Chapter 343

She looked at Lawrence, her tears welling up with anticipation, but he remained calm and seemed exhausted. He frowned and asked sternly, his voice deep and hoarse, "Darcy, I'll give you just one chance. Did you have any involvement in Elliott's case? Think carefully before you answer! If I find out anything later on, don't blame me for not being polite."

Darcy's heart trembled fiercely. Even with a knife at her throat, she couldn't confess. Her mother had succeeded in creating distance and shielding her, and the foolish Ray had assisted with her father's matter. Everything could be covered up. Darcy shook her head with grievance and responded, "I swear, I had no idea my parents were like that and I feel guilty about Mr. Elliott too. If I can apologize to him on behalf of my parents, I'll go tomorrow!"

Lawrence lowered his gaze, his emotions unclear. He gestured with his free arm for her to return to the bedside and spoke coldly, his voice devoid of warmth, "Go to sleep first."

Darcy noticed a slight softening in his attitude and felt relieved. She took the opportunity to grab his arm and pleaded, "Lawrence, I can't be without you. My dream is to marry you. We must get married, okay? If you reject me, I'll become a laughingstock and I really don't want to live in that case!" Tears streamed down her face as she cried and coughed, causing the monitoring alarms to go off, and a group of doctors rushed in.

Lawrence stood there, his head aching, with Ray's words from earlier flashing through his mind. He had never felt so tired. Even felt like Darcy an irremovable burden. Lowering his gaze to temper her excitement, he responded in a restrained tone, "I don't want to be without you."

Darcy's joyful expression lit up her face, releasing the pent-up frustration. But she also noticed the growing indifference in his attitude, and her gaze darkened. She muttered to herself, 'It's all Winnie's fault! Let's see how I deal with her.'

In the early hours of the morning, while Lawrence rested in the adjacent ward, Darcy immediately sent Barbara to call some journalists over to the hospital for some media coverage regarding her current situation.

Ray came to the ward carrying breakfast and reassured Darcy, "Don't worry about your father. I used the Martin family's connections to handle things. After the interrogation, he will be able to get out. I will also try to help reduce the losses for the Ordelia Group's pharmaceutical factory in Lymington."

Darcy was deeply moved, her face full of gratitude. "Ray, you are the one who cares for me the most. Thank you. The Ordelia family's influence couldn't penetrate Trento City all at once; otherwise, I wouldn't be so anxious."

"This is a result of Lawrence going overboard. How can he not help when something happens to his fiancée's family? Even if it's not fair, what can be done? That's just the way he is. Don't be sad."

Darcy nodded tearfully, as if she wanted to convey something more. Then, she lifted her head and said, "Ray, it appears that last night, several reporters sneaked into the hospital to take pictures discreetly. Given the current media focus on the Ordelia Group, my engagement to Mr. Rodriguez is also being discussed."

Winnie's phone rang and Olivia's voice echoed from the other end of the line. "How are you doing, Winnie? As you expected, in the end, Jeffrey became the scapegoat, and Mr. Ordelia managed to save his own life. Moreover, the Ordelia Group's pharmaceutical factory in Lymington went bankrupt, which was a heavy blow. The Ordelia Group suffered a substantial loss in reputation and was fined billions for the manufacturing of illegal drugs.

"However, what infuriates me the most is that Darcy wasn't implicated! Take a look at the news. Lawrence has softened toward that despicable woman. Last night, Darcy pretended to be sick and was admitted to the hospital. Journalists even captured Lawrence taking care of her throughout the night."

Winnie remained silent for a moment. She had answered the phone while facing the window, and the cold wind that brushed her face chilled her to the core. She wondered who had helped Mr. Ordelia to get out of this situation. It seemed there was no doubt about it. She had gone through so much trouble to expose the Ordelia family, even though she had never expected to take them down all at once. Yet, with just one casual remark, Lawrence could protect Mr. Ordelia's life.

Last night, he had assured her that he could discern right from wrong, choosing to spare her uncle and offering his help. In that moment, she actually felt a ripple in her heart, believing that he might not be beyond redemption. This belief persisted to the point that later, when he pressed her for a kiss, there were some moments of weakness amidst her struggles. Otherwise, he wouldn't have succeeded for so long.

It dawned on Winnie that he was not only helping her but was also helping Darcy. The engagement continued as he hadn't given up on that woman, still deeply in love with her. It became apparent that he was not only planning to have her but also Darcy.

Winnie's gaze turned completely cold, and she became extremely clear-minded. Just then, a message from the man slid in: "Good morning. Is Sidney awake? I'll come pick him up. What would you like to eat? I'll have my assistant prepare it."

Winnie scoffed and promptly blocked him.