Chapter 169: Luke, You Fool

Chapter 169: Chapter 169: Luke, You Fool

Vesper leaned against his chest, her smile gentle as she tilted her fair face up at him.

"It was nice. I got to go out with my friends and unwind a little."

Back in Ashmore, her world had revolved around Liam Hawthorne. She rarely went out alone, spending her days cooped up in the kitchen. It had been ages since she’d felt so relaxed, just enjoying a day out with friends. Now that she was pregnant, she couldn’t join them on the rides, but watching them have the time of their lives made her happy too.

"So, where did you go?" Jared Hawthorne asked, his own lips curving into a slight smile as he saw the joy on her face.

Without giving it much thought, Vesper told him all about her day, and only at the end did she mention running into Liam Hawthorne at Jubilee Valley.

"You have no idea how dangerous it was. The man was attacking people indiscriminately, not even sparing the children. You could tell he wasn’t in his right mind. Luckily, we were up high, so we weren’t caught up in it."

Even though it was over and no one had been hurt, she still shuddered at the memory of that chaotic, dangerous afternoon.

’If we had been down below, we definitely would have gotten hurt in all that chaos.’

Jared Hawthorne’s hand rested gently on her stomach, a comforting weight through the fabric of her dress. "Jubilee Valley is an Evercore project. Now that Liam Hawthorne has returned to the family and taken over Evercore, this falls under his responsibility. He didn’t back down; he stepped up. That sense of duty is enough to help him quickly find his footing in the company and gain their approval."

"So it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for him." Vesper snuggled closer into his embrace and asked softly, "Are you upset with me for getting involved... for saving him?"

"No," Jared Hawthorne said, his voice a little rough. "I know you have a kind heart. You couldn’t stand by and do nothing, even for a stranger."

’Though he was still a little displeased, she hadn’t gone with Liam to the hospital, so he could let it go.’

’As long as she didn’t have a shred of feeling for Liam Hawthorne, the man posed no threat to him.’

Vesper breathed a sigh of relief and asked softly, "Have you eaten yet?"

"Not yet. Want to join me?"

"Okay, but I’ll just have a bowl of bird’s nest soup."

’She couldn’t possibly eat a full meal.’

’Her appetite had grown so much since she’d become pregnant, and she was even starting to show faint signs of putting on weight.’

Jared Hawthorne led her by the hand toward the dining room.

Joan was already waiting nearby. She quickly brought dinner to the table and placed the prepared bowl of bird’s nest soup gently in front of Vesper.

Vesper thanked her softly.

Once they were alone in the dining room, Jared Hawthorne spoke. "The invitations are printed. They’ll be delivered tomorrow."

"That was fast," Vesper said, a little surprised at how efficient he was.

Jared Hawthorne’s lips quirked. "The wedding dress has been delivered, too. I’ll go with you for the fitting tomorrow."

"What about the bridesmaid dresses?"

"They’re all ready."

"Then let’s have Shiloh join us tomorrow." She paused, then asked curiously, "Who did you pick for your best man?"

"Zane Rivers."

"Why him?"

"He’s head over heels in love lately. Let him be the best man and soak up some of the good fortune."

Vesper blinked. "Didn’t President Rivers say he hadn’t had enough fun yet and didn’t want to rush into the shackles of marriage?"

"Hearts are fickle. Who knows, he might change his mind soon."

"Him and Elena?"

Jared Hawthorne raised an eyebrow, his expression noncommittal.

"You should have told me! If I’d known President Rivers was the best man, I would have asked Elena to be a bridesmaid."

"It’s fine. You can just toss her the bouquet."

"..."

In the hospital, Liam Hawthorne slowly opened his eyes. His blurry gaze fell on the figure by his bed, and he called out hoarsely, "Vesper..."

Nancy Linton, sitting by the bed, was so overjoyed to hear his voice that she didn’t notice anything strange about the name he’d called.

"Luke, you’re awake? How are you feeling? Does anything hurt?"

Before he could answer, she hurried out to get the doctor.

After a thorough examination, the doctor turned to her. "Ms. Linton, your son is no longer in critical condition. He just needs bed rest to recover."

Nancy Linton thanked him profusely. As soon as the doctor left, her eyes turned red.

"Luke, you scared me to death! How could you put yourself in that kind of danger?" she sobbed. "I just found you... If anything had happened to you, what would I have done?"

"I’m fine, Mom. Please don’t cry," Liam soothed, though his gaze swept the room, an undeniable flicker of disappointment in his eyes.

’At the time, he hadn’t overthought it. He was confident he could disarm the man and save the child without getting hurt himself. But he hadn’t counted on the man’s immense strength, or how maddeningly intent he was on hurting someone. In the struggle, he’d ended up taking the knife.’

"And you say you’re fine?" Nancy Linton helped him take a sip of water, her voice still trembling with fear. "The doctor said that even though the blade missed your vital organs, it pierced a major artery. If the bleeding hadn’t been stopped in time, you would have died from blood loss. I heard a woman performed acupuncture to stanch the bleeding until you could get to the hospital. Did you get a good look at her? We have to find her and thank her properly."

"It was Vesper."

"What?"

"The person who performed the acupuncture was Vesper."

Only then did Nancy Linton notice the impropriety in how he addressed her. Her expression darkened, and she reminded him in a low voice.

"You have no right to call her Vesper. You should call her your cousin’s wife. If your cousin heard you, it would inevitably cause a rift between you."

Liam Hawthorne remained silent.

Nancy’s heart clenched. "Luke, don’t tell me you... you have inappropriate feelings for your cousin’s wife?"

’She knew Vesper was beautiful and had an endearing personality, but she was already legally married to Jared Hawthorne and deeply favored by the family patriarch. If anyone found out Luke harbored feelings for her, the consequences would be unthinkable.’

Liam was still silent, but to Nancy, his silence was an admission of guilt.

"Luke, you absolutely cannot have these kinds of feelings for her. She belongs to your cousin. Besides, they’re having their wedding mid-next month. It’s already set in stone."

"What did you say?"

Liam’s pupils contracted violently. His already pale face turned as white as a sheet.

"The wedding is set for the middle of next month, and that’s not going to change." Nancy’s expression was complex. "Luke, when you’re better, if you’re willing, I can introduce you to some suitable young women from good families. You..."

Before she could finish, Liam cut her off coldly. "There’s no need. I’m already in love with someone."

Nancy’s brow furrowed. "Why are you so stubborn? Even if you love Vesper, it’s impossible between you two."

"Why is it impossible?" Liam looked up, his tone filled with desperate stubbornness. "People break up. People get divorced. I can wait."

Nancy froze, stunned speechless by his words.

"Luke, when did you... for Vesper..."

"She was mine to begin with." Liam’s eyes began to redden. "I was the one who didn’t cherish her. It was my fault... Mom, I regret it, but she won’t forgive me."

Nancy was completely bewildered, unable to understand what he meant. ’What does he mean, Vesper was his to begin with? Could they have known each other before?’

"Luke, you and Vesper... have you known each other for a long time?"

Liam’s voice was raspy and pained. "We were in Ashmore... We dated for three years."

He slowly began to speak, recounting their three years together. Only now did he realize that all the little moments he had once taken for granted were, in fact, carved into his very soul, unforgettable and crystal clear.

Nancy covered her mouth, too shocked to speak for a long moment.

’Her future niece-in-law had been in a three-year relationship with her own son. And now, after all these twists and turns, she was marrying her nephew instead.’

’If her son hadn’t made that terrible mistake, Vesper might have been her daughter-in-law right now.’

’Perhaps Vesper had even played a part in her being able to find Luke so quickly.’

’After what had happened with Kevin Hawthorne, Nancy despised unfaithful, cheating men more than anything. But this was her own son. She wanted to scold him, but the words wouldn’t come.’

’Why did he have to inherit Kevin Hawthorne’s rotten character!’

"Luke, you foolish boy!"