Steven fell into silence but did not reject Genevieve’s request.
“Sure.”
That drew a faint smile from Genevieve, who replied, “Thank you, Steven.”
After she finished a bowl of chicken oatmeal, Steven summoned Timothy to her ward.
Timothy was surprised to see Genevieve in such a calm mood. After he inspected her charts, he told her that there were no serious health issues to worry about. “You can be discharged tomorrow if you want.”
“Tomorrow it is, then. I don’t like the smell of hospitals.” Then, Genevieve asked Steven to help her settle the hospital discharge procedures.
Steven left the ward soon after.
Before he exited the hospital, he called Armand and reported Genevieve’s condition to him as well as her desire to leave the hospital the next day.
After some time, Armand said, “I’ll fetch her from the hospital tomorrow morning.”
The next morning, Genevieve was in decent spirits when she awoke.
She washed up in the restroom and changed into a set of new clothes and shoes that Steven had had someone send over the night before. After that, she ordered herself some breakfast.
Right then, someone knocked on her door. Cooper had turned up before Armand.
He was wearing a light gray shirt and a pair of rimless spectacles. With his oblong face shape and the lack of any light on his face, he came across as rather cold.
“Genev,” Cooper called out as he hurried into the room.
He seemed to have something more to say to her, yet nothing came out of his mouth for a long time.
“Take a seat.” Genevieve tilted her jaw toward a chair opposite her before returning her attention to an apple she was peeling deftly.
Rings of apple peel fell on the floor.
Cooper found her far too calm and composed after she woke up from her coma.
She seems like a whole new person.
After watching her for a moment longer, Cooper pulled the chair opposite her and sat down.
He placed the folder in his left hand on the table and added a black flash drive atop it. “A year ago, Dad… your dad and mom wanted to get you a birthday present from the mall. I asked someone to tamper with their car.”
He had been ruthless and cold-hearted when he arranged the sabotage.
Now, however, he struggled to confess to his wrongdoing. His words came out garbled as though something was choking his windpipe.
He swallowed nervously before continuing, “I killed them. All the evidence about the crime is on this black flash drive. You can hand it to the police and incriminate me. This folder contains a share transfer agreement stating that I’ll pass all my shares in Specter Corporation to you. It goes into effect once you sign it.”
Genevieve cut her peeled apple into cubes. She casually tossed a piece into her mouth and ate in silence.
Cooper did not continue speaking, his whole body fraught with tension.
He knew no amount of apologies would forgive his horrid actions. He could not escape the fact that he had orchestrated her parents’ deaths.
A long time passed before Genevieve picked up the flash drive and threw it into a cup beside her. The device slowly sank deeper as she said, “My parents are dead, Cooper. They can’t come back even if I send you to jail. Plus, you’ve been someone else’s pawn for the past twenty years. I won’t be looking for you if I’m seeking revenge.”
After that, she lifted her head. Her gaze roved over Cooper’s face before landing on his eyes.
She could clearly see his narrow, long eyes through his rimless spectacles.
Although Patrick never completed his investigation on her behalf, she had already known the answer based on the two identical faces that surfaced in her mind.
That was the true reason she did not need the flash drive.
Faced with her piercing gaze, Cooper bit his lip nervously and asked, “Is there something on my face?”
“No. I was just thinking that you haven’t changed one bit, Coop.” Genevieve shook her head and continued eating her apple. In between bites, she added, “If you’re sincere about atoning for your sins, manage Specter Corporation properly on my behalf. You know I don’t have a brain for business. The company will be useless in my hands.”
Cooper never imagined his pet name would sound as sweet as it did from her mouth until today.
The despair in his heart slowly melted away.
