Archer Rhys drove over, so Grace Winslow got straight into his car. They left Crestwood University and headed to the hospital.

Sean York was already out of the operating room, but Joanne Chase was being blocked from entering his room.

The atmosphere in the room was tense.

Sean York’s parents looked grim.

"That woman outside—is she the one you picked for yourself? I don’t approve." Ryan York stated his position bluntly.

"Dad, what century are you living in? People choose who they love these days. It’s not up to you to approve or disapprove of the person I like. The bottom line is, I love her, and I’m going to marry her."

"You still have my older brother, don’t you? He already did what you asked and married the person you wanted him to. I want to live my own life, on my own terms. I don’t want to be controlled." Sean York said, his face a mask of impatience.

He had wanted to see Joanne Chase the moment he woke up.

The situation had been chaotic. She must have been terrified.

He didn’t even know if she was hurt.

But of course, Ryan York and Megan Dalton just had to show up. 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

Megan Dalton didn’t say a word. She just came in and started crying, endlessly wiping her tears.

Ryan York, putting on his airs as head of the family, pointed at Sean York and scolded, "Take a good look at the kind of person you’ve gotten involved with! Why would someone try to kill her for no reason?"

"She doesn’t look like a respectable woman to me. You’d better break it off with her, and soon. Otherwise, she can forget about ever setting foot in the York family’s home!"

Sean’s temper flared. "Fine, if she can’t marry into the York family, so be it! I’ll marry into hers, and our children can take her last name."

"Just pretend you never had me for a son."

"You damn bastard!" Ryan York snarled, looking like he was about to strike him.

Megan Dalton grabbed him from the side. "Ryan, don’t! Don’t hit him! Sean was just badly injured. The doctor said he almost died!"

"I don’t see anything wrong with the girl. Since our son likes her, why don’t you just let them be together? Please?"

Ryan York violently shook her off.

Megan Dalton lost her footing and nearly fell.

Sean York erupted in fury. "Ryan York, how dare you lay a hand on my mother?"

"You’re the person I’ve despised most my entire life! What have you ever contributed to this family? Growing up, you were never home. You were always out, always saying you had ’things to do,’ ’work to do.’ You always had an endless list of things to do!"

"Whether my brother and I were sick or had parent-teacher conferences, Mom was the only one who ever took care of us!"

"What right do you have to order me around and make me do what you want? Do you even deserve to?"

"Let me tell you, I will never listen to you. Not with my job, not with my marriage. I’m going to do things my way."

"If you dare try to force me, I’ll report you for trying to set up an arranged marriage! I’ll tell them you’re some feudal relic!"

Ryan York was trembling with rage. "Did that woman outside teach you to say these things? Did she?"

"Sean York, you’ve gotten bold, haven’t you? Daring to curse your own father!"

"I’ve been too lenient with you lately. You said you wanted to strike out on your own, so I let you. And what’s the result? What have you accomplished?"

"Even if you’re not ashamed, I am!"

"Are you trying to cut ties with the family now? If you’re going to cut ties, then have the guts to do it properly. Don’t use the York family’s connections, and don’t use the York family’s money!"

"If you can actually make it on your own, I’ll admit you’ve got what it takes. If not, then you can get your ass back home and obediently marry the young lady from the Jennings family!"

Sean York scoffed. "Whether I make it or not has nothing to do with you. Worst case, I’ll change my last name. Then I won’t be a York anymore. How about that?"

"Sean, please stop provoking your father. Can you just say a little less?" Megan Dalton interrupted, her eyes red as she spoke through choked sobs.

Sean York turned his head away. He could yell and scream at Ryan York, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak harshly to Megan Dalton.

He had seen how hard her life had been all these years.

His father was a heartless man who didn’t care about his wife, but Sean cared about his mother.

Seeing that Sean York had fallen silent, Megan Dalton spoke again. "Your injuries are serious. You don’t know how long you’ll be stuck in this hospital bed. Why can’t you take better care of yourself?"

"Come stay at home for a while. There’ll be people there to take care of you."

Sean was silent for a long moment before finally speaking. "Let Joy in. She doesn’t know how badly I’m hurt. She must be worried sick. What right do you have to keep her from seeing me?"

"I said no, and I mean no! Don’t even think about seeing her! And forget about being with her. If you don’t listen, I’ll go to her university and talk to her professors and the school administrators!" Ryan York snorted, refusing to back down one bit.

Sean York shot up in bed. The movement pulled at the wound on his side, and blood immediately began to seep through his bandages again.

But he acted as if he felt nothing. He sneered, "Ryan York, don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. You were in love with that old hag from the Jennings family when you were young but couldn’t be with her. So now you want me to marry her daughter to fulfill your old dream? In your dreams!"

"I don’t even like Jean Jennings! I will never marry her!"

The words were barely out of Sean York’s mouth when Ryan York, unable to restrain himself any longer, slapped him hard across the face.

The force of the blow sent Sean York stumbling backward into the wall. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

Megan Dalton’s face went white. She lunged forward. "Sean! Sean, are you okay? Sean, don’t scare me..."

"Ryan York, why did you hit him! If you’re angry, take it out on me! Was Sean wrong? You’ve never gotten over that Fiona Vance! You’ve been running to her family’s house every day for years. Did you think I didn’t know?"

"I only put up with it for the children’s sake! I didn’t want them to grow up without a father, so I endured it all and never said a word."

"Looking back, I must have been blind. How could I have ever fallen for a man like you? Ryan York, let’s get a divorce! I can’t live with you anymore!"

Ryan York never expected Megan Dalton to suddenly bring up divorce.

For years, she had been docile and understanding. She never made a fuss, not even when he spent most of his time helping Fiona Vance, taking care of her and her children.

She was always considerate, sensible, and gentle.

But today, she was actually demanding a divorce over Sean.

"Do you have any idea what you’re saying? You haven’t worked a day in your life. Everything you eat, everything you use, it’s all been paid for with my money. A divorce? How are you going to survive on your own after a divorce?"

"I’m going to assume you’re just emotional and not thinking clearly. I won’t hold it against you, and I expect you never to bring this up again. I have other matters to attend to, so I’m leaving. And Sean, my position hasn’t changed: you want to marry that woman? Impossible. Over my dead body!"

Grace Winslow and Archer Rhys arrived at the door to the room just in time to hear these words.

Grace Winslow, who still hadn’t finished comforting Joanne Chase, fell silent for a moment as she listened to the argument inside.

She thought of her past self.

’I was just like Megan Dalton, enduring for the better part of my life, always trying to be the perfect wife and mother he wanted, only to meet such a tragic end...’