Chapter 635
Whether Yolanda should live or die, Melody decided to leave it up to fate. After all, either way, it wouldn’t be much of a blessing for Yolanda.
Just then, Russell finally arrived, fashionably late. Seeing Melody and Ken already present, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes before he walked up with a fake smile. “Melody, Mr. Swanson, you’re both here? I’m so sorry to trouble you, Mr. Swanson, to come all the way here.”
Ken glanced indifferently at Russell, his face expressionless. “Some joys are just worth witnessing firsthand to be sure.”
Russell’s face stiffened, forcing a laugh. “You really know how to joke…”
“Dad!” Mabel hurried forward. “You’re finally here! They just gave mom a critical condition notice!” Despite her hatred for Russell, she knew she still needed his protection at that moment.
Russell was about to speak when he saw Mabel’s swollen face and asked in shock, “What happened to your face?”
Mabel let her tears fall at the perfect moment. “It was Melody. I was just worried about Mom and said something Melody didn’t like, and she slapped me!”
Russell felt displeasure rise in his heart. Mabel’s greatest asset was her face; if it were ruined, she would lose her chance to marry into the Swanson family. But now, with Melody controlling his loan and Ken present, Russell didn’t dare lose his temper. He could only give Melody a reproachful look. “Melody, I know you don’t like Yolanda, but you can’t slap Mabel no matter what.” His tone was more pleading than blaming.
Melody sneered. “I slapped her because she deserved it. I did nothing wrong.”
Mabel’s anger flared. “You-“
“Enough!” Russell interrupted Mabel. “The urgent matter is your mother’s health. Let’s not worry about this right now. What did the doctors say? How did this happen out of nowhere?”
Mabel didn’t dare mention she knew about Russell cheating Yolanda out of her shares. She mumbled, “I missed my mom, so I went to see her. But when I got there, she just started coughing up blood…”
“Did the doctors say anything about her chances of recovery?”
Mabel shook her head, looking at the nurse for answers.
The nurse, sympathetic to Melody, didn’t even glance at Mabel, instead addressing Russell coldly, “It’s hard to say right now. Please remain quiet. I’ll inform you if there are any updates.” With that, the nurse nodded at Melody before returning to the operating room.
Time crawled by, each second feeling longer as they anxiously waited. After more than an hour passed, during which Russell tried to gauge Ken’s feelings toward Melody, Ken treated him as if he were invisible, leaving Russell awkward and unsure. Eventually, Russell stopped trying to engage with Ken and instead lowered his voice to ask Melody, “Melody, did you get the package?”
“Yeah.”
“And about what we discussed over dinner…”
“Don’t worry. Mason and I and I always keep our word. But you’ll still need to find something to use as collateral. Even with Mason’s help, there’s no guarantee your loan will get approved without it.”
Russell nodded repeatedly, grateful. “I understand. I’ll figure out something to use as collateral…”
To secure the loan, he had already mortgaged almost all of his properties. The only asset left to use as collateral was the Justalion Group. Though the Justalion Group wasn’t currently valued at the required 80 million dollars, with Melody’s assurance, Mason would likely relent. This loan was practically in the bag.
The more Russell thought about it, the better he felt, barely caring whether Yolanda would survive. Deep down, he even hoped she wouldn’t. That way, no one would know he had tricked her out of her shares, which was an undeniably disgraceful act.
At that moment, the doors to the operating room suddenly opened. This time, it wasn’t the nurse who came out, but the doctor, Rodney. Seeing him, Melody pressed her lips together. She knew the result.
Russell and Mabel, clearly outsiders to such situations, didn’t understand what it meant for the lead doctor to come out at this time. They hurried forward, one after the other, to ask.
“Doctor, how’s my mom? Is she out of danger?”
“Doctor, please, tell us straight. We’re prepared for anything.”
Rodney removed his mask, regret evident on his face. “We’ve done everything we could. You can go in and see her one last time.”
Mabel’s face turned ashen, her legs giving way as she collapsed to the floor. ‘Mom… really dead? With Mom gone, who will truly be there to offer me genuine advice and support? What am I going to do after that?’ she wondered. Despair washed over Mabel’s face, though she wasn’t truly grieving.
The prison officer entered the room first to confirm the situation. After a moment, he exited, phone in hand, reporting to his superior. “Sir. Inmate number 129382…”
‘Even the prison officer confirmed it. Yolanda is beyond saving. Heaven has heard my unspoken wish, Russell thought. Suppressing
his true emotions, he pulled Mabel up from the floor with his firm grip. He patted her shoulder and said, “Child. Let’s go say our goodbyes.”
With tears streaming down her face, Mabel bit her lip, nodded, and walked inside.
Ken turned to Melody. “Do you want to go in?”
“Of course.” She had to see Yolanda off in person; only then could she truly lay the grudge of her mother’s death to rest.
Passing Rodney, Melody sensed that his expression was one of hesitation. Clearly, the nurse had told him what she said. As a doctor, he did his best to save Yolanda, but as Melody’s friend, he was relieved that fate was fair. Yolanda hadn’t made it; it wasn’t anyone’s fault.
In the operating room, Melody saw Mabel clutch Yolanda’s hand. Yolanda, in a moment of lucidity, managed to utter a few words, “Ru… Ru… Russell.”
Russell rushed forward, feigning sorrow. “Yolanda, tell me. I’ll do anything you ask.”
Yolanda tried to speak but caught sight of Melody behind Russell. Her eyes widened in horror, staring at Melody as she struggled to lift her hand. In the next moment, a mouthful of blood spilled from Yolanda’s lips. Her eyes rolled back, and she was gone. She had been literally angered to death.
“Mom!” Mabel cried out, sobbing uncontrollably. The flatline on the heart monitor reminded Mabel of all the love her mother had given her.
Seeing this, Melody’s face remained impassive. She merely turned to Ken and said calmly, “Let’s go.” Confirming Yolanda’s death was enough. She didn’t want to linger and bring herself bad luck.