Returning with Triple Treasures: My CEO Husband Is Obsessed novel Chapter 181

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Chapter 181 Coughing Blood

Xavier put everything he had into those two punches–like he was trying to put the guy six feet under.

“Let go.”

Xavier’s voice was low and strained, hanging on to his control by a thread.

Isabella could feel the tension coiled in his arm. He was using too much strength, his whole/body trembling just slightly.

“I’ll let go, but you have to stop hitting him. We’re in a hospital, for God’s sake.”

Sander had been pushing Xavier’s buttons again and again, and Isabella knew Xavier/well enough–f he really lost it, Sander would be lucky to walk out of here alive.

But Xavier was in bad shape himself. If he went too far… she didn’t even want to think about what could happen next.

“You protecting him now?”

He shot her an icy look, his tone freezing over.

Isabella’s throat tightened, her heart dropping straight to her stomach.

“Isabella, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me. It’s not like Xavier’s actually going to kill me.”

Just as Isabella and Xavier were stuck in that tense standoff, Sander stepped right in front of Xavier.

There was still a faint, careless smile playing on his lips, like he was trying to tell her it was no big deal.

And that was all it took to set things off.

Before Isabella could react, Xavier yanked his arm free from her hold. But the punch he’d been winding up never landed.

Sander went still. A flicker of surprise–and something almost like satisfaction–passed behind his eyes before a slow smile spread across his face.

“Hah–cough!”

A sharp pain ripped through Xavier’s chest, and the rage burning inside him came out as a choked, guttural sound. He pressed a hand hard against his mouth–when he pulled it away, his fingers were smeared with bright red.

Isabella had thrown herself in front of Sander.

Her eyes were squeezed shut, her brows drawn together in clear fear, but she was still shielding him with her own body.

The woman who once would’ve jumped in front of him without hesitation–turned out there’d come a

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day when she’d stand just as firmly in front of someone else…..

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For a second, he didn’t know who he hated more right now: Sander, or the woman standing between thein.

“Xavier!”

Isabella opened her eyes to find him deathly pale, blood visible between his fingers. A cold dread shot straight through her.

But the moment she moved toward him, he stepped back,

Xavier wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his cold gaze resting on her face only briefly before he looked away.

“Get out.”

He was talking to Sander.

“Xavier, don’t work yourself up like this. Your health comes first.”

Sander’s voice was calm and smooth. He straightened up, something glinting behind his glasses, and his tone almost sounded concerned. “If you keep this up, Isabella’s going to worry herself sick.”

“Sander, haven’t you said enough?”

Isabella couldn’t take it anymore. She spun around and glared at the man behind her.

Saying that now would only twist the knife for Xavier.

She felt more let down by Sander than she could put into words.

In her mind, Sander was still the person she knew from five years back–that gentle guy who used to make her heart ache.

No matter how tough things got back then, his eyes were always clear, and his heart was always in the right place.

But now… it was like she was seeing a different person.

“Isabella…”

Sander’s voice caught. Before he could finish, Isabella had already moved to Xavier’s side.

“Don’t push yourself. Your wound’s opened up again… Let me take you back to your room.”

Blood was already seeping through Xavier’s hospital gown from his shoulder. Isabella’s face was full of worry, her voice shaking slightly as she fumbled for words.

She reached for his hand. Not having a tissue, she used her own fingers to wipe the blood from his palm.

But before she could finish, Xavier pulled away.

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hapter 181 Coughing Blood

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“Don’t touch me.”

His voice was low and rough, and it felt like a bucket of ice water had been dumped over Isabella’s heart

She froze. Xavier walked off without so much as a glance back at her.

The way he’d looked at her just then–filled with disappointment, detachment, distance–felt/painfully familiar.

Five years ago, when he’d forced her to get rid of the baby, he had looked at her exactly the same way.

It felt like something had been hollowed out inside her chest. Not a sharp pain, but a dull, persistent ache that wouldn’t go away.

“He’s never going to understand you.”

Sander’s voice came from behind her, quiet.

But every word was cold enough to cut deep.

“Xavier doesn’t deserve your loyalty. People like him just use anyone who cares about them…”

“Don’t make me hate you.”

Isabella cut him off, her voice flat and tired.

Her hand clenched into a fist as she fought back the urge to slap him right then and there.

Sander stood there, stunned.

The way she was looking at him now–all the warmth was gone from her eyes.

It reminded him of the way Teresa used to look at him when he was a kid.

Disgusted. Resigned. Like he was nothing but a mistake that never should have happened.

“The Sander I remember was honest and straight–up. He wouldn’t say things just to twist the knife when someone’s down. Xavier might not get me, but you understand me even less.”

With that, Isabella turned and walked away.

Sander stood frozen, watching her figure disappear down the hall. After a long moment, he let out a sudden, hollow laugh.

Isabella hurried back to Xavier’s room and found Jacob packing things up.

Xavier was already gone. His bloodied hospital gown had been tossed aside on the bed.