Free Web NovelChapter 28: Big problem
Elena scoffed. "You always know how to ruin a meal."
"Are you kidding? This is the most lively dinner we’ve had in months," Alex said. "Please, continue."
"Alex," Susan warned.
He raised his hands. "What? I’m just saying."
Susan turned her glare back to Lyvana.
"What is wrong with you today, Lyvana?" Susan snapped. "Don’t tell me you’re feeling jealous. That’s beneath you."
Lyvana stood up slowly, smoothing her silk blouse.
"You’re right," she said. "It is beneath me. Which is why I’m done." She looked directly at Mark. "Let’s break up, Mark."
Everyone was shocked.
Mark froze for a second, his expression grim. "That’s enough Lyvana. Don’t you think you’re being ridiculous?"
Lyvana didn’t answer him. She simply picked up her designer clutch from the table.
"I’ve never been more serious in my life," she said quietly then turned and walked out.
Livana arrived home reeling from a whirlwind of mixed feelings. Ending things with Mark was supposed to be the hard part, but she knew the real battle — the one with her family — was only just beginning. They would never simply accept this. Unable to quiet her mind, she stayed up late with one of her favorite books, rediscovering a sense of peace she hadn’t felt in a long time.
....
Lyvana bolted upright as the doorbell rang. The sound was sharp and loud, cutting through the quiet morning.
Who could it be this early? she wondered, rubbing her tired eyes.
She had stayed up far too late the night before, her mind racing after the breakup, and her body felt heavy with exhaustion. She desperately needed more sleep, but the person at the door didn’t seem to care.
They kept pressing the button, the ringing becoming more insistent and annoying with every second.
With a frustrated sigh, Lyvana climbed out of bed. Whoever was out there clearly wasn’t going away.
Lyvana pulled open the front door, her face tight with annoyance. Standing on the porch was Isabel, looking perfectly dressed despite the early hour.
"Isabel," Lyvana said, her voice flat. "It’s barely seven in the morning."
Her stepmother didn’t wait for an invitation. She brushed past Lyvana and walked into the apartment, her eyes scanning the room like she was inspecting a crime scene.
"You aren’t answering your phone, Lyvana. Your father is worried," Isabel said, though her tone didn’t sound worried at all. It sounded like a lecture.
"And Mark called. What kind of crazy stunt did you pull at dinner last night?"
Lyvana leaned against the doorframe, crossing her arms. "First of all, I wasn’t answering because I was sleeping," she said. "And second, it wasn’t a stunt. I am done."
"Can you even hear yourself, young woman?" Isabel snapped, her voice rising. "You will do no such thing. You are going to get dressed, go over there, and apologize for your unruly behavior immediately. Do you have any idea what this looks like for our family?"
Lyvana didn’t move. She didn’t even flinch at Isabel’s sharp tone.
"I know exactly what it looks like," Lyvana replied, a small, cold smile playing on her lips. "I don’t want the marriage anymore. If you’re so worried about the apology, Isabel, you go and give it. I’m going back to bed."
She turned already walking toward her bedroom.
"Your grandmother is in the hospital," Isabel said.
The words hit Lyvana like a physical blow. She froze, her hand still on the doorframe.
"After hearing about the scene you caused last night, she collapsed," Isabel continued. "The doctors aren’t sure she will make it, but they say the stress was too much for her heart."
Lyvana slowly turned back around. Her heart was racing. She searched Isabel’s face for any sign of a lie. Her grandmother was the only person in the family she truly loved, and if anything happened to her because of her actions, she might never forgive herself.
"Which hospital?" Lyvana asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Get dressed. We’ll talk in the car."
Isabel sat in the back seat, staring out the window with a composed, almost bored expression. Every time Lyvana tried to ask for more details, Isabel would simply sigh and say, "Let’s just wait until we get there."
When they finally arrived at the hospital, Isabel led her through the sterile hallways to a private wing.
Outside the room, Lyvana saw her father, Damon, talking in low tones on the phone.
"Dad?" Lyvana rushed forward, her eyes searching his. "How is she? Can I see her?"
Damon looked at his daughter, his expression a mix of exhaustion and disappointment.
"She’s stable for now, Lyvana, but it was a close call. The doctor says her blood pressure spiked to dangerous levels."
Before Lyvana could step toward the room, her father blocked her path.
"Mark is in there with her," Damon said. ƒrēewebnovel.com
Lyvana stopped dead. "What is Mark doing here?"
"He’s the one who found her," Isabel chimed in. "He came over to the house this morning to see if you were there. He wanted to fix things. Instead, he found her collapsed on the floor. If he hadn’t gone there to be the bigger person, she might be dead right now."
"I need to see her," Lyvana insisted.
"You can see her," Damon said firmly. "But you are going to go in there, you are going to thank Mark for saving her life, and you are going to tell your grandmother that last night was a misunderstanding. Do you understand me, Lyvana? I will not have her blood on your hands."
Lyvana felt the walls closing in. They were using her grandmother’s life to tether her back to the man she had just walked away from.
Fate seemed determined to mess with her life.
Lyvana took a deep breath, her knuckles white as she gripped her bag. She felt sick.
She pushed past her father and entered the room. Lady Glowen was asleep on the hospital bed, her skin pale against the white sheets.
Mark was sitting in a chair by the bedside, holding the old woman’s hand. When he saw Lyvana, he got up.
"You’re here," Mark said softly.
Lyvana ignored him and rushed to her grandmother’s side.
"Grandma?" she whispered, taking her grandmother’s other hand. It was ice cold.
