Chapter 960

Leonie didn't dare utter another word. Layne's gaze bore into her. "You are not alone in this. You still have me, and you have Gwyn. She's pregnant, yet she's been sitting by your bedside day and night, exhausting herself to keep you safe. You owe it to her to survive. Stop wasting hospital resources and dragging down the medical staff.

"You need to figure out what you're going to do with your life. I am barely keeping us afloat. Hawthorne handed the entire company over to me. He's eventually going to leave for Starfall City with Gwyn.

"Whether the Everhart family can hold onto our empire in Greenvale without his backing is entirely on my shoulders now. We have shareholders, board members, and an entire family relying on us. Do you have any idea how many enemies we've made in the business world?

"If Hawthorne's departure causes our dynasty to collapse, those rivals will descend on us like vultures.

"You have no concept of the ruthless tactics they'll use. We are the last direct

bloodline of the Everhart family. If we fall, they won't let you die—they'll make you wish you were dead. Are we supposed to beg Hawthorne for handouts for the rest of our lives?

"One day, we're going to have families of our own. If we don't build our own empire now, who are our children going to rely on? You're not a little girl anymore, Leonie. It's time to grow up.

"You were dead wrong about Dorian. I don't give a damn if you thought you were in love. You gambled everything on an outsider, and you forced this family to pay the ultimate price for your reckless romance. The next time you date someone, open your damn eyes. Stop dragging literal criminals into our lives."

After delivering the brutal reality check, Layne's tone finally softened. The chaotic despair swirling in Leonie's eyes slowly began to dissipate.

The panicked desperation gave way to a hardened, crystal-clear resolve. The naive, spoiled princess of the Everhart family was dead, replaced by a woman forged in the fires of tragedy.

Tears pooled in Leonie's eyes, but she swallowed the lump in her throat, refusing to let them fall.

"I understand, Layne," she rasped. "I won't let Mom's sacrifice be for nothing. And I'm not going to check out early."

Her shattered romantic fantasies

were gone. Her only objective now was to hunt down her mother's killer and make sure Felicia rotted in a cell for the rest of her miserable, life Lavne looked at his sister finally seeing a spark of the woman she was meant to become. He knew she would never make the same fatal mistake again.

"Get some rest. Gwyn comes in to check on you every day, so I know you're in good hands As for Connor it's up to you if you want to see him or not. Just don't cause any more chaos for the family."

Layne wanted to add more, but looking at his fragile sister, he decided he had pushed enough for one day. She had endured enough trauma to last a lifetime.

He stepped out into the hallway, pulling out his ringing phone. It was Maeve.

"Layne, where are you? I twisted my ankle. It hurts so bad."

Those few words instantly twisted Layne's heart into a knot. He quickly fired back a message.

"I'm heading back right now."

Layne tore out of the hospital

parking lot, breaking every speed

limit to make it back to the

penthouse in under ten minutes. The

moment he scanned his fingerprint and threw the door open, he saw

Maeve sitting on the floor. Her

brows were knitted in pain, looking

utterly defenseless.

He immediately rushed over, scooped her up effortlessly into his arms, and carried

her straight toward the bedroom.