Sham Marriage Quit Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 254

Chapter 254 The Distance Between Them

Ryan rushed over, slightly out of breath. “Mr. Kingsley.”

Alexander looked up. “What is it?”

The medication had started to take effect, easing the sharp edge of his headache just enough for him to think clearly again.

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Ryan said, “Mrs. Kingsley went to the office earlier. She asked about your condition. I didn’t tell her anything, but she seemed… upset.”

He hesitated, then added, “She was really worried. The moment she heard you were sick, she came straight to the headquarters. Are you sure you don’t want to tell her what’s really going on?”

From Ryan’s perspective, it didn’t seem fair.

She had rushed over out of concern, only to find nothing, and worse, to see him leave with Fiona.

Even just remembering the look in her eyes made Ryan uneasy.

Alexander felt something tighten in his chest.

She hadn’t called him, but she had gone to find him in person. Maybe… he should tell her.

Just as he was about to say something, Fiona spoke.

“Elena isn’t in a good place right now,” she said gently. “If you tell her something this serious at a time like this, she’s only going to react more strongly.”

Ryan frowned. “If you don’t tell her, she’ll be even more upset.”

Fiona remained calm as she replied, “Sullivan said your condition can stabilize with continued treatment. Once things are under control, you can explain everything properly. She’ll understand.”

She paused briefly, then added, “And if she finds out now, it might put her in danger. That’s something you should consider too.”

Then, as if stepping back, she added lightly, “Of course, that’s just my opinion. The decision is yours.”

Alexander closed his eyes briefly as the dull ache returned, forcing him to concentrate.

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1 The Distance Between Them

After a long pause, he spoke, “We’ll talk about it later. Let’s go back to the office.”

He stood and walked away. Ryan stayed where he was for a moment, clearly frustrated but unable to say anything.

Fiona stood up as well, glancing at him with a faint smile. “Ryan, let’s go.”

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“Fiona,” Ryan said, unable to hold back, “he’s married. Don’t you think this is inappropriate?”

Fiona met his gaze calmly. “I’m doing my job as both his secretary and his friend. I’m giving him advice. That’s all.”

With that, she turned and followed after Alexander.

Meanwhile, Hannah had already gotten Nicole’s contact information, and Elena dialed the number.

The call rang several times. Just as she was about to give up, it finally connected.

A weak voice came through. “Hello?”

“Elena,” she said. “I heard you left the hospital. Are you okay? If you’re up for it, I’d like to come see you.”

There was a pause, then a quiet, immediate response. “No.”

Elena caught the hesitation, sensing the call about to end, and spoke quickly, “I know who Landon is. And I know you understand exactly what kind of person he is, or you wouldn’t have gone to such extremes.”

Her voice steadied, urgency building.

“But you need to think about this. You won’t be the last person he hurts. Your baby is still in the NICU. Do you really want another mother and child to go through what you did?”

Silence stretched across the line.

For a moment, Elena thought she had failed again.

Then Nicole spoke, “Come.”

The line went dead. A second later, an address came through.

Elena grabbed her things and headed out with Hannah immediately. When they arrived, Hannah stepped out of the car and froze.

“This is where she lives?”

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Spy 154 The Distance Between Them

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Elena looked ahead, equally surprised.

The neighborhood was rundown, crowded, and suffocating. The air carried the sour mix of sewage and sweat, and the narrow streets were packed with people. Small shops lined both sides, and every so often, something moved near the drains.

“Even if she’s not a top celebrity, she shouldn’t be living somewhere like this,” Hannah muttered.

Elena didn’t respond. She checked the address again and led the way inside.

They wound through narrow alleys, turning multiple corners before finally locating an aging apartment building. The passageways were tight, barely wide enough for a small scooter, and the surrounding buildings blocked most of the sunlight.

There was no elevator.

By the time they reached the fifth floor, both of them were breathing heavier.

Elena knocked on the door.

After a moment, soft movement came from inside, and the door opened.

Nicole stood there, pale, wearing a loose white nightgown, one hand pressed carefully against her incision.

She didn’t say anything. She simply turned and walked back inside.

Elena and Hannah followed.

The apartment was larger than expected, but cluttered and poorly kept. Empty beer cans sat scattered across the coffee table, and cigarette butts filled the ashtray. The air was thick with stale smoke.

On a nearby shelf, a framed photograph caught Elena’s attention. It was a family picture.

A middle–aged couple stood side by side, with a young boy next to the woman.

Nicole was there too, but unlike the boy’s bright smile, her expression was distant. She stood stiffly beside her father, not even looking at the camera.

Elena paused for a moment, her gaze lingering on the photo.

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Lead Quit, Real Heiress Strikes Back

Chapter 255 Breaking Point

Elena and Hannah stepped into Nicole’s room together.

Nicole lay on the bed, her eyes already hollow to begin with, now completely dulled, as if whatever light had once been there had burned out entirely.

“With your condition, you shouldn’t be discharged,” Elena said as she sat down beside her. “After a C–section, you’re supposed to stay in the hospital for at least a week.”

Nicole turned her head slightly, looking at her with a hint of surprise.

Elena understood exactly what she was thinking.

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“I do want to interview you about Landon,” she said calmly, “but not like this. You need to be in a hospital first.”

Nicole looked fragile in a way that was hard to ignore.

“No,” Nicole said weakly, lifting a hand in refusal. “If you have questions, just ask.”

She closed her eyes again, her voice drained of energy, as if she had already lost interest in everything around her.

Elena frowned slightly.

“There’s nothing I can ask you like this,” she said. “We’re taking you to the hospital. Where are your ID and documents?”

“No,” Nicole said again, more firmly this time.

Elena’s tone sharpened.

“And what happens when something goes wrong? What about your baby after he’s discharged? Do you really think Landon is going to take responsibility for him?”

Nicole’s eyelashes trembled, and her lips pressed together as if she were fighting something internally.

Elena didn’t wait any longer. She stood up and began looking around for the documents Nicole would need for admission.

Just then, the sound of the front door opening echoed from outside.

Elena paused.

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Chapter AB Breaking Point

A moment later, the bedroom door opened again.

Three people stood there. A middle–aged couple, and a younger man.

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Elena recognized them immediately from the photo she had seen earlier. Nicole’s parents.

And the man beside them was likely her brother.

“Who are you?” Nicole’s mother, Helena asked, her tone sharp and guarded as she looked Elena and Hannah over.

Hannah was about to respond, but Elena lightly pulled her back and stepped forward with a polite smile.

“We’re friends of Nicole’s,” Elena said smoothly. “We’ve worked together before. We heard she wasn’t feeling well, so we came to check on her.”

“Oh,” the woman said, her expression easing slightly as she looked them over. Their appearance seemed to reassure her.

“She’s fine. Just a bad cold. The doctor said she shouldn’t have visitors right now, so you go.”

She stepped aside slightly, clearly expecting them to leave.

should

The father, Colton and the brother, Lark remained at the doorway, watching them closely.

Elena’s smile didn’t fade.

“With all due respect, she doesn’t look like someone with a cold,” Elena said. “Her condition looks serious. Why don’t we take her to the hospital together? If we wait any longer, this could turn into something life–threatening.”

Helena’s expression shifted subtly. She glanced at Nicole, then forced a tight smile.

“Why don’t you tell your friends yourself,” she said, her tone turning pointed. “Isn’t it just a cold?”

Nicole’s face had gone completely pale, almost translucent.

Her eyes were filled with pain, but a faint, bitter smile still formed at her lips.

“… Yeah,” she said softly.

“There, you heard her,” the woman said immediately. “She’s my daughter. Do you really think I’d harm her? Now please leave. We don’t welcome outsiders in this house.”

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Chapter 255 Breaking Point

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Her tone grew sharper with each word. The father looked ready to step in if needed.

But Elena didn’t move. She had seen enough to know that being related by blood didn’t mean anything.

Some people treated strangers better than their own children.

If reason wasn’t going to work, then she would handle it differently.

Elena’s expression cooled slightly as she looked at all three of them.

“I know exactly what condition Nicole is in,” she said. “If she doesn’t get to a hospital soon, this could turn fatal. If you’re not willing to take her, then we’ll have to call the police.”

She pulled out her phone, already dialing, then raised her voice slightly toward Nicole.

“I don’t know why you’re giving up on yourself, but losing your life won’t fix anything. It only hurts the people who actually care and benefits the ones who don’t. Just look at them. You’re barely holding on, and not one of them looks worried.”

Her throat tightened as she spoke.

I’m not going to ruin myself for people who don’t care about me. Not even family.

For the first time, something shifted in Nicole’s eyes. Her fingers tightened around the bedsheet, as if she were finally making a decision.

Helena noticed the change immediately and panicked.

She reached out, trying to grab Elena and force her out.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Hannah stepped forward instantly, planting herself between them, one hand gripping the handle of a kettle she had picked up nearby.

“Try it,” Hannah said, her voice sharp. “See what happens.”

She worked out regularly, and the way she clenched her fists made it clear she wasn’t bluffing.

Helena froze, visibly intimidated.

“This is none of your business,” Lark snapped as he stepped forward aggressively. “Get out.”

Unlike his mother, he wasn’t intimidated. He reached out, trying to drag them out by force.

“Stop.”

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Breaking Point

A voice cut in from the doorway. Two men stepped into the room.