Chapter 618
Irene spat out the words. In her eyes, a cold, vengeful hatred burned.
Liora sensed no danger, never imagining Irene would resort to murder. She picked up the wine glass, tilted her head back, and was just about to drink it all down.
In an instant, the private room door burst open. Irene and Liora snapped their heads in perfect unison. Yorick burst into the doorway, panting heavily, his chest heaving.
Liora’s gaze softened with affection. “Yorick,” she asked softly, “how did you find me here?”
Yorick completely ignored Liora, strode straight to Irene, yanked her wrist, and commanded, “Come back with me now.”
“You’re the one who should leave. Get the hell away from me!” Irene impatiently flung his hand away, her eyes blazing with furious crimson. “Don’t you dare interrupt Ms. Thomas and me while we’re drinking.”
As she spoke, Irene’s gaze locked onto Liora with an intense glare. “Ms. Thomas, this drink must be had tonight. If you refuse, you’re not just disrespecting me. As love rivals, how else are we supposed to truly bury the hatchet?”
“Alright,” Liora murmured, her eyes heavy with reluctant longing. “Yorick, I won’t cling to you anymore. Consider this drink my apology to Irene. I wish you both happiness.”
Once again, Liora raised the wine glass to her lips. Suddenly, Yorick snatched the glass of wine from Liora’s hand. He tilted his head back and downed it in one swift gulp.
“No!” Irene screamed, her voice breaking with desperation. Irene’s warning came too late. Yorick had already downed the poisoned wine. Moments later, Yorick collapsed to the ground, clutching his stomach as he vomited a mouthful of blood.
Irene dropped to her knees, her trembling hands clutching Yorick as he weakly grasped her wrist. With labored breath, he managed to ask, “Now… do you believe me?”
Tears streamed down Irene’s face as she cried out, “Why would you do this?”
“You fool, if I hadn’t done this, what would have become of you?”
Liora, who had just called the ambulance, suddenly realized the truth. She stared at Irene in utter disbelief, a bone-chilling dread creeping through her entire body. “Irene, did you poison the wine? You actually tried to kill me! Are you out of your mind?”
“Ms. Thomas…” Yorick looked at Liora with great difficulty, his voice barely above a whisper.
“If I die today… I’m begging you… Please don’t tell anyone about this… and don’t hold Irene accountable… She wasn’t herself today… This is all my fault… please, let her go…” Before he could finish speaking, Yorick was out cold.
The ambulance arrived just in time, and both Irene and Liora were rushed inside. Thanks to her considerable wealth, Liora immediately summoned top medical specialists to save Yorick.
Yorick’s stomach was pumped just in time, saving his life. But the poison, with properties similar to agricultural pesticides, inevitably caused some internal damage. At Yorick’s bedside, Irene kept a constant vigil, never leaving his side for even a moment.
Standing at a distance, it finally dawned on Liora how far she had overstepped. Her desperate attempts to possess Yorick had caused immeasurable harm, not just to his family but to Yorick himself.
Liora wished with all her heart that she had been the one to drink the poison. Watching Irene clutch Yorick’s hand tightly, Liora thought, ‘She must be hoping he’ll pull through, just like I am.’
After much deep reflection, Liora was overcome with genuine remorse. At last, she saw the truth. She had been wrong all along.
Liora said to Irene, “Once Yorick wakes up, I’ll leave immediately. I’ll never bother him again. As long as he’s alive and well, nothing else matters.”
Irene remained silent.
When Yorick finally regained consciousness, his eyes immediately locked onto Irene.
Seeing Yorick’s eyes filled with Irene, watching Irene sob in his arms as he comforted her tenderly, Liora knew with painful clarity that she had lost. Or rather, she had no right to talk about that because Yorick had never taken an interest in her.
Liora understood that Yorick drank the poison not to protect her, but to keep Irene from facing the consequences. True to her word, Liora left Nareigh for good and never held Irene accountable for what had happened.
“Thank you,” Yorick said.
Irene snapped back to reality. Her memories ended there. “That’s what your dad’s final words to Liora were. As for where Liora went after that, or why she ended up having a child with Werner, I really don’t know.
“After your father woke up, he told me he knew I was going to kill Liora. He said Werner had called him, saying I’d bought poison through his friends. I lied to Werner, telling him it was just for getting rid of rats at home.
“That excuse might have fooled Werner, but not your father. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have found me.”
Jonathan listened in silence, his brow furrowed. “And then? Did it just end like that?”
“Even though he had his stomach pumped that time…” Irene choked out, her voice trembling.
“The poison still affected him. Tests showed liver dysfunction. He had to give up his previous job and could only manage clerical work after that. I felt so guilty. I cooked him all sorts of delicious meals, but his health was never the same.”
As she said this, tears streamed down Irene’s face. “And then, your father was diagnosed with liver cancer. My world just collapsed in that moment.
“I always felt it was my fault. He went out of his way to consult so many doctors, just to reassure me, explaining that there was no direct link between his cancer and the poison. I know he just didn’t want me to blame myself.”
Irene’s gaze drifted to the items on the table as she spoke.
“He prepared those recordings and the handwritten letters stating he wouldn’t hold me accountable because he was terrified I might face legal consequences if Liora went back on her words.
“It was only later that I realized just how much Yorick was suffering from liver ascites at that time. But he never wanted me to worry. Every time we spoke, he’d force himself to endure the agony and put on a brave face.
“When you were in kindergarten, your father passed away. He held my hand and urged me to remarry, to find someone who could take care of us. But I refused. There will never be another man as wonderful as him.”
Irene buried her face in trembling hands, sobs wracking her body as she gazed at Jonathan through tear-blurred eyes.
“You’re my only son. For all these years, you’ve been my entire hope. I’ve poured everything into raising and nurturing you, only for you to suddenly rush into marriage with some spoiled, pampered rich girl who can’t even cook a decent meal.
“I just couldn’t bear the thought of your wife turning out like Liora. That’s exactly why I was so against you marrying Teresa.”
Jonathan’s brow furrowed slightly. He spoke, each word weighted with conviction, “She’s nothing like Liora.”