Fleeting as Dust, Eternal as Love novel Chapter 2

On the hospital bed, Lillian Wright’s face was pale. As Jonah ended the call, a dark glint flashed in her eyes before she looked up at him. “Jonah, I’m fine now, but what about my sister? I think I just heard…”

“Don’t worry about her.”

Jonah walked to the bedside, took Lillian’s hand, and the lingering disgust on his face hadn’t yet faded.

Lillian coughed softly a couple of times. “I know my sister never liked me, but I really didn’t want to replace her as your wife. This time, it was an accident. It has nothing to do with her…”

“Don’t defend her. This isn’t the first time she’s pulled a stunt like this.”

Two years ago, Sabrina had disappeared for two days. He had abandoned Lillian, who had suddenly fallen ill, and frantically ordered his men to search the entire city for her, going two days and nights without rest. But in the end, he found out that it was all just a ploy on her part, a way to test her place in his heart.

He had been angry, but still, he patiently brought her back home, only for her to laugh and say she had just gone to Japan with Colin for a couple of days. She knew full well that the place was Lillian’s worst nightmare, yet she had still stabbed at Lillian’s heart without mercy.

Jonah bent down, tenderly tucking Lillian in before sitting down beside her. “If it weren’t for her reckless behavior, how could you have fallen ill and ended up in the hospital?”

Remembering how Sabrina’s neurotic threats had caused Lillian to become so agitated that her heart condition relapsed, Jonah’s voice grew colder.

Lillian wanted to say something, but the phone under her pillow suddenly vibrated. Without showing any emotion, she reached out to silence it, then spoke in a soft, aggrieved tone, “I’m fine now, Jonah. Please don’t be angry. I’m just a little hungry.”

Jonah nodded. “I’ll have the assistant bring something over.”

Lillian, however, pouted and said, “But I want you to get it. From that steakhouse we used to love.”

Jonah looked at Lillian, who had just been wheeled out of the emergency room. Her face was still pale, and the way she was looking at him reminded him inexplicably of Sabrina in the past. He suddenly felt a surge of irritation.

Shaking off the unwelcome thoughts, Jonah nodded, gave her a few more instructions, and then left the room.

Once he was gone, Lillian slowly retrieved the phone from under her pillow...

As Jonah reached the hospital entrance, a notification sounded on his phone. He opened the message and immediately, his face darkened.

On the screen was a picture of Sabrina, disheveled and filthy, her clothes torn, and bruises covering her entire body. Her expression was blank, devoid of any life.

Jonah scrolled down and responded expressionlessly: Enjoying your Photoshop skills?

“I’ve wasted days on this, and now that the money’s not worth it, you’re not going to stop me from having a little fun, huh?”

The kidnapper undid his belt and tied Sabrina’s hands again. Despite her desperate struggle, she was no match for his strength. After days of mistreatment, her body had long since been drained of any energy.

“Please… let me go. I’ll give you money. I’ll give you money, okay? I have money. Just let me go…”

Sabrina’s voice was hoarse as she cried out, using the last of her strength to resist.

But the next moment, the sound of tearing fabric made her body go rigid, and she began to tremble uncontrollably.

The kidnapper clamped a hand over her mouth and pressed down on her.

“No!”

“I’m pregnant…”