Three Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 230

By the time Odette arrived at the hospital, Shirley had just finished paying the bill. They bumped into each other on the first floor and found a quiet corner to talk.

Lawrence was running a high fever. With multiple injuries, an infected gash on his forehead, and his vital signs all over the place, his body had reached its absolute breaking point.

The doctor had strongly recommended he be admitted.

The image of Lawrence's pale, gaunt face in the hospital bed flashed through Shirley's mind.

"I asked the nurses to keep an eye on him upstairs," Shirley said, her tone complicated. "Odette, how did he get like this? Are the pills he carries with him really for depression?"

Odette gave a weary nod. "He's struggling with severe psychological issues right now. He was supposed to be hospitalized, but he begged to apologize to you and Bachelor in person first, so I let him. I'm so sorry, Shirley. I didn't mean to burden you with this."

Depression? Shirley frowned. She had no idea Lawrence had developed mental health issues.

*What a complete mess this family is,* she thought.

But it was no longer her problem.

Shirley handed the medical bills and prescriptions over to Odette. "It's not about burdening me. Just don't let him go looking for Bonnie again. Let's let the bad blood between our families end here, Odette. Going our separate ways is the best outcome for everyone."

A bitter taste flooded Odette's mouth. The thin stack of bills in her hand felt like it weighed a ton. "Shirley, he and Hannah were never together. Not three years ago, and not now. That child isn't his. We had some family issues back then, and Hannah..."

"Odette," Shirley interrupted, swallowing her shock. "There's no point in telling me this now. Regardless of the reasons, things spiraled out of control. Even if everyone had their own hardships back then, none of it has anything to do with Bonnie anymore."

If she had stepped in sooner, maybe things wouldn't have reached this point.

But there was no turning back the clock.

Shirley looked at Odette's haggard face. As a fellow mother and an educator who had worked in the same field for years, she understood the brutal tug-of-war between responsibility and maternal selfishness.

If she were in Odette's shoes, she might not have handled it any better.

"Odette, I was Lawrence's homeroom teacher for three years. I genuinely cared for that boy. He was a great student, a good class president, and a devoted son. When he was with Bonnie, I couldn't deny that he was a wonderful boyfriend. To be completely honest, seeing him sitting downstairs all night, shivering in the freezing cold like that... it breaks my heart. It's a tragedy that such a brilliant kid, who should be living a free and happy life, ended up like this."