Filed To Story: The Broken-Hearted She and The Icy He Book PDF Free
But when James glanced at his brother’s still-pale face as Ivan was wheeled to a VIP ward, the chill in his heart deepened.
Ivan had drunk the fish maw-and only then collapsed. That bowl had been prepared for Lily. He could not let himself imagine what might have happened if she had taken even a single sip.
Renee’s smile faltered. Stupid old hag. Once I marry James, I’ll see you dead sooner or later.
At last-after nearly five endless hours-the doors swung open.
Grace rushed forward and seized the director’s hand. “How is Ivan?”
Nancy, Blanc, Henry-they all leaned forward anxiously, awaiting the verdict.
“We pumped his stomach,” the director reported. “He’s out of immediate danger. However, the drug severely burned his stomach lining. There are ulcers that will take time to heal. With proper care, diet restrictions, and rest, he should recover without lasting damage.”
Relief broke over the elders like a wave.
Nancy discreetly wiped her eyes, while Grace wept freely, tears of gratitude. “Thank heaven… he’s safe…”
Lily had held back all this time, forcing herself to be strong. But once she heard he would live, her tears spilled unchecked.
“Don’t cry,” James murmured, gently brushing her cheeks, pulling her tightly into his arms despite the watching elders. “The director said he’ll recover quickly. Ivan’s going to be fine.”
But when James glanced at his brother’s still-pale face as Ivan was wheeled to a VIP ward, the chill in his heart deepened.
Ivan had drunk the fish maw-and only then collapsed. That bowl had been prepared for Lily. He could not let himself imagine what might have happened if she had taken even a single sip.
Blanc had sent the soup base to the lab before coming to the hospital.
Now the test results were in.
Someone had added an extremely toxic, powerful abortifacient to the fish maw.
“An abortifacient?” Samson’s report left Grace and Nancy both chilled.
After the shock came a rush of relief.
If Lily had drunk that bowl, the consequences would have been catastrophic.
Just the thought of it made their hearts clench and their skin go cold.
“Yes.” Samson replied respectfully. “The lab doctor says that ingesting this drug causes catastrophic harm to a pregnant woman. Massive hemorrhage is certain; the chance of needing a hysterectomy is as high as ninety percent; the maternal mortality rate is up to seventy percent. Because the consequences are so severe, this drug is banned internationally. How it ended up in Lily’s daily bowl is inexplicable.”
Grace swayed, her face pale with fright.
To think: the animal who did this didn’t merely want to kill her unborn great-granddaughter – they wanted Lily dead, too.
“God, how vicious…” Grace clutched her chest and kept repeating how lucky Lily had been to refuse the bowl, how lucky the baby and Lily were still safe.
“Is Ivan all right?” Victor arrived shortly after hearing the news. Ivan had actually regained consciousness some time ago; everyone had been focused on Samson and hadn’t noticed. When his brother asked after him, Ivan forced a silly smile. “I’m fine. I feel good-could probably run a few laps downstairs.”
Privately, he was relieved that he’d been the one to eat it. If his sister-in-law had drunk that bowl, and something had happened to her and the baby, his brother would be devastated. His little niece would be gone. He wasn’t going to boast about it-he thought of it as his duty as an uncle to have taken the blow.
“You foolish boy…” Nancy scolded, half angry, half relieved, wiping her red-rimmed eyes at his grin.
Blanc, exhausted by the day, dabbed his own eyes and turned to Samson. “Find out who tried to poison Lily and her child. Get to the bottom of this.”
Renee’s face went pale at Blanc’s tone, but she steadied herself. She’d slipped the drug in while nobody was looking; she’d assumed no one would trace it back to her. If the broth tested positive, she told herself, suspicion would fall on the cooks-not on her.
Still, dread crawled up her spine. She wanted to go home, but leaving now would look guilty. So when the Luke family left for the hospital, she climbed into one of the cars and followed.
Samson’s lab confirmation made everyone shudder. The poison in the fish maw had been deliberate.
Renee immediately pointed at the kitchen staff. “The cook who made the fish maw-Spring- she must have poisoned it. Someone in the kitchen must be angry at Lily. Call the police; have her arrested!”
Luke estate had multiple kitchens and dozens of chefs. Each cook carried a strong reputation. Spring, who had cooked Lily’s fish maw, had once been the imperial chef at grand events. Nancy had hired her and raised her pay to a huge salary. Renee well knew Spring’s status-and resented it. When Nancy once rescued Renee in her worst hour, she’d paid for medical care and even hired Renee; later Renee had watched Spring’s salary rise and burned with jealousy.
Renee’s face was a mask of righteous outrage as she accused the kitchen staff, but Susan-who had come to the hospital as soon as she heard-felt the accusation sting.
Weak and fragile as she looked, Susan stepped to the bedside and coughed a little, then asked anxiously, “Ivan’s face is so pale… Nancy, this is terrible. We must make this right for him. Ivan, how are you feeling now?”
Ivan loathed Renee from the bottom of his heart.
But Susan, though Renee’s mother, had once cared for James during the family’s darkest Ivan wasn’t the type to repay kindness with hatred, and Susan was still an elder. He wouldn’t take out his disgust for the daughter on the mother.
So he forced courtesy. “Grandma, I feel a lot better now.”
“That’s good.”
Susan gently pulled the blanket up over him, then turned to grip Nancy’s hand. “Nancy, I just heard Renee say it was Spring who hurt Ivan? A cook, of all people, violating the most basic duty by poisoning the food-how vile! Ivan’s suffered so much already. We can’t let this pass without justice.”
Nancy had grown increasingly disillusioned with Renee, but her lifelong bond with Susan- and gratitude for the years she had cared for James-remained. She wasn’t about to dislike Susan just because Renee’s character soured her stomach.
She returned the handclasp warmly. “Susan, don’t worry. James will get to the bottom of this. But I doubt Spring was behind it. She’s been handling Lily’s meals for some time. She’s not stupid enough to sabotage her own work and ruin herself.”
Susan’s fingers tightened imperceptibly. She hadn’t expected Nancy to defend the chef so fiercely.
But she knew the truth: her precious daughter had been the one to do it. If Spring wasn’t sacrificed, Renee could be exposed. And Susan would never let her elegant, beautiful girl- raised for high society-be tarnished by scandal.
She smoothed her face into a mask of warmth. “Nancy, you can’t truly know someone’s heart. Perhaps Spring felt too secure, believing no one would suspect her since Lily’s meals were her duty. That’s exactly why she dared. Yes-it must have been Spring.”
Renee jumped in, desperate to shift blame. “Ivan nearly died on the way here… She must pay for this! It was pure chance that Ivan drank that bowl. If Lily had taken it as usual, she would’ve miscarried-or bled to death!”
Nancy frowned.
Renee’s vehemence was… off.
(07)
At breakfast Ivan had been openly cold toward her, the two even quarreling. Now she acted as if she cared deeply, already condemning Spring without proof. It was hard not to be suspicious.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Ivan cut her off sharply.
“Renee, can you shut up?”
He respected Susan and didn’t want to speak harshly in front of her. But Renee, hopping around like this after Lily had nearly been killed-it was unbearable.
“There’s no evidence. How do you know it was Spring? To harm someone, there has to be a motive. Spring’s worked for us for years. We pay her well-bribing her wouldn’t be easy. I can’t see why she’d target Lily. But you, Renee-your words and actions have always been aimed at her. Why not suspect yourself?”
“I…”
Renee’s face drained of color. The broth had been made by Spring; wasn’t that proof enough? Why would Ivan doubt her instead? Was he brainless?
Her thoughts turned darker. Maybe he was covering for Lily because he had a thing for her himself.
“Ivan, don’t get worked up,” Susan interjected smoothly, giving Renee’s hand a quick squeeze to steady her.
She turned her gaze on Ivan, soft and earnest. “Did Renee do something to upset you? She lost her father so young. I spoiled her too much. She may not be gentle, but she’s simple-hearted, without malice. If she spoke poorly or acted wrongly, I’ll apologize on her behalf. Don’t be angry with her.”
Ivan’s lips twitched. He didn’t buy it-not for a second,
But with Susan coughing weakly, pale and fragile, he bit back harsher words. Instead he said evenly, “Grandma, my brother had cameras installed in every kitchen. His assistant should be on the way now. Let’s just wait for the footage.”
Ivan stared hard at the mother and daughter. “We were all at the table. Whoever wanted to harm Lily couldn’t have slipped anything in there-it had to happen in the kitchen. Once Ashton gets here, the truth will be plain.”
“What?”
Renee’s pupils shrank to pinpoints.
How could the Luke kitchens have surveillance?
The chefs who worked here were respected figures in the culinary world. Would they really agree to have their every move monitored?
If there really were cameras in the kitchens… everything she had done would be captured.
Grace and Nancy both saw her panic. They exchanged a quiet, knowing glance and waited for Ashton.
The truth was, the Lukes hadn’t intended to install cameras. But the chefs themselves had suggested it-saying it would reassure both sides, give them peace of mind, and make the family feel safer about what they ate. James had agreed, and the monitors were put in place.
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