Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 991

Her poor child had suffered even before it was born, all because Valerie had been trapped in a dark cloud of depression, living under Ashton's shadow. It was for the sake of the baby's health that she finally mustered the courage to divorce Ashton, hoping to escape his control and allow her body and mind to heal.

But in the end... the baby still suffered.

Now Valerie was struggling with the child's medical needs and the mounting bills, her savings dwindling fast...

Snapping back from her thoughts at the silence on the other end of the phone, Valerie propped herself up on her hospital bed, worried. "Nolan, why are you so quiet? Did your dad give you a hard time when you got home, or is he unwell?"

"Valerie, you know my dad has always been fond of you, always caring about you," Nolan seemed to hesitate.

"Yeah, I know," Valerie clutched her phone tighter, thinking of Beckford and feeling a warm sensation despite everything.

Ashton's hatred wasn't just about a childhood misunderstanding of her 'not saving him' but also involved resentment towards her mother. Valerie didn't know the details, only that her parents and Ashton's birth mother had died in the same car accident. Ashton blamed Beckford and Valerie's mother for having an affair, which he believed drove his own mother to death.

After Valerie married Ashton, he deliberately treated her coldly, wanting to hurt Beckford by hurting her.

Remembering these grievances made Valerie's heart sink, tears chillingly rolling down her cheeks. Her four-year marriage to Ashton had been anything but happy, a constant struggle of silently enduring unrequited love.

Ashton, cold and unyielding, was like a wild horse she could never tame. She had finally given up on him, removing him from her heart as painfully as if she were cutting out a piece of her flesh, yet she had survived. "Nolan, what are you trying to say?" Valerie, ever perceptive, knew Nolan wouldn't have mentioned his father without reason. A bad feeling suddenly surged within her. "Nolan, what did you say when you went home?" "I'm sorry," Nolan's voice was heavy, his breath visible in the night as he extinguished a cigarette.

"You...?"

"Yes, I had no choice, Valerie. I told my dad about the baby, that she's not well, that she has a heart condition."

"Nolan!" Valerie pushed herself up, her pale face turning even whiter, "You promised to keep it a secret."

"But Valerie, we can't gamble with the baby's life. You know why I've been going home so often? Because Ashton and my father froze my funds. I can't afford the baby's treatment, I can't give her the best medical care. I hate myself for not being strong enough. If I could bear it all, I wouldn't have gone back to the Fuller family begging. I wanted to be the strong man in front of you, to carry all this for you. I didn't want to let Ashton know because I love your child too!" His confession was just short of declaring he was ready to be the child's father.

Valerie's face flushed with an awkward mix of embarrassment and gratitude. Nolan had done so much for her, more than she could ever repay or ignore.

"Nolan, it's not your fault. On the contrary, I'm so grateful to you. If it weren't for you these past few months, the baby might not have been born safely. But you know I don't want to hand my child over to them, I will not return to the Fuller family! That place, that man, will forever be a dark mark in my heart, a source of sorrow I can't touch."

"I understand, Valerie, and I know it hurts. But we can't deny that, no matter how terrible Ashton may be, the powerful backing of the Fuller Group and my father's vast network are the best support for the baby. She's facing not just one surgery but potentially many, and that requires a superior medical environment to ensure she grows up healthy. We can't keep running around looking for doctors in our small town. I can work hard and earn a lot of money, but no matter what, I can't match the resources of the affluent Fuller family, and when it comes to heart specialists, the slightest difference could mean life or death."

Valerie closed her eyes tightly, tears rolling down as her heart ached with mixed emotions. She hadn't expected Beckford to find out so soon.

She knew well that with Beckford's stubborn and forceful nature, this revelation would cause an uproar. The last thing she wanted was for Ashton to know. That would mean she might never be free again.

Would her child ever be safe and solely hers?

Her voice was low and hoarse, even through her tears, it remained cool, "You meant well for the child, but you've hurt me. Maybe I should never have trusted you."

"Valerie, please don't be angry. Given the situation, you know I had no choice but to do this. If there was any way to keep it a secret, I would have for your sake. My father will definitely bring you back, but he means well. Once the baby is with the Fuller family, she'll have the best medical care, and you won't have to live in constant fear and worry. Just focus on raising the baby, and leave everything else to my father."

"But the moment I return, he'll know," Valerie sobbed unwillingly.

"My father will handle him! Valerie, you don't have to deal with him at all. You two have gone your separate ways. Once you're back, just live your life, and I'll always be here to protect you."

Nolan tried to soothe her, masking his own heartache at the thought of Valerie being under Ashton's scrutiny once again.

God knows how much he wished he could fall for... have this woman.

-

In the dead of night, at TriMed Hospital.

Ashton signed the medical report and stood by Elaine's bedside for a few seconds. He didn't speak to her, his demeanor seemed dismissive, and then he left.

Elaine pretended to be unconscious and too ill to initiate a conversation.

Watching him come and go in a hurry, she clenched her fist.

Ashton's attitude towards her was getting colder by the day, as if he was intentionally setting boundaries.

Her eyes darkened as she pondered how to win his affection when suddenly, her smartphone on the nightstand rang.

Elaine gestured for the nurse to hand it to her and saw the caller ID. Immediately, she asked the nurse to leave.

Once the door closed, her expression changed, and she carefully removed her oxygen mask to answer cautiously, "Cora, what have you found out at the Fuller Mansion? Can you talk?"