All Chapters of The Loveless Contractive Marriage: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Third Person's POV HospitalThe sterile white walls of the hospital seemed to close in around the small waiting area, where Lorenzo’s grandfather, Edward Audrey, sat with his hands clasped tightly in his lap. Despite his advanced age, his eyes were sharp, scanning every nurse and doctor who passed by, hoping for an update on his grandson’s condition. His concern was palpable, a stark contrast to the indifference shown by other members of the Audrey family.Edward had tried calling Lorenzo’s father, Charles, to inform him of the accident, but Charles’s curt response had left him more frustrated than comforted. Charles had simply said, “I’ll check in later,” and hung up. No one else from the family seemed to care enough to show up.It wasn’t until late in the evening that Zia arrived, carrying a bouquet of fresh lilies. She hesitated outside Lorenzo’s room, glancing through the small window in the door. The sight of him lying there, unconscious and hooked up to machines, tugged at her

Third Person's POVThe next morning, Zia's phone buzzed on the bedside table, pulling her out of a restless sleep. She blinked against the light filtering through the curtains and reached for the device, noting the unfamiliar number displayed on the screen."Hello?" she answered, her voice groggy."Good morning. Am I speaking with Zia Audrey?" a calm, professional voice on the other end inquired."This is Zia," she replied, sitting up and rubbing her temples. "May I ask who’s calling?""This is Dr. Kingsley from Maryland Hospital," the man said. His tone was measured but carried an undertone of urgency. "I understand this call might be unexpected, but I’d like to meet with you. It’s regarding Sophia."Zia’s brow furrowed, her mind racing. "Sophia?" she echoed, her heart quickening."Yes," Dr. Kingsley confirmed. "It’s important, and I believe it’s something you should hear in person. Could you come to the hospital today?"Zia hesitated, gripping her phone tighter. She didn’t know Dr.

Third Person's POVMira George's ApartmentThe cab pulled up to Mira George’s apartment as twilight began to settle over the city. Zia stepped out, clutching her bag tightly, her face pale and her thoughts heavy. Her car had been towed to the nearest mechanic workshop after breaking down earlier, but that wasn’t what weighed on her mind.Inside, the apartment was quiet, save for the soft hum of the air conditioner. Zia sank into the sofa, staring blankly ahead. She had barely caught her breath when Mira walked in, a curious yet concerned expression on her face."You're back," Mira said, setting her bag on the counter. "What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."Zia finally looked up, her voice low and trembling. “Mira… I overheard something today. Something terrible.”Mira frowned, moving to sit beside her. “What is it? Tell me.”Taking a deep breath, Zia recounted everything she had overheard—Henry and Raymond’s plan to kill Lorenzo while he was still unconscious, their deter

Third Person's POVAs Raymond exited the hospital in a fit of rage, he was too distracted by his own frustrations to notice someone walking toward him. He accidentally bumped into them, nearly losing his balance.“Motherf—!” he began, his voice booming with irritation, but as he looked up, his expression froze in shock.Standing before him was Zia, her arms crossed, eyebrows raised in surprise.“Raymond?” she said cautiously.Realizing his outburst, Raymond’s face softened, and he quickly straightened his coat. “Zia! I’m so sorry for yelling. I didn’t see you there,” he stammered, trying to recover.Zia gave a half-smile. “It’s okay. Though I didn’t expect to get called that so early in the day.”Raymond laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. “I’ve just had one of those mornings. Anyway, I didn’t think you’d actually come.”“You texted me, didn’t you?” Zia said, tilting her head slightly. “I figured I should at least check in since it sounded urgent.”Raymond nodded, his

Third Person's POVZia's phone buzzed, interrupting the quiet evening she shared with Mira. She glanced at the screen and saw a text message from Grandpa Edward Audrey.Grandpa Edward Audrey:“Zia, you and Mira are the only ones I can trust. Here’s the address of the new hospital where Lorenzo is staying. Please visit when you can and ensure everything is alright.”Zia read the message twice, her heart sinking slightly. She glanced at Mira, who was seated on the couch across from her, reading a magazine.“It’s from Grandpa,” Zia said, holding up her phone. “He sent the address of Lorenzo’s new hospital.”Mira looked up, her expression thoughtful. “Looks like he really does trust us.”Zia nodded, gripping her phone tightly."So when are we going?" Mira asked. "Tomorrow." Zia replied and Mira nodded her head. Zia stared at her phone, the screen illuminating her conflicted expression. Raymond’s name glared back at her alongside the message he had just sent:Raymond: “I want to take you