“I’m going to the restroom,” Ste said, setting her milkshake aside.
Alessia nodded. As soon as Ste left, Alessia’s gaze shifted toward the <b>investors </b>section.
Larkin was leaning in, whispering something to Cole. A momentter, Cole shot to his feet, moving with such urgency that he startled everyone around him.
Cole was never one to break decorum in public, which immediately set off rm bells in Alessia’s mind. Without hesitation, she kept her eyes on him, and the second he stepped away from the table, she slipped out after him.
When Ste returned, the corner was empty, save for two half–finished cups of milkshake.
She nced over at the investors‘ seats and realized Cole was gone, too.
Picking up her drink, Ste took a sip and shook her head with a faint smile. She assumed the two had gone off for a secret rendezvous.
Alessia had no time for such leisurely thoughts. Cole almost never lost hisposure–unless something had happened to Jade June.
Suppressing a growing sense of dread, Alessia hurried toward the exit, arriving just in time to bump into Cole and Larkin as they rushed out.
“Lessie!” Cole’s voice wavered, betraying a rare tremor<b>. </b>
They’d been inseparable since childhood, so Alessia instantly saw how hard Cole was fighting to hold himself together.
“Cole, breathe. We’re going right now.”
She didn’t even have to ask what had happened.
cing her hands over Cole’s ears and pressing her forehead gently to his, she locked eyes with him, her gaze unwavering.
“Breathe in.”
“Now out.”
She guided him through the motions, and Cole obeyed. After three round finally calmed–at least a little.
e’d
The three of them wasted no more time. Larkin floored the gas, merging swiftly
<b>13:31 </b>
Into <b>the </b><b>flow </b><b>of </b>traffic.
Cole clung tightly to Alessia’s hand, the sweat on his palm <b>revealing </b><b>just </b>how anxious he was. Alessia said nothing, simply covering his hand <b>with </b><b>her </b>other on In silentfort.
For all his ruthless confidence in the boardroom, Cole was still just a young man barely out of boyhood. He’d already lost the father he adored, the thought of losing his mother was unbearable.
“Larkin, what’s the situation?” Alessia finally asked.
“Mr. Dawson knew you were at the tournament, so he reached out to me directly. Mrs. June’s not doing well. Mr. Dawson….he thinks it’s time.”
Larkin tried to soften the blow, but both Alessia and Cole understood exactly what he meant.
Alessia’s pupils tightened, but she forced her voice to remain steady. “Didn’t she just have treatment not long ago?”
“She’s…she’s in a lot of pain.”
In other words, without Jade’s own will to fight, no matter how many treatments Xander Dawson tried, it would all be in vain.
Alessia had expected as much, so she asked no more. She knew how deeply Parrish and Jade loved each other, but she still hadn’t imagined even Cole couldn’t spark Jade’s will to live.
On one hand, there was her son’s desperate plea; on the other, the agony of losing. her soulmate. For two whole years, Jade had been trapped–unable to move, unable to speak, yet fully conscious, forced to feel every helpless, painful moment. The tension inside the car was suffocating. Larkin pressed harder on the gas, and, thankfully, there was no traffic at this hour. They arrived nearly fifteen minutes earlier than usual.
Before the car had even rolled to a stop, Cole and Alessia jumped out and raced upstairs.
Inside the room, Xander was bent over Jade, sweat streaming down his face as he administered acupuncture. The heart monitor emitted a steady beeping; the housekeeper stood by, dabbing Xander’s brow and praying quietly for a miracle.
Cole and Alessia stood frozen in the doorway, afraid to disturb the scer
hey
<b>13:31 </b>
waited<b>, </b>hands still <b>tightly </b>sped<b>, </b><b>neither </b>noticing <b>nor </b>caring <b>to let </b>go.