Dumped My Cheating Ex. Now I'm Sleeping Next to a Billionaire CEO novel Chapter 1400

Steve was entirely bewildered by her words. "Your grandfather passed away? I thought his health was perfectly fine." He had always disliked Sylvia, but he was not entirely ignorant of her family background. He knew her parents had dumped her at a rural farm when she was young, leaving her to be raised by her grandparents. When her grandmother died suddenly a few years ago, her grandfather had suffered a massive blow and fallen severely ill. The only reason Sylvia had originally agreed to marry him, enduring his coldness and constant humiliation, was to secure the Michell family's financial settlement to pay for her grandfather's medical treatments. But Steve vividly remembered that the old man had made a full recovery. Aside from minor age related issues and slight hearing loss, he had been robust and active for the past few years, happily gardening and fishing in the countryside. How could he just drop dead out of nowhere?

Listening to his doubt, Sylvia let out a bitter, hollow laugh. "Yes, his health was perfectly fine. I took him for a comprehensive physical examination every year, and his results were always immaculate. I would also love to know why a perfectly healthy man suddenly died of a massive heart attack. Steve, do you honestly expect me to believe you have no idea why this happened?" Steve felt a surge of inexplicable frustration and mounting dread. "Sylvia, what exactly are you implying? How would I know why your grandfather had a heart attack? What does that have to do with me? What are you trying to say?"

Sylvia drew in a deep breath, her voice dripping with bone chilling hatred. "You always told me to stop pretending, calling me a hypocrite. But it turns out you are the greatest actor of all. Are you truly that desperate to destroy me? I do not care what you do to the Moore family, and I do not care how you choose to torture me. But please, leave Emmy out of this. If you ever dare to use her to send me a message again, I swear to God I will haunt you from the grave." Panic gripped Steve, and he frantically yelled into the phone. "No, Sylvia, are you out of your mind? Did Emmy deliver the wrong message? Or are you misunderstanding something? I was just trying to scare you into coming out to see me. I never actually planned to terminate the partnership with your family. Can you please just calm down?" Sylvia scoffed coldly. "Steve, you make me absolutely sick." Without a moment of hesitation, she terminated the call.

In his VIP hospital suite, Steve sat utterly stunned. The more he thought about her words, the more a profound sense of wrongness twisted in his gut. A terrible panic washed over him, prompting him to dial James immediately.

Meanwhile, at the Cloudrest Peak estate, James had just walked into the living room hand in hand with Emmy. Their two adorable children were sitting on the plush rug, playing with building blocks. The moment the little ones spotted their parents, they abandoned their toys and scrambled over on their short, chubby legs. "Mommy. Mommy." A radiant, tender smile instantly bloomed on Emmy's face. Releasing James's hand, she crouched down to embrace the children. Right in the middle of this heartwarming reunion, the phone in James's pocket began to buzz. Frowning, he pulled it out and checked the caller ID before stepping outside to answer. Before he could even say a word, Steve's furious roar blasted through the speaker. "James. How exactly did your wife deliver my message? Sylvia just called and screamed at me for no reason. I am the victim here. All I wanted was to eat a simple bowl of noodles with her."

James pulled the phone slightly away from his ear and glanced back into the living room. Bathed in the soft, golden light, Emmy was sitting cross legged on the rug, patiently teaching their son how to build a Lego castle while their daughter clung to her back like a little koala, giggling uncontrollably. The scene was so overwhelmingly tender it made his heart soften. Turning back to the cold outdoors, the warmth vanished from his eyes, replaced by an impatient, icy glare. "Steve, if you genuinely want to win Sylvia back, then show some spine and act like a man. If she yelled at you, it means you did something wrong. You need to reflect on your own mistakes instead of instantly blaming others the second things go sideways. Furthermore, keep my wife and me out of your drama from now on. We have absolutely no obligation to manage your disastrous love life." With that, James disconnected the call.

Having just been thoroughly scolded by his best friend, Steve stared at the darkened screen in total disbelief. He was so furious he nearly hurled the phone across the room, cursing through gritted teeth. "Damn it. You selfish bastard. You actually put your wife above your brother. I never realized you were so coldhearted." Despite his anger, James's harsh words forced a measure of clarity back into his chaotic mind. Leaning against the headboard, Sylvia's broken voice echoed relentlessly in his head. Her grandfather was gone. A heart attack. Did he truly not know? The pieces were not fitting together, and a sickening suspicion began to take root. Snatching his phone again, he dialed his assistant. "Investigate the Moore family immediately. Find out exactly what has been happening to them recently. And prioritize Sylvia's grandfather. I want the exact details surrounding his death." Hanging up, Steve paced mentally, completely unable to find rest in his hospital bed. An hour later, his assistant practically burst into the room, gasping for breath. "Mr. Michell, I have the report." Steve snatched the tablet from his hands, his eyes scanning the text rapidly before his pupils constricted in sheer horror.