Chapter 371
1 ans Quthne listened to the conversion at a vers and lmer wire.
completely lost
What do you mean she saved you? Did she faint you some kind of mirarla oyes
Lana’s words made Niamh laugh.
If only such miracle cures actually existed.
Niamh had planned to keep the whole money situation from Lana, but Lands relentless questioning forced her hand. She had no choice but to tell the truth
“Holy crap! Ten million dollars?!
Lana’s booming voice made Niamh clap her hands over her ears.
Clearly, she’d need to buy the neighbors some fancy fruit baskets as an apologe
tomorrow.
“Elmer, your mom sure knows how to wring every last cent out of people, hunt
Elmer ducked his head, looking embarrassed.
“Lana…”
Niamh nudged Lana with her elbow, signaling her to tone it down.
She’d known that once Lana found out she’d paid so much for Elmer’s medical bills, there’d be no end to the complaints about his parents.
Niamh had always felt responsible for Elmer’s accident.
It was only natural that his parents struggled to accept that their brilliant som had! ended up in a coma after getting involved in her mess, just to retrieve a lucky
charm for her.
The cost of caring for someone in a coma was astronomical, a bottomless pit that could swallow even a wealthy family. There was no telling when–or if–Elmer would ever wake up.
Since she received annual dividends from FY, Niamh considered it only right to use that money for Elmer’s treatment, to ease the burden on his family. Even if the accident hadn’t been her fault, she would have done it for Elmer–he was, after all,
one of her closest friends.
After Lana’s outburst, Elmer grew noticeably quiet.
1/3
Chapter 371
In truth, after waking up, his parents hadn’t told him that Niamh had covered his enormous medical bills.
But Elmer wasn’t stupid. During rehab, he’d secretly checked his family’s finances.
The houses, cars, land, business accounts–nothing was missing.
So where had all the money for his year and a half of top–tier care in Port Solaris come from?
He received the best medical treatment available, yet his family hadn’t spent a dime. That couldn’t be right.
As far as he could tell, there was only one person who would have done this–Niamh.
Still, he didn’t rush to see her or ask his parents about it.
He didn’t trust them.
Elmer had been in a coma for a year and a half, and then spent another six months in rehab a medical miracle in itself.
But an even stranger thing had happened.
He’d come out of it sharper than ever.
JQNJ University had bent its admission rules to take him, and two years later, he earned his doctorate in Al Research and Technology.
Plenty of governments and institutes wanted him, but he chose Aldonia for one reason: during his doctoral studies, he’d found news about Niamh.
He felt…
She needed him now.
That’s why he came back.
This time, he wasn’t planning to leave.
“But ten million dollars a year… Nia, where do you even get that kind of money?” Lana wondered aloud, rubbing her chin, sensing there was a missing piece
somewhere.
Niamh grinned slyly. “That’s a secret.”
“Oh, really? Now you’re keeping secrets from me?” Lana lunged for he seeking Niamh’s most ticklish spots, and the living room erupted into chaos.
ngers
2/3
10:18
Elmer watched them with a warm smile, sipping his beer every now and then,
It almost felt like nothing had changed.
The three of them, just like they’d been back in high school.
But as he watched, Elmer’s smile faded a little.
Some things had changed.
Niamh had gotten married.
And divorced.
Though Elmer had dug up some information about her, he didn’t know everything.
Why had Niamh married Jonathan Thomas in the first place?
He didn’t believe it was just for the money.
Niamh had always carried a torch for her first love–the very reason she’d turned him down when he confessed his feelings. But even for that, there was no reason for her to marry Jonathan.
Unless…
Elmer’s fingers tightened around his beer can, crumpling the aluminum with a soft
crackle.
He relaxed his grip and forced a polite, gentle smile.
The night wore on.
Niamh’s house, however, was anything but quiet.
Lana was out cold, snoring like a freight train.
Niamh and Elmer lifted her from the living room couch and carried her to the guest bed, finally restoring peace to the house.
Now, the living room was quiet.
“You okay?” Elmer asked, noticing Niamh’s restless expression. “You look like you can’t sleep.”
