Chapter 15
The heavy doors finally swung open, and Alan, who’d been huddled on the floor against the wall, scrambled to get up. His legs wobbled underneath him–days without food or water had left him weak, barely able to stand. He gripped the wall for support, heart pounding as he watched Morgan step out.
Morgan’s expression was unreadable–calm, cold, like Alan was just some stranger he passed on the street.
Alan’s chest tightened. He saw the papers in Morgan’s hand and a wave of dread washed over him. He started backing away, shaking his head.”
“No, I’m not signing!” he said, his voice cracking. “Dad, Uncle, please… just give me one more chance!“}
“I can’t leave Summer!”
He dropped to his knees with a thud, forehead pressed to the floor as he begged over and over, desperate for Morgan to show even a shred of mercy.?
But Morgan didn’t even blink. He glanced at the bodyguards nearby. “Take him outside. Make him sign–whatever it takes.”
Morgan tossed the divorce papers at Alan’s feet and shut the door behind him, blocking out the sound of Alan’s desperate cries. Only when it was finally quiet did Morgan turn to Amanda and her daughter, giving them a small nod.
Amanda exhaled in relief, reaching out to gently touch her daughter’s cheek. “We’re flying back to the States today. The plastic surgeon’s already booked–once we land, we’ll go straight there.”
“As for things here, your brother will take care of it.”
“Summer, is there anything you want to bring?”
Summer shook her head. Everything here just reminded her of pain–she needed to leave it all behind if she was ever going to forget and start over.
The plane cut across the sky and disappeared into the clouds.
In a private hospital room across town, Alan lay battered and bruised on the bed. No idea how much time had passed, but when he finally woke up, the first thing he whispered was, “Summer…”
No answer. The room was empty. Then it hit him–he’d refused to sign the divorce papers, and Morgan’s bodyguards had beaten him until he blacked out.
He sat up too fast, knocking something off the bed. He looked down, his body freezing up as he saw what it was. With trembling hands, he picked it up and stared at the bold letters:
DIVORCE CERTIFICATE
Alan’s photo stared back at him from the page. Alone.
Divorced.
He and Summer–divorced??
No. No way. He hadn’t agreed to this!?
Panicked, Alan ripped out his IV and stumbled out of bed, racing to Summer’s hospital room.9
But it was empty.
He grabbed a nurse passing by, eyes wild. “Where’s the patient from this room?”
The nurse frowned, but when she saw his VIP gown, her tone softened. “She was discharged yesterday, sir.”
“Discharged?” Was she back home??
Alan didn’t waste a second. He rushed to the parking garage, jumped in his car, and sped straight to the Jeffersons‘ house. Before he could even reach the door, the bodyguards blocked his path.
“Mr. Clark, you’re not welcome here.“%
Alan ignored them, desperate to see Summer.%
A cold voice called out from behind him. “Alan, guess you didn’t get enough last time.”
Sam had just come back from work. He walked up and punched Alan, hard.
“Get lost! Nobody wants you here!”
Alan wiped the blood from his lip, staring Sam down. “Where’s Summer? Where did you take her?“W
Sam headed inside, pausing at the door to shoot Alan one last icy glare. “You’re divorced, Alan. You don’t get to know.”
The door slammed shut.
Thunder rumbled overhead, rain pouring down in sheets. Alan, soaked and hurting, barely made it a few steps before he collapsed on the pavement. When he woke up, Mane was at his bedside, looking both worried and furious. She slapped his uninjured arm, hard.
“Why are you still running after that woman?” she snapped. “You’re divorced!”
“Mom” Alan glared at her, frowning “Summer is my wife. Don’t talk about her like that!%
Marie’s anger only grew “Why shouldn’t I? She can’t even give you a child–and her mother dared to lay a hand on me! That whole family is trouble!TM
But at the mention of a child, her face changed in an instant–her eyes lighting up, voice suddenly sweet. “Anyway, the baby’s been born for a while now, and you still haven’t met him
“He smiles just like you did when you were little, you know?”
Chapter 16
