Filed to story: The Billionaire’s Replacement Wife (River & Noah) Novel Online Free
She had already dispatched Hector, or rather Casey, to search for a donor. Now, she saw an opportunity to get closer to Noah under the pretext of the bone marrow donation.
She tucked her hair behind her ear with a smug smile, wondering if Noah had noticed her earlier performance.
Twenty minutes later, Axel was admitted to the VIP room.
Noah and Alex walked into the room and heard hurried footsteps approaching from the door. They turned and saw Draco solemnly entering the room, accompanied by a few bodyguards eping Axel lying on the bed, Draco snarled at Noah, “I entrusted the child to you, and you’ve raised him like this?”
Noah remained silent as Draco berated him. However, the mention of Axel’s illness caused intense pain in Noah’s chest, making his entire body tense up
Unable to bear it any longer, Alex spoke up. “Uncle Draco, how can you blame Noah for this? He didn’t want this to happen either!”
Draco replied with displeasure, “This is none of your business! I’m addressing this defiant child.
How has he raised my grandson?”
Noah controlled his emotions and said coldly. “If you keep speaking so loudly and disturbing
Axel’s rest, I’ll have the bodyguards remove you.”
Draco was furious. Reluctantly, he lowered his voice for Axel’s sake. “You don’t even know your son’s condition, yet you keep stirring up trouble with Casey all the time!”
“Get out!” Noah’s eyes met Draco’s eyes dominantly.
Draco couldn’t tolerate being expelled by his son repeatedly in front of others. He grunted and warned, “Stop bothering Casey when Axel is so sick, or I won’t spare you!”
Afterward, Draco left with his bodyguards.
Alex wondered whether Draco had come to visit his grandson or to warn Noah not to use his grandson’s illness as an excuse to bother Casey.
While Alex was still pondering this, he heard Noah say, “Don’t tell anyone about Axel’s illness.”
Astonished, Alex asked, “Aren’t you planning to tell River? Axel is her son, too.”
Noah asked, “Would it be helpful to tell her? So she can be worried and helpless?”
“You can’t hide it forever, you know! Plus, River will certainly be upset with you if she finds out
“Leukemia?” Alex exclaimed
Noah’s world seemed to spin as he processed the devastating diagnosis. ‘Acute leukemia?”
Richie sighed, recognizing the distress in Noah’s expression. “It appears Mr. De Marco Jr. has been experiencing symptoms for some time. Have you noticed his nosebleeds, body aches, low spirits, and reduced appetite?”
Noah was stunned “1… I think so. I did notice he was moving slowly.”
Richie spoke in a blaming tone. “He can’t walk fast when his body aches.”
Noah felt a crushing weight on his chest. He had never witnessed Axel’s nosebleeds or realized how long his son had suffered. He had assumed Axel’s symptoms were due to his longing to see
River.
Noah’s eyes reddened. ‘How could I have been so blind to my own son’s pain?”
Alex could see the answer written on Noah’s face. He turned to Richie and urged, “Please conduct the necessary tests promptly and initiate treatment.”
Richie explained, “There’s a 60% chance that a bone marrow transplant for stem cell production:
will be required.”
“Find a donor then! Locate a suitable one as quickly as possible, regardless of the cost!” Noah.
demanded, his anger boiling over.
Richie began. “Mr. De Marco, the suitable donor-”
“Enough with excuses! Just do your best to find one!” Alex interrupted firmly.
Daniella was hidden in the corner of the emergency room and had overheard their conversation.
She had already dispatched Hector, or rather Casey, to search for a donor. Now, she saw an opportunity to get closer to Noah under the pretext of the bone marrow donation.
She tucked her hair behind her ear with a smug smile, wondering if Noah had noticed her earlier performance.
“It’s fine. I’m not leaving until Lily is out,” River firmly rejected.
As her voice faded, the operation theater’s lights dimmed.
River ceased her pacing and swiftly approached the theater’s entrance.
Scott followed closely behind.
Soon, Deric gloomily emerged in his scrubs and looked at River. “I’m sorry, Ms. Healy. The surgery failed.”
River’s heart raced, and restlessness filled her chest. “What do you mean by “failed‘?”
The sound of a stretcher being moved echoed, and Deric turned to allow nurses to pass.
River was about to check on Lily when she heard the doctor’s regretful words. “Time of death,
2.27 p.m.”
Her arms dropped weakly to her sides.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked at Deric with disbelief.
She asked hoarsely, “What did you say again?”
Deric met her gaze with guilt. “Ms. Smith’s vital signs were unstable during the surgery-
“I don’t want to hear this! I’m asking you, what did you say again?” River sternly interrupted, her emotions spiraling out of control.
“Time of death, 2.27 p.m…”
“Are you joking?”
River pushed away a nurse in front of her and hurried to Lily. She removed the white cloth covering Lily’s face and staggered back when she saw Lily’s pale, lifeless face.
Scott quickly stepped forward to support River. “River…”
“No!” River’s chest heaved rapidly, tears streaming down her face. “They told me the surgery.
had a high success rate!”
She grasped Scott’s hand and looked at him. “Didn’t you say that craniotomy technology is very
Scott lowered his gaze. “There’s no guarantee the surgery will go perfectly-
“I don’t want to hear this!” River turned to the group of doctors before her. “Lily isn’t your closest family, so you didn’t give it your all, did you?”
The doctors exchanged puzzled glances, hindered by a language barrier.
River’s cries grew louder at their response.
“I don’t believe this! Take Lily back into surgery!” River broke free from Scott’s embrace, wiped her tears, and gripped the stretcher’s railing.
Doctors moved forward to stop her. “Ms. Healy, the patient has passed away. Our deepest condolences to you!”
“She’s not dead yet! Take her back into surgery! Where is your earlier promise? Take her back in! 1 want her to live, even if she’s in a vegetative state! I just want her to live!” River shouted angrily at the doctors.
Scott grabbed her hands and said, “Calm down, River!”
He signaled to one of the doctors to have Lily taken away.
The doctor nodded, exchanged soft words with the nurses, and moved the stretcher away.
River desperately wanted to follow Lily after noticing that.
Scott held her tightly. “They are just doctors, River!”
“Let go of me! They weren’t like this when they had me sign the consent forms!” River screamed.
Unable to free herself, she watched helplessly as Lily was wheeled away.
Despairingly, she cried out, “Why… Why did you lie to me?”
Scott said, “I had no idea this would happen.”
River clutched her aching chest and sank to her knees. “I regret letting Lily have the surgery.
Bring her back…”
“Why? Why is this happening?”
River’s fists clenched, and she collapsed to the floor. Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision.
“What have I done wrong? Why do the people closest to me always get taken away? Why?”
Scott knelt beside her. “This isn’t your fault, River…”
River leaned forward slowly. “I couldn’t give Lily a good retirement life… I never got to repay her kindness. I caused Lily, my mother, and Jamie’s deaths. I’m a jinx, and everyone around me.
will die because of me!”
Scott comforted her, “This isn’t your doing, River. You need to gather yourself. The children need you.”
In the VIP room.
Noah received Deric’s guilt–ridden call, announcing Lily’s death due to a failed surgery.
Noah’s face turned serious as he pictured River’s despair. He gritted his teeth and said, “I paid your team handsomely, and this is all you can do?”
Deric explained, “The surgery should have been fine, Mr. De Marco. But the patient’s vital signs dropped drastically during the procedure-”
Noah interrupted angrily, “Why are you still analyzing this with me after it’s gone wrong? Just pack up and leave!” He hung up, making the room feel icy.
Alex shivered in the cold and asked, “What happened?”
Noah replied, “Lily is gone.”
Alex’s eyes widened in shock. “Did the surgery fail?”
Noah nodded.