Billionaire's Match (by Tangy Candy) novel Chapter 1187

Khloe's tears spilled before she could stop them. She drew in a breath, and it took her a moment to find her voice. "Mom, do you... know everything too?"

"Yes."

"Then Grandma and the others must be furious."

"They are."

Arista let out a soft sigh.

"I didn't watch you grow up from the time you were small, but the moment you and Nick started calling me Mom, I've seen you as one of my own. I know the two of you have good hearts. Even if you really had done something wrong, I could never truly be angry with you. All I'd feel is worry, helplessness, and heartache."

Khloe couldn't hold back her emotions any longer. Her voice broke. "No, you should be angry with me. I didn't just hurt Nick. I hurt you and Grandma too. I know... I don't deserve your forgiveness, but..."

"But you still want to know how Nick is doing." Arista cut her off.

Khloe's breath trembled. "Please... tell me."

"Don't worry about that," Arista said. "He's fine for now, just being treated somewhere else. He doesn't want to see anyone at the moment, not even George or me."

"But his condition right now," Khloe started, urgent.

"Khloe, life and death are in fate's hands, not ours. Some things simply can't be undone by human effort, and you have to learn to accept that. Whatever kind of life a person lives, good or bad, in the end it all comes down to the same thing: parting."

By the time Arista finished speaking, her own voice had thickened with tears.

She'd called to comfort Khloe, but comfort, in moments like this, was the most powerless thing in the world.

The line went quiet for a few seconds.

Khloe said nothing, but Arista could tell she was on the verge of falling apart.

Ever since Nick had laid out everything Khloe had done for the Hunt family to see, Arista's heart had ached for her without end.

Khloe was strong, but most of the time she overestimated herself, maybe without even realizing it. What she'd been willing to do for Nick had long since crossed the line between life and death.

Loretta frowned and looked Khloe up and down. Before Khloe could react, she stepped forward and pulled her into an embrace.

Khloe was tall, and Loretta was small and stooped with age, but the arms that wrapped around her were gentle and strong all the same, as if they could hold back every storm in an instant. She was Khloe's unbreakable support.

"Silly girl, you've lost more weight. Didn't I tell you? Our grandson matters, but not more than you do. Do you have to worry the whole family sick over this pregnancy before you're satisfied?"

Loretta scolded her gently even as she smoothed Khloe's hair and stroked her cheek with careful hands.

Her eyes reddened faintly. The look she gave Khloe shifted quickly from a trace of mild anger to pure, helpless tenderness.

"Grandma, Grandpa, I'm sorry, I..."

Khloe's tears fell without her permission, her usually composed voice faltering.

But Loretta had no intention of letting her finish. She cupped Khloe's face, wiped away her tears with her hand, and cut off her words. "Don't say anything so useless. If you're really sorry, then behave."