She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 440

Quarevia, City Hospital.

Preston lay in the hospital bed, his face deathly pale.

Melanie sat vigil by his side, looking even paler than he did.

"I'm so sorry..."

She held his uninjured hand tightly, her eyes swimming with a mixture of intense worry and crushing guilt.

"That's the thirteenth time you've apologized tonight."

A faint, wry smile touched Preston's lips as he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Even through the fabric of his white glove, the comforting warmth of his skin bled through to hers.

"I merely took a bullet to the shoulder. It's not fatal, and it's certainly not your fault."

"But... if I hadn't gone on that field inspection, you never would have been dragged into this."

"The inspection was your job. Coming after you was my choice. How exactly does that make this your fault?"

"I should have done better background checks before leaving..."

Seeing that she was still trapped in a spiral of guilt, Preston's sharp brows pulled together in a frown.

"Dr. Hayes was the one who asked you to go on the inspection, and he was the one who trusted Aria in the first place. Doing background checks wasn't your responsibility. If you had to handle every single detail yourself, the company wouldn't need to hire anyone else."

Melanie knew Preston was just trying to comfort her.

But...

She couldn't stop the relentless tide of self-blame.

Thinking back to her harrowing escape, a delayed wave of terror washed over her.

If she hadn't found an excuse to get out of that car...

If she hadn't coincidentally researched the Brotherhood leader's leg condition all those months ago...

If Preston hadn't personally come to get her...

One wrong move, and she would have been dead.

Melanie closed her eyes and took a ragged breath.

"It really is my fault for not being prepared for the worst. If that stray bullet hadn't hit your shoulder..."

What if it had hit his heart?

Or his head?

A violent shudder wracked her body. She couldn't bear to finish the thought.

Preston watched her closely, reading the raw panic in her eyes with perfect clarity.

"Come up here with me."

Preston wrapped his good arm around her, holding her securely against him like a giant plush pillow.

Curled up in his embrace, the crushing anxiety that had been suffocating her finally began to dissipate.

She closed her eyes, letting the steady rise and fall of his solid chest and his radiating body heat ground her.

"Once we get back to Averin..."

Preston caught her sleep-heavy murmur.

She was going to settle this score once and for all!

Silence settled peacefully over the VIP suite.

Gradually, Preston listened as Melanie's breathing evened out into a soft, steady rhythm.

He knew she had finally fallen asleep.

His gloved hand gently threaded through her soft hair, slowly and rhythmically stroking her head.

"Once we get back to Averin..."

Preston’s voice was a low, dangerous shadow of her own.

He didn't need to finish the sentence; the cold promise of retribution hung heavy in the air.

His fathomless eyes slowly frosted over with a deadly chill.