Avery had never imagined that the powerful Cayden would depart from this world before her. She still couldn't come to terms with this reality.
Seeing her unresponsive, the lawyer handed her a pen. “Mrs. Moore, please sign here.”
Without quite knowing what she was doing, Avery took them and started to stare blankly at the documents.
Pain and sorrow were displayed on her face. Then, Avery suddenly felt a surge of anger. Did that man know in advance that he was in danger? Is that why he had prepared his will ahead of time?
She knew that Cayden was a man of his word—a man of honor. He would go to great lengths for his friends, even if it meant getting hurt.
But why won't he think about me and our unborn child? Is he trying to make amends with us in this way? No. He should have come back alive, ready to endure my grumbles and chiding instead of leaving me alone to bear this bolt from the blue.
Avery forcefully threw the pen in her hand. She was almost hysterical as she screamed, “Get out! Get out! Why did he abandon us? Why would he leave his wife and children behind? How could he have done this? I will never accept a single thing from him in my life, let alone his supposed compensation!”
The atmosphere in the ward instantly turned tense.
Claire's gentle touch steadied Avery's trembling shoulders, her words carrying a sense of serene assurance. “Ery, don't get agitated. We can't let anything mess with the precious little life growing inside of you. Your body's in a crucial phase, and we've got to be extra careful.”
Then, she turned to Xavier and said, “Avery isn't in a good mood right now, so can we discuss the matter of the signature in a few days instead?”
Xavier nodded in understanding, As he bowed slightly at Avery, he said, “I'll visit another day then. Take care of your health first. If Mr. Moore were still here, he definitely wouldn't want to see you in this state of self-destruction.”
After he finished speaking, he waved at the two lawyers. Then, they quickly exited the room.
Even after they left, Claire noticed that Avery was still staring blankly at the sky outside the window, still as a statue. Her lashes flickered at that, and she helped Avery lie on the sick bed. She gently said, “Ery, if you're tired, why don't you take a nap?”
Avery lay stiffly on the bed, feeling utterly exhausted.
The moment she closed her eyes, Cayden's flawless face surfaced in her mind.
He simply stood there in the darkness, smiling at her.
The man had apathetic eyes, yet when he looked at her, his gaze was warm like the sun.
After being discharged from the hospital, Avery went back to the mansion to pack some clean clothes. She had decided to stay at the Lambert residence for the next few days.
As soon as she returned to the bedroom, she saw Cayden's pajamas, neatly folded at the head of the bed. They were the ones he had worn the night before he left for Mocset.
She slowly walked over, cradled his pajamas in her arms, and kissed them.
Within the pajamas, she could almost smell his familiar scent and feel the traces of his body heat.
Her gaze fell once again on the vine creeping up by the window. It was Mandevilla laxa, an ornamental plant Cayden planted for her simply because she once mentioned her love for flowers and her delight in witnessing their bloom throughout the four seasons. Back then, she had mentioned her fondness for the sight of vines climbing up the window, bursting with buds.
And so, he planted the Mandevilla laxa for her, even refusing to let the household gardener or housekeeper intervene in the gardening. He had wanted to do it himself.
Now, the vine had grown as thick as a wrist, its dense leaves resembling a green curtain. Supporting the passionately blooming flowers of red and white, it appeared so full of life and vitality.
The flowers were still there, but the man who planted them was no longer anywhere to be found.
Enduring the tightening of her throat, Avery walked into the bathroom.
His toiletries, cup, toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, and everything else that belonged to him, were all still neatly arranged in their spots, clean and orderly.
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