Chapter 58: You can’t give in to him.

Words : 1125 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 58: You can’t give in to him. It didn’t take him long to arrive. As he rushed inside, his eyes immediately caught sight of Anne storming out, hurriedly wiping away her tears. "Anne!" He called out, quickening his pace toward her. "Are you okay?" She halted abruptly, startled by his sudden appearance. Blinking in confusion, she looked him up and down. "You? What are you doing here?" Augustine stiffened. In his urgency to get to her, he had momentarily forgotten that she still didn’t know his true identity – nor was she aware that someone had been keeping a close eye on her. "Uh..." He hesitated, rubbing the back of his head as he scrambled for an excuse. "I—I came to visit a colleague. I didn’t expect to run into you. Is everything alright?" Anne’s eyes brimmed with fresh tears, her resolve crumbling. She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. Augustine froze for a split second before his arms instinctively tightened around her, holding her close in a protective embrace. "I’ve been trying so hard to make things right," she choked out between sobs. "But everything is slipping beyond my control. I’m exhausted..." Augustine gently stroked her hair, his voice soothing as he reassured her, "Calm down. I’m here." As Augustine glanced down, he noticed the red marks on Anne’s cheek. Someone had hit her. His eyes darkened with anger. "Who dared to lay a hand on you?" he growled. Anne instantly recalled Patricia slapping her. It wasn’t something new. Whenever her father wasn’t around, Patricia had taken out her frustrations on her—slapping her, hitting her with a stick, or locking her in the dark storeroom. It had happened so often that she had learned to endure it without complaint. "It’s nothing," she murmured, brushing it off, unwilling to dwell on it. But Augustine refused to let it slide. "Tell me, who did this?" he pressed firmly. Anne bit her lower lip and pulled her gaze down. "Mom was upset. She lost her temper and hit me. I’m fine. Don’t worry." Augustine saw through her attempt to downplay it. She acted as though it didn’t affect her, but he could see the pain lingering beneath the surface. However, right now, resolving her father’s situation took priority. "Come, sit down first." His gaze softened as he guided her to a row of nearby chairs and helped her sit before taking a seat beside her. Holding her hands in his, he spoke gently, "Now, tell me everything. What’s troubling you?" Anne sniffled, blinking away her tears. "The hospital is refusing to keep my father any longer," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I pleaded with the doctor, begged him to reconsider," she choked out. "But he said it was out of his hands. He advised me to speak with the dean or... Denis." Augustine’s eyes darkened with suspicion. "Denis?" Anne gave a short nod. "He owns fifty percent of the hospital’s shares. He has the authority to influence the panel’s decisions." Augustine remained silent, his hands clenching into fists as the truth sank in. This was Denis’s doing—his way of tormenting Anne. "I know he is powerful," Anne continued with a helpless sigh. "He can manipulate anyone. But this..." Her words broke off as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "He knows how much my father means to me, and he is using that against me. He is cornering me, forcing me to surrender." "You’re not going to surrender to him," Augustine said firmly, gripping her shoulders. Anne lowered her head, struggling to contain her overwhelming emotions. She didn’t want to beg Denis, but she felt she had no choice. "I have to talk to him," she whispered. "I won’t allow that," Augustine hissed. "You know exactly what he wants. You can’t give in to him." Anne lifted her gaze, meeting his intense eyes. The fire burning within them sent a wave of unease through her. "My father is everything to me," she murmured. "He took me in, gave me a home. He is the only family I have. I can’t lose him." "I won’t let anything happen to him. Can you trust me?" Anne breathed out a long sigh, her expression softening. "I know you’ll do everything you can to help me. But Denis is too powerful. I don’t want you to get caught in his crosshairs because of me." "I’ve already chosen to stand against him," Augustine said without hesitation. "If he threatens my family, I won’t back down. You are my wife." He cupped her face gently. "I’ll protect you. Just trust me. I’ll speak to the dean. If he still refuses, we’ll move your father to another hospital. But you will not go to Denis." A flicker of hope lit up Anne’s weary eyes. Augustine was the only one she could rely on right now. Still, uncertainty lingered. "Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly. "Denis won’t take this lightly." "Let me worry about him," Augustine assured her. "I can handle him. Just trust me." Anne wasn’t certain how capable Augustine truly was, but his unwavering confidence and determination made her want to believe in him. Finally, she nodded, a faint smile breaking through her despair. "Alright. Let’s talk to the dean." Augustine studied her face, his fingers gently brushing away the traces of her tears. "You look exhausted. You should go home first. Leave this to me—I’ll take care of everything." Anne hesitated, but she didn’t argue. She trusted Augustine to find a solution. "Okay. I’ll go home." A soft smile tugged at Augustine’s lips. "Come on, I’ll drive you." Hand in hand, they walked out of the hospital. Meanwhile, Lorie, who was also leaving, spotted Anne with a man. Her brows furrowed as she tried to get a better look. "Who is that guy?" she muttered. Augustine had his back to her, making it difficult to see his face. "Her boyfriend?" Her eyes widened as she watched the man escort Anne to a luxury car parked by the roadside. Quickly, she pulled out her phone and hit record. "This bitch has a sugar daddy!" she sneered. "Now it makes sense how she managed to pay for all those medical bills." Her lips curled into a malicious smirk. "Just wait, Anne. You’re finished." She rushed back inside the hospital to find her mother. Meanwhile, Augustine carefully shut the car door once Anne was settled inside. Pulling out his phone, he swiftly typed a message to Gustave: ’If the dean refuses to keep Anne’s father, move him to another hospital immediately. Arrange the best medical team for him.’ Slipping his phone back into his pocket, he climbed into the driver’s seat and drove

Chapter 58: You can’t give in to him.

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