Cold Husband Burning Regret: The Divorce He Couldn't Handle novel Chapter 306

Loretta stood frozen, clutching the bank card in her hand, unable to meet her mother’s eyes.

Earlier that day, she had slipped into her father’s room to take the card, but he’d caught her. The argument that followed grew heated—her father had raised his hand to strike her, so she’d shoved him away and fled the room.

How could he have suddenly suffered a brain hemorrhage?

“Say something!” Candida snapped, shoving her roughly.

Loretta stumbled backward, losing her grip on the card. It clattered to the floor.

Candida snatched it up, staring in disbelief. “How—how did your father’s card end up with you?”

Loretta didn’t answer, but Candida’s expression made it clear she’d already guessed. She slapped Loretta hard across the face.

The sharp crack echoed in the room. Loretta’s head snapped to the side.

“Are you even human? How could you steal from your own father?!”

Loretta bit her lip, eyes burning with tears she could no longer hold back. She glared at her mother. “Did you think I wanted to do this? You and Dad both know perfectly well where this money came from! If I don’t pay that woman a hundred thousand, what happens when she exposes us?”

“I only needed a hundred thousand. Dad refused, no matter what I said—so I had no choice but to take it!”

Candida fell silent, words dying in her throat.

She collapsed onto the couch and burst into tears. “Why is this happening? Just when things were finally starting to look up for us, fate has to step in and ruin everything!”

Loretta couldn’t be bothered to comfort her weeping mother. She turned away and closed herself in her room.

As if her father’s sudden hospitalization had nothing to do with her.

But…

Loretta reached into her pocket and drew out a tattered red string bracelet, its color faded with age. A dull gold coin dangled from it, engraved with the image of a griffin. The bracelet was small—clearly meant for a child.

She’d come across it while rummaging through her father’s drawers earlier. She had no idea if the old coin was worth anything, but she’d find out soon enough at a pawn shop.

“I’ll be right there,” Charlotte replied. She reminded Stevenson about his medication once more before heading out to sign the forms.

“Charlotte,” a nurse whispered nearby. Charlotte turned, not recognizing her at first, until the nurse lowered her mask and then pulled it back up. “It’s me!”

“Vera?” Charlotte exclaimed. “When did you transfer to the ICU?”

“I was just assigned here,” Vera replied.

“That’s great—more one-on-one with patients, though it’s more demanding than the general wards.”

Vera nodded, then glanced over at Stevenson’s bed. “I heard that old gentleman has a daughter, but she hasn’t shown up since he was admitted.”

Charlotte followed her gaze, thoughtful.

After leaving the ICU, Charlotte changed out of her scrubs and was heading down the hall when she ran into Judd.