Three Years Forgotten, Why Go Crazy When I Say Goodbye? novel Chapter 225

Genevieve was practically shaking with rage, plunging into a violent coughing fit. Zachary immediately reached out to rub her back, but she shoved him away with surprising force.

"I know exactly what all of you are plotting," Genevieve snarled, her breath rattling. "But you'd better kill that fantasy right now. Willow was the woman my late husband chose. I will acknowledge no one else. No matter how perfect you think Toby is, he is illegitimate. And from what I've seen, that boy is already spoiled rotten by your vile influence."

"How can you say that?" Susannah gasped. "Toby is your great-grandson! He has Sinclair blood running through his veins."

"Don't you dare try to manipulate me with bloodlines! I said I acknowledge no one but Willow." Genevieve's eyes locked onto them, cold and uncompromising. "I don't expect either of you to help fix this marriage, but you had better not try any of your underhanded tricks. If I find out you've done anything to bully Willow again, I will ruin you."

Genevieve had reigned over the Sinclair empire with an iron fist for decades. When she spoke, the ground shook.

Zachary instantly shifted into damage control. "Of course not, Mother. Whatever you say goes. Susannah was just feeling a little emotional. It's freezing out, and getting turned away at the door... you have to understand her frustration."

Genevieve scoffed in disgust. "She deserved it."

As the car glided into the New York traffic, Genevieve closed her eyes, utterly exhausted. The memory of her late husband's dying words echoed in her mind. The Sinclair empire was vast and perilous. Strategy and wealth were crucial, but in the end, everything came down to having the right people at the helm.

She knew Julian was brilliant, a force of nature in the boardroom. But he was young, and his arrogance blinded him to the things that truly mattered. He desperately needed a woman who was grounded, intelligent, resilient, and capable of anchoring him.

Willow was the absolute perfect choice. It shattered Genevieve's heart to see the marriage disintegrating like this.

Back in the hospital, Willow and Julian remained locked in a suffocating silence for two agonizing hours.

Once he was finally gone, the crushing weight in the room evaporated. Willow checked in with Dr. Zane to ensure everything was progressing smoothly, and then settled into the agonizing wait.

She talked on the phone with Jade Yates for a bit. Since it was New Year's Eve, Jade was obligated to be at her family's dinner, but her fierce moral support through the speakerphone was exactly what Willow needed.

As night fell over the city, the sky beyond the hospital windows suddenly erupted in color. Brilliant bursts of gold, crimson, and violet fireworks shattered the darkness, raining sparkling light over the skyline.

Willow walked to the window, holding up her phone to record it. Suddenly, a soft knock echoed from the door. Assuming Julian had returned to ruin her peace, her voice was frigid. "Why the hell are you back?"

She turned around. When she saw the tall figure standing in the doorway, the breath hitched in her throat.