Dead at Heart novel

Chapter 50 Leonard still looked frail . Chemotherapy had taken a visible toll , and he always wore a knitted beanie . When Ariel arrived , he was sitting on the balcony and basking in the winter sun . She couldn't help but be reminded of how she looked when her chemotherapy began . The thought sent her zoning out before she handed over two carefully wrapped gifts . " Happy birthday , Uncle Leo . These are from me and Jayson . " She'd chosen a rare set of books on physics as his gift . It'd taken her quite some time to find them .

Leonard was a physics professor and once a prominent name in academia , loved by generations of students . He'd devoted his entire life to physics . If not for what happened back then , perhaps he would be mentioned in the same breath as Carlos by now . As for Jayson's gift , she picked out a luxury foundation pen , worth over ten thousand dollars . It was a practical gift for Leonard and fitting for Jayson's style . " Mr. Larkin's busy ? " Leonard casually asked as he accepted the gifts with a smile . Ariel nodded and played along . " Yeah .

It's the year - end , and he gets busy around these times . " She knew that now they were divorced , it wouldn't be easy to convince Jayson to come along and help her explain things to Katie and Leonard . He didn't love her , so dealing with her family was a waste of his time . " Just you ? " Katie emerged from the kitchen and glanced toward the door . Shaking her head in disappointment , she set down a plate of sweet and sour ribs . " Well then , let's just enjoy a quiet family dinner . " A pang of guilt struck Ariel .

Her life had gone completely off course , while Katie and Leonard were constantly worried for her . The thought stung especially when she knew Jayson had never once shown them proper respect . He hadn't bothered to come and give any sort of explanation to the elders , even when they got divorced . She couldn't bring herself to tell them the divorce , as she had yet to come up with a reason that could appease the two .

It was because Nancy , the woman Jayson had cheated with , was the daughter of the woman who once stole Elena's research and accused her of having an affair with another man , Sarah . 4018 If Katie and Leonard found out , they'd be devastated . Pu She needed Jayson to face this and resolve it himself , but that idea gave her a headache . Leonard gave her a kind pat on the shoulder and reassuringly said , " Mr. Larkin manages so many companies . It's year - end , and it's understandable he's swamped . A birthday isn't that important . " Katie brought her a bowl of freshly stewed chicken soup .

" You're Jayson's wife , and you don't have to bother with us . Leonard and I don't care about formalities . As long as he treats you well , that's all that matters . " Leonard frowned and gave Ariel a long , worried look . " You don't seem well lately . Are you feeling okay ? Have you seen a doctor ? " He had a nagging feeling that something wasn't right with her . Chapter 50 Ariel had never been a fan of makeup , but lately she always appeared meticulously done up . Though they couldn't tell what exactly was off , she'd clearly lost weight on her cheeks . She was startled .

She hadn't figured out how to break the news of her illness yet , so for now , all she could do was keep it hidden . " I'm fine , just busy with a new job . Nothing to worry about . " Leonard still looked concerned . Katie noticed it too . She gently added more food to Ariel's plate and asked , " Is it the stress ? Don't feel like you have to lower your head in your husband's family . " Worst case , I'll just sell the family home . You'll have money to invest in the company , and I'll always be here for you . " The family home was now worth at least 200 million dollars .

That would be Ariel's safety net even without the Larkin family . Ariel's eyes warmed with tears . She shook her head and murmured , " No. Just stay here . We can't sell this place . You and Grandpa spent a lifetime here , and it means so much . " Katie patted her hand in distress and said no more . After dinner , Ariel stayed the night . Even then , she didn't rest and pulled out her laptop to continue refining her project proposal . A sudden string of WhatsApp messages from Chad interrupted her focus . He'd sent ten messages in a row .

There was a collage screenshot and a few candid couple shots . The pictures were from Nancy's latest update , captioned , " Epitome of happiness . ' The screenshot showed a dinner gathering , photos of the restaurant , the dishes , and a glamorous woman chatting with Jayson . There were three other pictures of just Nancy and Jayson . Chad asked , " Last time Jayson used his connections to bring Nancy to that dinner with me , we exchanged numbers . Look at this . Are they just flaunting it now ? " Aren't you two still technically married ? They're not even pretending anymore .

" Ariel instantly recognized the glamorous woman beside Jayson as Nancy's mother , Sarah . She'd accepted help from Elena , only to rise as one of the top socialites . No wonder Jayson had firmly said he was too busy to come today for Leonard's birthday ; he'd prioritized meeting his future mother - in - law . In the picture , his expression while looking at Nancy was soft and carried a faint smile at the corner of his lips . Their gentle gazes met . Ariel scanned her memory and realized something ridiculous .

In their three years of marriage , she and Jayson had never taken a single picture together , except for their wedding pictures . Jayson had never liked taking pictures . She'd suggested taking one on an anniversary , but he'd brushed it off and said it was meaningless . Chapter 50 Meanwhile , he appeared utterly relaxed in his pictures with Nancy , and his smile carried a casual fondness . He loved commemorating every moment with her .