Stuck in The Marriage Pact
Chapter 69: Hunter’s anger

Chapter 69: Hunter’s anger

A month later

In a room equipped with medical devices, Hunter lay weakly with his right leg bandaged and supported by a brace. He slowly opened his eyes and glanced around, but the chaotic images of being in the car with Isabella immediately flashed through his mind.

"Isabella... Isabella... My wife..." He tried to sit up but couldn’t, realizing that his right leg was stiff, encased in a cast.

"Aghh! Damn it!" He rested his head back on the pillow. "Everything hurts!"

"Hunter, my son...!" Juliana entered the room enthusiastically. "You’re awake! You’ve made it through the critical stage!"

With a cold gaze, Hunter clenched his fists, his breath ragged.

"Where’s my wife?" he asked.

"Uh..." Juliana hesitated. "Um... She..."

"Is she safe?" Hunter pressed.

"Uh, I should call the doctor to check on you," Juliana said quickly, turning toward the door.

"Mom!" Hunter shouted, making Juliana stop in her tracks. "Tell me!"

Reluctantly, Juliana turned back to face him, approaching slowly, her expression filled with sadness as she lowered her head.

Hunter frowned. "I want her here now!"

"She... she’s no longer here for you," Juliana murmured.

"What? What do you mean, huh? What are you trying to say?" Hunter’s heart pounded, his breath quickening as memories of Isabella overwhelmed him. "Don’t tell me she didn’t survive!" he demanded, his eyes glassy, his face reddening.

"Hunter, she survived," Juliana whispered.

Hunter exhaled in relief.

"But... she left you when she found out how critical your condition was," Juliana explained with a sorrowful look.

"No!" Hunter shook his head. "She wouldn’t leave me!"

"But that’s the truth!"

"No, I don’t believe you!" Hunter glared, pointing at Juliana. "You must have told her to leave me, just like you did with Sarah!"

Juliana shook her head.

"Why can’t you ever let me be with the woman I love? Why? You’re insane!" Hunter couldn’t contain his anger. He sat up and tried to get out of bed. "I have to find her. I have to bring her back!"

"Hunter!" Juliana tried to push him back onto the bed. "You can’t do this. You’re still recovering!"

"I don’t care!"

"Hunter!" Juliana snapped. "I’m not lying!" Her stern gaze made Hunter freeze, breathing heavily.

"Let me explain!" Juliana pulled up a chair and sat beside his bed.

Hunter remained silent, his jaw tight, his fists clenched.

"After finding out your condition was critical and that you needed surgery, with only a 10% chance of survival, she stepped back. She said she was bad luck for you... She admitted she only accepted your love because she was afraid... afraid of you. She used your vulnerable condition as an opportunity to leave—with Joe," Juliana explained.

Hunter smirked bitterly, shaking his head. "Do you think I’m a child you can fool? I know you’re making this up!"

"No... I’m not lying!"

"You must have scared her into leaving me!" Hunter insisted. "I’m sure she wouldn’t abandon me, especially since she’s pregnant... I believe in her!" he thought.

Juliana pulled out her phone from her designer bag, opened her gallery, and showed Hunter a CCTV video.

"I’m not lying," she said.

Hunter frowned, watching a video of Joe leaving a room carrying Isabella.

"She didn’t even wait until she fully recovered because she was so eager to leave you," Juliana said.

Hunter remained silent, replaying the video over and over.

"I tried to accept her as your wife because you chose her, even though I knew her true nature. Now you see, she still chose her boyfriend... It’s understandable—they’ve been together for a long time. Maybe she only married you for your money," Juliana added.

"What happened to her?" Hunter asked. "I mean... was she injured in the accident? What did the doctor say?" He glanced at his mother, who stood up.

"Her injuries weren’t serious—just a minor bruise on her head. That’s why she was able to leave so quickly," Juliana explained.

Hunter looked back at the video, remembering how excited Isabella had been when she showed him the pregnancy test.

"So, the accident didn’t harm the pregnancy. That’s good... She’s safe, and so is our baby," he thought.

"Hunter," Juliana whispered, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Please, believe me this time... If she were truly good for you, she wouldn’t leave you when you’re at your lowest. Besides, if I wanted to get rid of her like I did with Sarah, I would’ve done it long before now. I wouldn’t have waited for an accident. I regret the accident... I almost lost you," she said sorrowfully.

"Yeah... that makes sense," Hunter murmured flatly. "Now leave me alone. This is hard for me. I need time to accept this reality," he added.

Juliana sighed, then brushed Hunter’s hair gently, smiling warmly.

"Alright, I’ll go. I’ll call the doctor to check on you," she said.

Hunter remained silent, letting his mother leave after she took her phone. He stared at his right leg, still encased in a cast.

"I can’t do this alone. Collin has to help me," he thought anxiously before his attention shifted to two nurses entering the room.

He let the nurses check the medical equipment attached to him.

"I’ll give you a hundred thousand dollars if you help me," he said coldly to the blonde nurse.

The nurse smiled faintly and shook her head. "You know I’m helping you now. You don’t need to offer money. The hospital pays me well enough," she said.

"This is something different," Hunter replied, glancing at the door. "I want you both to help me leave this place. But first, I need to borrow your phone... I need to call someone," he added softly.

The two nurses exchanged hesitant looks.

"I have influence. I’m the heir of the Brown family. If your actions are discovered, I’ll make sure you keep your jobs here. The hospital wouldn’t dare oppose me," Hunter said.

"Sir..." the dark-haired nurse hesitated.

"Use mine," the blonde nurse said, handing her phone to Hunter.

Hunter gave a faint smile, took the phone, and dialed Collin.

In the hospital corridor, Juliana paced back and forth, speaking on the phone.

"Joe, I want you to marry her now!" she said firmly but softly. "Hunter’s out of the critical stage and looking for Isabella. I’m sure he’ll find her sooner or later. You need to make sure you’re legally her husband so Hunter won’t have any right to take her back!"

"Isabella isn’t well; she’ll be furious if I force her to marry me now," Joe replied over the phone.

"I don’t care!" Juliana snapped. "Sick or healthy, you must marry her now. Don’t make me wait any longer. Don’t ruin my plan. I worked hard to pay the lawyers to ensure their divorce. Now it’s your turn to marry her—you’ll have her completely. Hunter or anyone else won’t be able to take her from you. But if Hunter does take her back, she’ll suffer even more!"

"Stop threatening me, you bitch!" Joe sounded angry.

Juliana smirked. "Then marry her now," she said, ending the call.