Austyn did nothing at that time.
Charlotte's condition was more or less stable, controlled with a cocktail of experimental medications. Austyn kept Leland's folder, just in case, and made sure he received the best possible medical care, Leland was a backup plan
That day Austyn met Kira, he was there to offer her a deal
was Leland's nest of lin.
She had the right to make the decision to donate his organs.
Austyn was prepared to offer her money, or a job, or anything else she wanted.
He was also prepared to threaten her
The carrot-and-stick approach had worked on men far more experienced than Kira
But he changed his mind the moment he saw her.
He left that day with a different deal.
Jesse had been apoplectic when he learned who Kira was
For the first time in his life, he called Austyn's decision stupid
He warned Austyn not to get too close to her.
Austyn heeded the warning.
Or he thought he did.
He thought he could control himself.
He tried to rationalise, tried to convince himself that he was only marrying her to make her beholden to him, to make her depend on him, so that when the time came, she would have no choice but to agree to the transplant, But now he was trapped.
He fell into his own sane and could see no way out.
"Kira's never going to forgive you if you trade her father's life for mine. Charlotte voiced Austyn's deepest fear
She understood her son better than anyone else in the world.
Underneath that tough guy exterior was a gentle soul.
'Austyn, I don't want to leave you, either. But it's time. I've suffered long enough. I've been stuck inside a hospital room for almost a decade."
She swept a hand over the ward.
"This is my prison cell. A nice one, for sure, but a prison cell nonetheless. I want to be free."
Austyn fought back the huge lump in his throat.
'Continuing this way is torture, for both me and you. At this point, death will be a relief
Charlotte smiled through her tears.
"Don't feel sorry for me. This is my choice. No matter where I end up, I'll be happy to know you will go on living your life to the fullest. You will have your family. You will have people you love and who love you back I can rest in peace. Austyn shot out of his chair.
The veins in his temples were threatening to break out.
'I can't watch you die! I can't!"
The past week with Kira had opened his eyes to how much of an ordeal a pregnancy could be, and how dangerous and difficult it was.
Charlotte carried him inside her womb for forty weels.
She gave birth to him
she raised him.
She protected him from his manipulative and heartless father.
How could he just stand by and watch ber die?
Charlotte shook her head, 'No one lives forever. Everybody has a date with the Grim Reaper. I just got my number moved up the queue." Her attempt at levity falled. Her joke fell flat.
Austyn's heart was bleeding,
Charlotte sighed. 'How about this? I only)
y have one question for you. If you can give me an answer, I'll cooperate with treatment."
"What is it? Austyn's head snapped up.
A glimmer of hope came into his eyes.
"Do you love Kira?!
If he loved her, how could he break her heart?
Austyn grasped Charlotte's unsaid question immediately.
He cradled his head in both hands.
He yanked on his short hair.
The pain from his scalp was nothing compared to the pain in his heart.
the room was the patient beep from the monitor.
For a long while, the only sound in th
Charlotte waited.
She knew her son would make the right decision.
She caught his hoarse whisper. "Fine.
Fine, he would not force her to undergo treatment.
Fine, he would not keep her prisoner in her own body.
Fine, he would respect her wish and let her go, even though it broke his heart to do so.
'Good boy.'Charlotte smiled at him approvingly.
She tumed to look out the window.
The view was of a carpark-bleak, lifeless.
'Do one more thing tot me, Aussie,' she said. "I want to check out of here!
If she was going to die, she'd rather die in her own home
Using Her Like A Crutch
Kira glanced around nervously
checked her face in a compact minor for the fifth time in as many minutes.
she smoothed her white blouse and raked a hand through her hair.
She licked her lips, feeling thirsty.
she had not had a drop of water in the past two hours, yet somehow, she still had the urge to go to the restroom. Austyn had been gone for an entire werk
She was thrilled when he called two days earlier to say he was on his way back
He texted her the fight details
He was retuming to Stamford with Charlotte
Kira looked up at the electronic signboard displaying real-time thight status.
Austym's plane would be touching down right about now.
Kira paced in the meeting on in the cavemous arrival hall
She checked her attire again-white blouse, black pants and canvas trainers
Was the get-up too casual?
Should she have dressed in her office attire?
But would that be too formal?
Kira had no idea what the dress code for meeting a mother-in-law was
Sure, they had already talked and seen each ether, but that was over the phone.
This was the first time they were meeting in person.
Kira had been on edge all moming
A small crowd had gathered in the meeting zone.
She paused when she sensed the crowd stirring.
Kita turned back
A group of disembarked passengers were coming out
Kira sa Astyn immediately.
He stood put in the crowd.
His suit jacket was slightly rumpled after a forty-hoor flight, but his bearing remained erect.
His strides were long and powerful
Everyone and everything else around him vanished.
He was the only one she could see.
Only till now did she realise how much she missed him
Austyn spotted Kira as well.
She was getting jostled by the crowd rushing to meet their friends and families.
Being a head shorter than almost everyone else around her, she had to struggle to keep her footing
Austyn quickened his pace
Kica was evenwerks pregnant,
Austyn had not asked her to come to the airport, en though he wanted to see her so badly
But Kira must have wanted to surprise him.
She kept her eyes on him as she fought her way to him
The usually mild-mannered woman grew impatient and started elbowing her way through the crowd
She started running
Aylet go of his hagrage handle, spread out both arms and caught her.
They weir locked in a tight embrace.
Heiled the armiliar scent of her shampoo.
He should sold her for being so reckless.
What if she slipped and tell?
But he said nothing and just held on to her, his mind finally at ease.
Kirker of Austyn's bug when she heard charlotte's voice.
She blushed instantly.
She had completely forgotten about her mother-in-law
Charlotte looked up at her from a wheelchair
Kin bowed her head. "H-hello, Charlotte
'Hello to you too, Kiradear Charlotte smiled teasingly.
Kira held out the bouquet of hydrangeas and calla lilles. These are these are for you."
She grimaced when she saw the sorry state of the flowers.
Austyn's bere hug had crushed the petals.Material © of .
The trumper-shaped lilies now looked like creased crepe paper.
A few petals were swirling in the air, making a spiral descent onto the floor.
Kira wanted to dig a hole in the ground and disappear.
She was beyond mortified.
"They are beautiful." Charlotte took the bouquet. Thank you, Kira. That's very thoughtful of you
Kira's hand shook when she touched Charlotte.
No wonder there was a popular saying in showbiz, 'The camera adds ten pounds."
Up close and in person, Charlotte looked even worse than in the video.
Her body was barely a bag of bones.
The wheelchair seemed to swallow her up.
Kai nodded a greeting at Kira before pushing the wheelchair out of the arrival hall.
Kira followed behind, still feeling embarrassed about the flowers.
Austyn walked alongside her.
When Kai turned left and disappeared out of sight, Austyn stopped abruptly and pulled Kira into his armi.
She was flustered. "Let go! Your mom's going to see us!!
Austyn's shoulders sagged.