Chapter 176: The Best Outcome
Liang Xiaoluo suddenly fainted, leaving Ye Tianlin in a panic.
He immediately called the doctor. After an examination, the doctor diagnosed her condition as a result of pregnancy and emotional upheaval, which had caused her to lose consciousness temporarily. The doctor assured him that she would wake up soon but emphasized that she needed to avoid further emotional distress during the pregnancy.
Ye Tianlin let out a deep breath of relief and sat beside Liang Xiaoluo, tightly holding her hand.
The night was quiet, with darkness enveloping everything in an endless shroud. The sky was cloaked in heavy clouds, leaving not a trace of starlight to pierce through.
Ye Tianlin stood by the glass window, hands buried in his pockets, gazing out at the world. He hadn't turned on the lights, so the darkness of the room blended with the night outside, swallowing him into its abyss. The silence was suffocating, like a storm brewing in the distance.
Suddenly, soft footsteps echoed behind him. A pair of hands gently reached around his waist, hesitating slightly before embracing him.
Ye Tianlin stiffened, withdrawing his gaze from the window. He frowned slightly and glanced over his shoulder. He couldn't see anything clearly, but the familiar touch made his tense heart relax.
"Have I been asleep for a long time? Have you been standing here all this time?" Liang Xiaoluo's voice, soft and laced with concern, broke through the silence.
She had awoken in the middle of the night, her eyes catching Ye Tianlin's silhouette bathed in faint moonlight. His lonely figure tugged at her heartstrings.
Ye Tianlin turned to face her, his sharp features barely visible in the dim light. "You've been asleep for an entire day," he said. Then, with a hint of vulnerability in his voice, he added, "Do you know how much it scared me when you fainted? It felt like my heart was being torn apart. But now that you're awake, I feel like I can breathe again."
Liang Xiaoluo smiled softly and reached out to caress his face. "So it wasn't a dream. You really came back."
Ye Tianlin froze momentarily before wrapping his hand around hers and pulling her into his arms. "Silly girl, of course, it wasn't a dream."
"That's wonderful," Liang Xiaoluo murmured, pressing her face against his chest to listen to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. Her heart brimmed with warmth.
Ye Tianlin glanced outside again. His eyes mirrored the stormy skies, their calm surface concealing an impending tempest.
"You should go back to bed and rest. You need to take care of yourself and stop worrying me," he urged gently.
Liang Xiaoluo looked up at him, her lips pressing together in worry. "Tianlin, are you thinking about something? Is it about Aunt Hualin?"
She had learned a lot from Ye Tianqing about Hualin's ambitions and the crisis within the Ye family.
Ye Tianlin's gaze flickered before he quickly masked his emotions. "It's all in the past now."
Liang Xiaoluo walked around to face him, looking up at his sharp, shadowed face. His presence was magnetic, drawing her in like an irresistible force.
"Really?" she asked, her voice tinged with doubt. She could sense the heaviness in his heart.
"Mm." He nodded, his tone firm. "Now, go rest. You need to regain your strength. Tomorrow, I'll have good news for you."
"Good news? What is it?" Liang Xiaoluo asked, her curiosity piqued.
Ye Tianlin smirked, his eyes softening. "You'll find out tomorrow. Now, go sleep."
Liang Xiaoluo, though reluctant, returned to bed. Exhausted from everything that had happened, she quickly fell into a deep sleep.
Ye Tianlin stayed by her side until she was sound asleep before returning to the window. His thoughts were heavy.
In the past few days, he had managed to stop Hualin from transferring the Ye family's funds and had stripped her of her executive powers during a board meeting. Hualin, however, had vanished before the meeting, leaving no trace behind.
Hualin wasn't someone to be underestimated. Her disappearance was undoubtedly a calculated move, and Ye Tianlin feared what she might be planning in the shadows. He especially worried about the harm she might bring to Liang Xiaoluo.
More troubling was Hualin's secret alliance with Shilo's brother, a man whose ambition to dominate the world made him a dangerous ally for Hualin's resources.
Ye Tianlin had already sent Shilo back to England to investigate his brother's schemes, but he remained uneasy. He knew the potential consequences could be catastrophic.
He sighed deeply. He needed to end things with Hualin once and for all before he could fully reconcile with Liang Xiaoluo. That would be the best outcome.
As the first light of dawn broke, Ye Tianlin's phone buzzed. The number was unfamiliar. After a brief hesitation, he answered.
A few seconds of conversation later, the call ended, leaving Ye Tianlin's face dark and unreadable. He turned back to look at the sleeping Liang Xiaoluo, his gaze filled with reluctance and tenderness. Quietly, he left the room and drove off into the misty morning.
He arrived at a luxurious apartment complex in the outskirts, the location provided during the mysterious call. It was Hualin.
Standing outside the specified apartment, Ye Tianlin knocked firmly. Before Hualin could answer, he pushed the door open and stepped inside.
"Say what you need to say. Or is this a meeting to deliver your final wishes?" His voice was sharp, cutting through the tense air.
Hualin stood nearby, her gaze cold yet composed. Her voice softened, though laced with hidden malice. "Tianlin, why are you so distant with me? I just wanted to see you. Even after everything, I don't hate you. You should know how important you are to me—"
"Hualin." Ye Tianlin interrupted, his voice low and dangerous. His usually calm face bore an edge of menace. "You call me cruel? How many lives have you ruined? Can you bring my grandfather back?"
Her expression darkened at his words. She clenched her teeth and deflected, "You've done so much for her. Does she even know? Is she truly worth it?"
Ye Tianlin's gaze met hers, unflinching. "What I choose to do has nothing to do with you. And it doesn't require your approval."
"Tianlin, you'll regret this," Hualin spat.
"I think you'll regret summoning me here," he countered, glancing at the line of police cars parked outside.
Hualin's expression flickered, but she quickly masked her surprise. It was as though she had anticipated this possibility.
"Tianlin," she said softly, "what if she finds out about us? Do you think she'll still stay by your side?"
Ye Tianlin's stomach churned with disgust. He shoved Hualin away. "This is your last chance—surrender, or face the consequences."
As dawn broke, Ye Tianlin drove back, his mind heavy with unspoken words. The storm was far from over.