The One He Dismissed Became The One He Died For novel Chapter 291

The rain finally stopped, leaving the Westside Factory a devastated wasteland. The police barricades remained in place as authorities arrived at the scene.

The fire had raged for nearly two days and nights. Although there were no casualties, it was officially classified as a major industrial disaster. They needed to launch a full investigation and publicly disclose the cause.

After cooperating with the officials, Claire returned to Grandview Heights, changed her clothes, packed some fresh clothes for Miles, and headed straight to the hospital.

In the study at Zimmerman Manor.

The major shareholders of Zimmerman Pharmaceuticals sat rigidly in a row of wooden chairs.

Lucca lounged in a rocking chair, still covered in bandages from his lingering injuries. He stared at a tablet resting on his knees, watching news footage of the Westside Factory explosion.

He drawled casually, "My poor, teary-eyed aunt... makes a man just want to comfort her."

The executives exchanged awkward glances, sighing internally.

They couldn't fathom what Victor was thinking, bringing this degenerate back into the fold to seize power.

"Victor, with Miles at the helm, we literally can't move any of our under-the-table inventory."

"Our dividends this month won't even match last month's loose change."

...

Lucca clicked his tongue impatiently. "A bunch of useless old geezers. You've lived this long for nothing."

"You..." The executives turned pale with anger, rendered speechless.

Lucca tapped the screen. "Dad, Miles's reaction during the crisis was off. Does he have some kind of secret medical history?"

Victor frowned and shook his head. "Never heard of any. Ever since he was born, the old man isolated him and protected him obsessively. He didn't step foot outside the family's control until college."

"Interesting," Lucca tossed the tablet aside and stood up. The movement strained his back, causing him to wince in pain.

"Send someone to dig into it. We might find something highly profitable."

Victor immediately ordered his men to get on it.

At Central General Hospital.

Miles was awake. He sat propped up against the headboard, his fingers rubbing together absentmindedly.

"Did she see it?"

Did she see him when he lost his mind, entirely consumed by the breakdown?

He should have been thrilled, but he couldn't summon any joy.

He was terrified that if he got too close, he would lose control.

He would ruin her, break her, and she would be terrified of him.

Claire squeezed through the door. Seeing her, Jared rolled his eyes. He didn't dare say anything too harsh in front of Miles, so he opted for sarcasm.

"Well, look who it is. Our busy executive finally found a spare minute?"

Claire ignored him entirely, her eyes locked on the man in the bed.

She walked over and unpacked the food. "I brought some soup and pastries. Want to try some?"

"Do your hands still hurt?"

She leaned in, but the second her fingers brushed against his bandages, Miles instinctively flinched, pulling his hands away before she could make contact.

Claire's fingers froze mid-air, curling slightly inward.

Miles noticed it. She looked exactly like Marmalade when the kitten came begging for food, only to be shooed away.