Chapter 226
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Outside the presidential suite of the Everland Hotel, Kenneth stood tall, a boseball cap polled low over face
His long fingers rapped against the dark wooden door.
Click
The door opened from the inside, revealing Ivy in a luxurious blush pink silk robe. Her hair caded or shoulder and despite being nearly fifty, her face was flawlessly smooth, radiating a youthful beauty
Kenneth, you finally decided to show up?” Ivy said with a smirk, looping her arm through his and ning de
Kermeth frowned, immediately shrugging her off, his expression dark and forebodin
“What are you doing in Heloria?” he asked coldly, his narrow eyes glinting with suspicion
As the door closed behind them, Ivy seated herself gracefully on the sofa, her legs crossed like a priced and re softened as she looked at Kenneth, a trace of indulgence in her eyes.
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“You didn’t come back, so of course I had to come find you. Kenneth, you didn’t treat me like this in the pretty and gently, her alluring eyes tinged with melancholy.
“You used to be so well–behaved. Whenever you had nightmares, you’d cling to me and call me Mom Have you forgotten all
that?
“Yes, I was a little overbearing, but you know why. I only wanted to avenge your mother. Was I wrong for that?” by sighed and lightly massaged her temples with her fingers.
Kenneth’s eyes fell on a few strands of gray in her hair, and for a moment, an indescribable emotion swelled within ham.
Noticing his hesitation, Ivy pressed on. “Your mother was my sister. She was cast out of the family because of a man and met such a tragic end. For nine long years, Kenneth, you saw the suffering she endured. How could you forget
“Kenneth. Victor has to pay for what he did. Back then, for the Sinclair family’s fortune, he used your mocher. Did you know..” Ivy’s voice grew increasingly agitated, but she swallowed the rest of her words.
“Know what?” Kenneth’s brow furrowed deeper, his tone sharp.
He had come here today to get answers.
“Nothing” Ivy said with a shake of her head.
Kenneth let out a cold laugh. “What is it that I don’t know? Stop treating me like a fool
His voice trembled, low and filled with suppressed anger. Looking at the woman in front of him, whose features bore a striking resemblance to his mother’s, all his toughness seemed to deflate.
In that moment of vulnerability, he looked like a lost child, leaving Ivy momentarily conflicted.
But as her eyes fell on his face, so much like Victor’s in his youth, the haired in her heart quickly overpowered her fleeting compassion.
Ivy sighed as if conceding
“Kenneth. I’m not feeling well. Would you stay and have lunch with me? It’s been ages since we ate together,” vy said softly.
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Chapter 226
When Kenneth didn’t respond, she stood up from the sofa and took his hand.
“Kenneth…” she called to him gently.
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Stripped of her usual commanding demeanor, her features bore an uncanny resemblance to Grace’s, and her tender tone) made Kenneth momentarily dazed.
“Just stay and have lunch. Afterward, I’ll tell you everything.” Ivy said, leading him to the dining table.
When Kenneth continued standing there, refusing to sit, Ivy’s patience began to wane. “Do you really want to know that badly?” she asked, her tone sharp.
Kenneth’s resolute gaze was an answer enough.
Ivy sighed deeply, her expression turning grave. “Do you think your mother, just because she was the Pharmacology Queen’s daughter, could have developed the cure for that virus so easily!”
She continued, “It was the result of countless trials. She tested it on herself, over and over again. Even without that car accident, your mother wouldn’t have been with you for much longer.
“And I… I could only stand by and watch as my sister, my own flesh and blood, faded away, powerless to stop it.”
“Kenneth, how could I not hate him?” Ivy’s voice trembled with emotion.
Kenneth’s eyes flickered, memories of his mother’s frail body flooding his mind.
“So, I have toxins in my body too, don’t I?” Kenneth asked quietly.
Ivy froze, her eyes locking onto his. For a moment, she seemed completely at a loss.
“W–what did you say?” Ivy stammered, stepping closer and grabbing his arm. “You’re showing symptoms already, aren’t you?”
She couldn’t believe it. Over the years, Ivy had been treating him regularly. Her medical expertise far surpassed Grace’s
Kenneth’s lips curled into a bitter, self–deprecating smile.
He guessed right.
Victor had truly orchestrated an intricate game.
Kenneth clenched his fists tightly, veins bulging on his forehead.
Suddenly, his vision went dark, and his pupils lost focus.
For a fleeting moment, a wave of fear surged through him, fear that he might never see Ophelia again.
“Kenneth…” Ivy’s eyes widened as she waved her fingers in front of his face. Confirming that he couldn’t see, she took two steps back, shock evident in her expression.
‘Impossible. How could this happen? Has it already spread to his brain?‘ she thought, stunned.
About half a minute later, Kenneth’s vision gradually cleared.
“How long have you been having these symptoms?” Ivy asked urgently. She had always been confident in her medical skills and believed she had completely purged the toxins from Kenneth’s body.
But now, she realized the situation was far worse than she had imagined.
Chapter 226
“A little over three months,” Kenneth replied.
The color drained from Ivy’s face in an instant.
“How could this happen.” she murmured, her tone less about concern for Kenneth’s condition and more about her own disorientation and loss of direction.
It took a while before Ivy regained her composure. “Kenneth, don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you… I swear I won’t. And I’ll avenge your mother, too.”
Kenneth scoffed coldly.
ver since he realized his own illness, the thought of revenge had seemed to drift further and further away.
All Kenneth wanted now was to spend whatever time he had left with Ophelia, making sure her path ahead was as smooth as possible.
If he couldn’t protect her forever, he could at least lay the groundwork for her future.
Seeing the sudden softness in Kenneth’s gaze, Ivy seemed to understand something. Her eyes filled with unrelenting hatred. “You’ve decided not to seek revenge anymore, haven’t you? It’s because of her, isn’t it?”
Ivy had never imagined that Ophelia could mean so much to him.
Ophelia had become so important that Kenneth was willing to let go of a hatred he’d held onto for over a decade.
Ivy couldn’t allow this to happen.
“Kenneth…” Ivy began, but Kenneth raised his hand, cutting her off.
“I’m warning you. Don’t touch her,” he said, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable authority. “A dying man has nothing left to lose.”
With that, Kenneth turned and walked away without looking back.
“Kenneth… Kenneth…” Ivy called after him.
Meanwhile, Ophelia arrived at the production team’s set.
The crew was in the middle of filming a scene where Rex, playing Aiden, had to make a choice between Freya and Franklin.
At this point in the story, none of their true identities had been revealed, and Freya didn’t know about the connection between Aiden and Franklin.
However, the tension between the characters was palpable.
The scene was just a few minutes long, relying entirely on the actors‘ expressive gazes to convey the underlying emotions.
“Cut! No, no, Thomas!” James exclaimed, frustrated. “As Franklin, you can’t look at Sharon with such deep affection. jook! Even Rex doesn’t give her that much emotion!”
