Chapter 497

Lawrence's eyes hardened, "Who told you these things?"

"That's not your concern, just answer me."

Her gaze was too stubborn, too forceful; her piercing eyes seemed to drown him.

It gave him the illusion that if he told the truth, she would forgive him, and things could go back to the way they were.

His throat bobbed and his voice was hoarse as he found himself drawn closer, "Winnie, if there was something, could our ending be different? Could there be a chance for us once this is all over?"

His question caught Winnie off guard. She saw the caution hidden in the depths of his eyes.

Her heart was thrown into disarray, but the coldness and hurt were undeniable.

She gave a wry smile, "I demand to know the truth because I believe I have the right. This has nothing to do with you. I never considered reconciling with you, why would I think about something so impossible when I'm not masochistic?"

Her icy denial crushed his tentative advance, plunging his mood into the depths of despair.

He too gave a mirthless smile, his heart shutting down, "If that's the case, my answer doesn't matter. Why I'm with Ishara is none of your business. My mother is recovering steadily; don't interfere."

He chose to remain silent.

Winnie frowned inwardly. Could Jeremy be right? Was all of this for her? And that's why he couldn't reveal anything?

She needed to make a trip to Lymington.

Having bandaged his wound, Winnie packed up her first aid kit and returned it to the room.

When she stepped outside, Lawrence had already taken off.

He didn't even say goodbye - what urgent matter could he possibly have?

The couch was deserted, with the lingering scent of blood hanging in the air, a unique and disturbing feeling overtook her as she inhaled, her mood becoming heavy.

She couldn't shake the thought that throughout all of it, he hadn't once asked about Oscar, and her heart tightened, grief washing over her.

Unable to bear it any longer, she ended up calling Jeremy.

Earlier, Lawrence had received a text from Ishara saying she needed to discuss something important about his mother.

After reading the message, Lawrence sat in his car for a couple of minutes, his expression dark and icy. He gave Jeremy an order, "Go grab that guy. If he is the Peter that has been circling around Ishara, give him a little pressure and he'll sing."

Jeremy was relieved, "You believe Winnie and my evidence? Even without finding Oscar at the Blanchet residence, you're starting to have doubts about Ishara."

Lawrence trusted Winnie, of course, but instead of giving a direct answer, he instructed Bryan to drive him to meet with Ishara.

Then Jeremy got a call from Winnie.

She was heartbroken, "Did you tell him about Oscar? He didn't mention him at all! Doesn't he believe us? Doesn't he care about Oscar?"

Jeremy sighed, "Just because Mr. Rodriguez didn't talk about it, doesn't mean he's not strategizing. How could he not care about his son? You have to have some faith in him. There's a reason he hasn't confronted Ishara head-on. She just called him for a meeting. After what happened to Oscar today, Mr. Rodriguez would never stay with her. If Ishara is involved in Oscar's abduction, Mr. Rodriguez will definitely not let her off the hook!"

Could this man really avoid disappointing her again?

Winnie felt anxious and lost. Could there be other reasons, perhaps Melissa's illness?

In the dead of night, at the hotel.

Before meeting with Ishara, Lawrence got in touch with Jeremy.

"Mr. Rodriguez! I found Peter, but we were too late, he's dead! Now we can't get a thing out of him."

Lawrence's gaze was steely, "When did he die?"

"The medical examiner estimated the time of death at around 4 PM," Jeremy responded, his voice laced with a cynical tone. "Around the same time, Winnie was scrambling to find Oscar at the Blanchet estate. Wow! Does the timing seem suspicious to you?"

A chill glimmered behind Lawrence's eyes as he spoke, "Your job was to pull fingerprints off his hands. We've found a partial print in the back of an unlicensed cab that belonged to an adult male. The station is on it, and if Peter's prints match the ones from the cab..."

Jeremy's voice grew tense, "What a coincidence. The fingers on both of his hands were shattered. It's impossible to retrieve prints from the corpse."

Lawrence fell silent, exhaling a cool breath.

Jeremy continued, "It's nearly conclusive - Peter is likely the one who forced Oscar into that cab. Why else would his fingers be smashed? His sudden death leaves us without confirmation. Can we truly verify if there was ever a Peter around Ishara, and whether Peter was really him?"

"Jeremy, start digging into Ishara. Check out everyone associated with her. Find any trace that this Peter was ever in her life," Lawrence instructed.

Lawrence had a feeling that he had to see Ishara with fresh eyes, especially if Peter's death was her doing. Her capabilities...

The doorbell rang, a soft echo in the hallway. The suite door opened, and there stood Ishara, frail in the slant of light, smiling. "Lawrence, you made it. Come on in."

Lawrence wheeled in, assisted by Bryan.

His gaze on Ishara was like a calm sea - still on the surface but hiding relentless undercurrents.

The chill he carried seemed to subdue Ishara, her skin prickling under his unwavering stare.

Her heart flickered with involuntary trepidation, but she maintained a composed smile as she approached him tenderly, "Lawrence, how are you feeling? I've been so concerned."

Lawrence shot back, "Cut the small talk. You're obviously not here for chitchat."

Gone was his patience, and even the last vestiges of pity and courtesy he once held for her.

Ishara clenched her jaws silently, her eyes reddening as she coughed softly, "Lawrence, you promised, after the blood transfusion for your mother, that we would properly discuss our issues. I gave 500cc. Thankfully, your mother came out of it just fine. Today, I reached out to Dr. Moore, who revealed that Melissa's surgery has been moved up to next month. He advised me to take care of my health. Is this true?"

Lawrence's features were icy, and his gaze piercing as he said, "So, you have new demands? New threats?"

His bluntness left no room for evasion!

Ishara's voice choked up, her usual tenderness crumbling away.

Tears rimmed her eyes, her voice breaking, "I'm still holding on hope and fighting for the feelings I have for you, Lawrence! I like you alot! Even though I've just found out about your previous bond with Winnie, I don't want to give up on you."

"You're my boyfriend, right? Yet, I've never truly felt your care and love. It's as if to you, I'm nothing more than a blood bag. If I can't evoke your desire to care, then I'll take the initiative.

"We need to rewrite our agreement. In a month, I can donate my bone marrow to Melissa. But, I have two conditions."

"First, within a week, I want you to announce our engagement to your grandfather. Second, after the marrow donation, I want to have your child."

Lawrence's gaze was icy, his pupils flashing red.

Intimidated by his coldness, Ishara asserted herself with a mix of tenderness and determination, "I know it seems crazy to want your child when I look at Winnie and see her with one of yours. I've fallen for you, Lawrence. I may not have much time left, and I want to leave a part of myself behind."