powerless. He could only gently comfort her with all his strength, "Leah, don’t do this, please... It’s all my fault, don’t punish yourself like this, please..."
Being held by him, Leah seemed extremely agitated, "No, no, go away!"
She fought him off with both hands and feet, breaking free from his embrace. She was crying, crying incessantly, the sound of her cries pierced through the quiet room, each sob echoed with the blood in her heart, each drop more tragic than the last.
