Chapter 283
Grace had to back off for now. She warned Susan, "You got lucky today, Susan, but next time, I won't be so kind. Let's go!" Grace left in her Mercedes under the protection of her bodyguards.
Susan, who had been hiding behind Francis, was relieved and embraced by him.
"Are you okay?" Francis asked, taking off his jacket to cover her bruises, his eyes red with concern. "I'll take you to the hospital."
Susan shook her head. "No, I don't want Oliver to see me like this. Take me home, please." She sobbed softly, "I want to go home."
"Alright, let's go home."
It was Francis's first time at Susan's place which was filled with photos of her and Oliver. The house was small but cozy.
He fetched a set of her clean clothes and helped her change with closed eyes.
In the dead of night, Susan developed a high fever. Francis found some medication, fed it to her, and applied a cooling patch.
"So cold... so cold..." Susan couldn't stop shivering.
"I'm sorry, I just wanted to take care of you," Francis said as he lay beside her, wrapping them both in a blanket. Susan immediately clung to him, seeking his warmth. "I'm so cold, Mom... I'm so cold.
"Mom, why won't you answer me?
"I'm so scared..."
Francis, knowing what Susan had been through, felt even more sorry for her.
Becoming a mother turned her into a superhero, and he had witnessed the once naive girl transform into a strong and mature woman within a year as if she were invincible, but he knew she wasn't as strong inside as she appeared. She needed care and protection too.
Francis tenderly kissed her forehead. "Susan, why won't you give me a chance?
"I'm sorry, I lied to you. I don't have a girlfriend. I just wanted you to accept my help.
"I don't mind you having a child. I really like Oliver, and I'll love him as if he were my own son.
"Susan..."
"Caleb... Caleb..." Susan's dry lips whispered Caleb's name.
Francis froze, a dull pain in his heart.
"Caleb, don't leave me... Don't... leave me... Caleb...
"Why... did you hurt me... I hate you...
"I... love you..." Her voice grew softer, but those last three words hit Francis like a heavy blow, shattering his heart. Even though Susan had never mentioned Caleb in recent years, she seemed to have forgotten him, but he knew that Caleb still held a place in her heart, and no one could drive him out.
Francis suddenly felt that love was utterly absurd. Caleb, the unfaithful scoundrel, the jerk, had been deeply loved by her for so many years, yet his own devoted guardianship could never move her, only being relegated to a friend.
Thinking of this, Francis felt distressed, but he was not a narrow-minded person. He put her happiness first. However, it was obvious that Caleb could not bring her happiness, he could only bring her disaster.
With this in mind, Francis hated Caleb to the core.
"Don't leave me, Caleb..." Susan buried herself deeper in Francis's embrace.
The next day, at the Eilish Group, the elevator opened, and Caleb, dressed in a suit, stepped out, surrounded by a group of executives.
"Vice President, you have an appointment with Mr. John tonight," the secretary was reporting the upcoming schedule, but Caleb seemed distracted, his mind replaying the scenes from last night. Susan, who was pinned beneath him, seemed to have something urgent to tell him.
It was unsettling him, but he wouldn't contact her again. On the night of the first snow, he called her, but Susan didn't pick up. He knew she was deliberately ignoring his call. At that moment, he vowed that if she didn't answer that call, he would never contact her again in his life. After last night, he was determined to completely remove Susan from his life.
"Caleb! You jerk!"
Caleb was lost in thought, and as soon as he turned around, he was met with a heavy punch to his face. He reacted quickly, catching Francis's second fist. The executives screamed, "Mr. Eilish, call security!"
"Francis, I let you off, and you still dare to come looking for trouble?" Caleb was about to tear him apart.
"The one to blame is you. If you hadn't pursued Susan, she wouldn't have suffered such humiliation. You and your wife are both mad!"
Caleb frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Go ask Grace yourself."
"Explain it to me."
"Mr. Eilish, security is here."
"All of you, get out of here!" Caleb roared, and the executives and security immediately cleared the area, leaving only Caleb and Francis in the lobby.
"What did Grace do?"
"She said Susan got involved with you and last night she brought a few people to publicly humiliate Susan. If I hadn't arrived, Susan might have been..."
Caleb's head buzzed. He didn't want Susan to get into trouble. He had already sent someone to hide her whereabouts, but he didn't expect Grace to find out.
Given Grace's character, Caleb was not surprised that she would do such a thing. Fortunately, it didn't turn into a tragedy, otherwise...
"You know that your wife is a ruthless woman, and she's still after Susan. Do you want to kill her?
"Caleb, have you considered Susan's safety?
"You're delusional to pursue her, which pushed her into a fire pit."
Caleb said, "I didn't pursue her. She came to me last night."
"That's because..." Francis almost blurted out, but at the moment of speaking, he thought of his promise to Susan and swallowed the words back. "If she wasn't at her wit's end, she wouldn't have come to you."
Caleb sneered, "Isn't she relying on you? How could she be at her wit's end? Are you so useless?"
"I can give up my life for her, but there are some things I can't do." Francis felt powerless. "I promised Susan that there are some things I can't tell you, but what I want to say is that you have misunderstood her. She is definitely not a woman who is fickle in love, nor is she a gold digger. She is the strongest and most independent woman I have ever met, and she is also very devoted in her relationships.
"There is a deep misunderstanding between you and her, and you have been hurting each other. I really can't bear to see her in pain anymore. That's why I came to find you. If she didn't love you, I would never say these words.
"As for the truth, it is definitely not what you saw. If you want to know, go find out. You will regret it for the rest of your life if you find out too late." Francis gave him a warning look, looked at him deeply, and turned to leave.
Caleb stood in place, dazed.
'Susan... loves me?'