Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 144

Chapter 144 Chapter 144

The following morning brought a storm of chaos that no one could have anticipated. Despite Alexander's efforts to keep the events that had taken place in the hospital secret, one of his employees had let him down, selling the story to the media for a few thousand dollars. The news was like a bush fire The CEO of Blackthorn Holdings, Mr. Alexander Black donates liver to save his ex-wife, the CEO of W2 HOLDINGS:

The world was in shock. Headlines portrayed Alexander as a selfless hero, a man who had risked his life for his ex-wife, whom he had parted ways with..

Social media exploded with debates, opinions, and speculations. People around the world celebrated him, hailing his act of sacrifice as proof of undying love even after their separation.

For Annie, morning seemed to drag on interminably. Her failure the night before and the warnings from Vivian had made her night restless.

Now, being in the same room as Alexander and Vivian, the weight of the unfolding chaos pressed down on her like a suffocating blanket.

The buzzing of notifications just seemed to get worse and worse, each one more incriminating than the last Netizens, who earlier rallied around her and supported her public persona, were now gunning for her like wolves. Accusations were flying in all directions. Even her most die-hard followers had begun to question her place in Alexander's life.

Anger and humiliation bubbled up inside of her. She fidgeted uneasily in her chair, her glance shifting to Alexander lying in the bed. He face was pale; his body weak from surgery. Annie's heart was jumping since he awoke; he has seldom looked her way once. And then there was Vivian, sitting next to him, her defensive position not to be missed. Her cold, aloof eyes were turning in Annie's direction from time to time, a silent reminder of the warning she had issued the night before. Annie fisted her hands in her lap, her nails digging into her palms.

The headlines weren't just the problem that Annie was dealing with, there was also Vivian.

What if Alexander were to find out what she had done, tried to do? She couldn't let that happen. She wouldn't.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to steady her nerves. She needed to be smart. She couldn't afford to make any rash moves now, especially with Vivian watching her every step. But deep down, Annie knew that if pushed, she wouldn't hesitate to act against Alexander's little sister.

For now, she plastered a neutral expression on her face, pretending to be unfazed by the whirlwind of events around her. But if Vivian proved too stubborn or too meddlesome, Annie would have no choice but to deal with her. After all, no one stood in her way for long, not even her own biological father.

She glanced once more at Alexander, her lips curving into a forced smile.

AAAAA

Although her vision was blurred and every inch in her body was in an unimaginable pain, Emma was able to see a faint silhouette of Alexander, hovering above her. His cold, dangerous eyes were now filled with a mixture of empathy and guilt which Emma could not miss. She felt strong, soft hands embracing her, their warmth spreading across her broken body, and for one swift moment, there seems to be hope.

But just then doubt began to creep in. It couldn't be true. She remembered how Derek forced her to the 69th floor of her company and blew it off. The explosion was deafening, the heat unbearable. The force flung her body like a ragdoll, and she remembered the unbearable pain that rushed down her back as she hit the ground. The memory brought new waves of fear.

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08:56 Thu, Jan 9 Chapter 144

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Emma gasped. Her eyes snapped open, fully wide in fear. Her heart was racing wildly as her surroundings finally came into view. She was deeply confused. Was this heaven? Had she crossed over to the other side?.

Her eyes scanned around frantically for answers until they finally fell on Jaden. His face was etched with worry, his hand clutched hers as if he was afraid she might slip away. The sight of him stirred something deep within her. "Emma," Jaden's voice was soft but insistent, his eyes never leaving hers. "Emma, can you hear me?"

She shut her eyes again, willing herself to make sense of it all. Derek's attack, the explosion, the darkness swallowing her whole, they were all a horrid and painful mix of memories: And yet, here she sat, alive and breathing. The door burst open, and in came a sea of doctors. Efficiently, they examined her vital signs, fiddled with machines, and murmured amongst themselves. Emma could hardly believe her eyes.

When the doctors finally left her alone with Jaden, she turned her gaze to him. His face was a mask of relief, but beneath it, she could feel the storm of emotions that he held at bay. "Jaden," she croaked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I want to see my twins."

Her words hung heavy in the air. Everything in her was aching; her bones were burning, like they had been set on fire. The headache was relentless, but none of that mattered at this moment.

This was a second chance she had

never counted on, but fate,

mysterious as it could be, spared her. And this time, she would not blow it away. She would do all

humanly possible to try and fight her

way through all this pain, trath

and fear, but first and above all, she needed to hold her children in her arms; needed to see their faces, and remind herself why she was still here.