Chapter 13

Five days later, a phone call shattered the quiet. Leo frowned, irritated, as he picked up. Seeing the ICU number, his heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He answered. "P-President!" The voice on the other end was tearful. "It's... it's terrible! The patient... he... passed away! Just now!" "What?" Leo was startled. "Who passed away?" The voice was choked with tears. "President, yesterday you ordered all support stopped. We weren't supposed to comply, but the hospital suppressed it for you. "Now the patient has... succumbed." Leo froze. He had only threatened Angelina. Once she agreed to the transplant, he'd reinstated everything. He hadn't called them yesterday! How could support have stopped? "You're lying! When did I tell you to stop?" Hearing Leo's denial, the staffer paled, voice trembling. "President! Y-you can't do this! "Yesterday, 4:17 PM! Your office's secure line called our director directly! The instruction was clear: cease all life support immediately! We... we have the recording and call log! Y-you can't deny it!" Leo felt a headache coming. Samantha snatched the phone. "Enough. The President has a headache. Handle it according to standard hospital procedures. "Don't bother him with trivial matters... understand?" She hung up, then wrapped her arms around Leo's neck, pressing her face to his tense chest, her voice dripping sweetness: "Darling, you look awful... caring for me has worn you out." She tilted her face up, eyes full of concern. "I just need you healthy, beside me and our baby. Other things... "They're trivial, not worth your energy. Promise me you won't dwell on it? For me and the baby, take care of yourself." Leo kissed her forehead deeply, finding her incredibly understanding and caring. "Alright, I'll listen to you." After lingering, Leo finally left the warm haven at Samantha's reluctant gaze. Stepping into the hallway, the smell of disinfectant cleared his foggy mind. "Thanks to Angelina's kidney, my happiness was saved. I should visit her; it's only right." Thinking this, Leo headed towards Angelina's room. However, he questioned staff throughout the hospital. All said Angelina had been discharged. An image of Angelina's anguished face flashed in his mind without knowing why. His heart clenched sharply, making it hard to breathe. Unnamed anger burned in Leo. He ordered an immediate search. "Where is Angelina?!" Soon, a duty nurse handed him a file. "Sorry, Mr. Hayes. Miss Crawford... she was discharged yesterday." It clearly stated Angelina had been transferred to a top-tier hospital abroad. "Sir, Master Castilla arranged a private jet." Leo's face darkened. He grunted coldly, then tossed the file aside. "Gone is good. Clears the space. Samantha can rightfully become my fiancée." Leo thought, immediately ordering subordinates to destroy all engagement documents with Angelina. "Sir, as ordered, lawyers are contacted, and we discreetly obtained the family registry. The engagement can be annulled immediately upon your order. "Requires your personal review." Leo, hearing his subordinate's report, felt inexplicably irritable. He didn't reply, hanging up and throwing his phone onto the passenger seat. Leo irritably loosened his tie, lit a cigar. The acrid smoke filled his lungs but couldn't calm the restlessness. He slammed the accelerator. The sports car roared. Unconsciously, he arrived at the villa they'd bought for their engagement.