Chapter 959

Under the heavy pull of the medication, Leonie finally drifted into a deep sleep. Gwyn stayed by her side for another hour before handing the watch over to a private nurse.

With Hawthorne gone, Gwyn's days settled into a monotonous routine. It was a small mercy that he hadn't yet learned of the Everhart family's devastating tragedy; at least his mind remained at peace for now.

Leonie's condition remained relatively stable over the next few days. It was Layne who was bearing the brunt of the fallout, constantly sprinting between the hospital, the family estate, and the corporate headquarters.

Layne was immensely grateful for Gwyn's unwavering presence beside his sister, but carrying the stoicism expected of him, he could only offer a gruff, exhausted "Thank you."

Gwyn knew that, given the crushing weight Layne was under, those two words were all he had the strength to give.

Layne consulted the doctors regarding Leonie's progress. They assured him she was responding positively to the treatment and her mental state was stabilizing. The news finally provided him a sliver of relief.

As fate would have it, when Layne stepped into her hospital room this time, Leonie was fully awake.

Tears immediately welled in Layne's eyes. Seeing her brother standing there, the agonizing guilt slammed into Leonie all over again. She had caused a catastrophic mess, dragging their parents into an early grave, yet Layne hadn't uttered a single word of blame.

Her family had offered her nothing but unconditional grace. Even her father had chosen to end his life purely out of devotion to his late wife, never once condemning his daughter's disastrous mistakes.

Gwyn quietly slipped out of the room, giving the siblings privacy. Leonie looked at Layne, suffocating under a mountain of shame.

"Layne," she whispered, her voice devoid of hope. "If my death could fix this, I'd end it right now. I killed them."

Layne stared at her. Then, for the first time in his life, he raised his hand and slapped her across the face. This was the brother who had adored her since childhood, who had never even raised his voice at her. But this time, he struck her with everything he had.

A vivid red handprint instantly blossomed across Leonie's cheek. Standing outside, Gwyn gasped at the sharp crack. She instinctively reached for the handle but stopped herself. This was their family. Layne was disciplining his sister; she had no right to interfere.

With a heavy heart, Gwyn silently walked away down the corridor. Inside, Layne glared down at his sister.

"Are you trying to rip my heart out too? Do you have any idea what I've been going through these past few days? You get to hide in this hospital, untouched by the fallout. But me? I haven't even had the luxury of grieving. How dare you sit there and tell me you want to die!

"Mom traded her life for yours! She liquidated everything she owned just to buy your survival. Did Dad ever blame you? You knew exactly what kind of trash you were hanging around with, yet not a single person in this family has pointed a finger at you. And this is how you'repay us? By spewing this suicidal garbage to torture me?"

Leonie was struck completely mute. Every brutal word Layne spat was the undeniable truth. She had been appallingly selfish, utterly blind to the excruciating collateral damage

she was inflicting on the people who

loved her. And now, her only solution was the coward's way out.

The profound disappointment in Layne's eyes was suffocating.

"If you truly want to honor Mom and Dad, then you stay alive. You stand on your own two feet and you watch me drag the bitch who murdered Mom Straight to hell. That's how you bring them peace. Stop drowning in your own self pity, and stop holding your life hostage to manipulate the rest of us.

"If you throw your life away because of a mistake, you're spitting on Mom's sacrifice.

And you will shatter whatever is left of my heart."