The Runaway Groom
Chapter 436

Chapter 436

The patient on the bed was burned from her right cheek down to her neck.

Although it had been bandaged and medicated, the gruesome carnage underneath could not be concealed.

Unlike incisions or lacerations, burn scars remain because the dead skin cells would linger.

While grafting and plastic surgery were advanced enough to restore Irene’s face completely, the problem was that she was pregnant right now.

She must get an abortion for the antibiotics necessary for surgeries, and even if she did not, it would lead to defects in fetal development or a miscarriage.

Stephen tried to reason with her, saying, “You can have another baby..."

Irene was staring blankly up at the white, fluorescent lights that were dizzying, and closed her eyes. “No. There's a reason I survived that explosion... Maybe it's someone up there intent on having me keep my baby."

In the instant she was falling into the river, she somehow slipped out of the explosive vest, which only detonated after she dropped underneath the river.

Though the resulting flames and shockwave still struck her while she was underwater, she survived her injuries.

Disfigurement certainly did not matter to her.

Even if beauty was life and death for the ladies, she had no use for it. Was there anyone whom she wanted to look pretty for?

Stephen sighed. “Isaac Jefferson is devastated about your death.” “He’s not grieving me. He's probably just sorry for his son who doesn't have a mother,” she replied.

Her tone was cold and devoid of her usual passion and liveliness—what Isaac said before left her feeling a fool for all the love and adoration he had for her.

Turning to Stpehen, she said, “I would recover in five days at most, but I don’t want to stay or I might have second thoughts. Book me a flight to Mead Clinic in three days, and thanks for saving me a spot all this while.”

She had somewhere to be, at least.

“After you helped me so much with Mick, I'll do whatever I can to help.” Stephen then held her gaze for a while, and told her what was weighing down on his mind. “I'm worried that the body we used wouldn't keep Isaac fooled. There’s a chance that he'd notice...”

“He probably wouldn't notice. He was there, and he knows how powerful the blast was, and that the bomb was tied to me. He should actually be surprised that there was a body at all, since I should be in pieces.”

“Your body was fully intact when you were brought in—it's only natural that we used an intact body as well, “Stephen pointed out. “His subordinates might get suspicious since they're constantly watching.” “Then I should thank you for getting the perfect replacement,” Irene replied.

“Call it a coincidence that there was a fire at the orphanage north of the city. There were five dead, and one of them was a woman with around the same weight and height. She was burned extensively to the point there's no chance of recognition, so Isaac won't be able to tell as long as he doesn't do a DNA test.”

“Oh, right... About the other favor, I have footage here of one of Isaac's boys holding your baby. Suffice to say, I think he had been rescued along with your mom.”

Stephen had recorded the video in secret and showed it to Irene. Although he was too far away to capture Tommy's face, Irene could recognize her baby's cries.

Her baby... She felt as if a meat hook was driven through her heart at the thought of leaving him and not seeing him, suffocating her from sheer agony.

“I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

She did not deserve to be a mother for what she was going to do to him.

Like a broken string of pearls, her tears streamed out of the corner of her eye, trickling into her hair.

Stephen sighed. “Why hurt yourself like this?"

Irene pursed her lips. “Isaac will definitely protect Tommy as long as he stays at his side. The life and education he would have is much better than anything I have to offer-"

“That's not what I mean—you have no reason to leave. You have a child, and Isaac would never blame you for Yvaine Lynd’s death.”

“Have you ever been in love?” Irene asked, cutting him short.

“Things are fine between my wife and myself,” Stephen replied. sᴇaʀᴄh thᴇ FɪndNøvel.ɴᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Then how would you feel if the person you love and thought was in love with you, turns out to not have loved you at all? Would you understand the despair?”

Stephen frowned. “Is it really that complicated?”

“I didn’t know before,” Irene said bitterly. “But being in love hurts.”

That was when the door swung open, and Stephen turned pale when he saw who it was!

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