After hearing the news, Anne stood outside the ward, shaken to the core. Then, she quietly slipped away.
Inside Donovan's ward, the Kanes were already in an uproar.
"You want to marry that bitch? Don't even dream about it!" Dorothea's face had gone pale with rage. She trembled so badly that she had to sit down to keep from collapsing.
"Unless I'm dead and gone, you'll never have your way with this nonsense!" she barked. "As long as I'm alive, I will never allow it!"
"That's right!" Grace added, her tone sharp. "Don, we might have given in if you really didn't want to marry Anne. You could have found someone else of equal social standing, but how could you throw everything away just to marry that bitch? That's madness!"
She continued, "Let's set aside all the rotten things she'd done to you. Oh, and let's not forget, she was trafficked abroad and forced into the world's oldest profession. Her reputation is beyond ruined! With her filthy past and chaotic private life, she isn't even fit to be a housekeeper for the Kanes, let alone a daughter-in-law. It's absolutely absurd!"
It had to be said that Grace was essentially Dorothea's mouthpiece. She was nothing less than Dorothea's echo.
Expecting this mess the moment he made his choice, Donovan didn't bother arguing. Weak and exhausted, he simply stayed silent.
After calming down, Dorothea sighed and said, "Don, you're still recovering, and I don't want to argue. But my stance is clear. I can't stop you if you want to fool around with Giselle, but marriage? That will never happen."
"I'm only informing you of my decision. This was never up for negotiations," Donovan coldly replied, closing his eyes. "Now leave. I don't need your pointless concern."
At that, Ethan's temper flared. "Don, is this how you treat your family? Are you really going to sever ties with us over Giselle? I've always respected your authority in business matters, but your marriage isn't a personal matter. It concerns the Kanes' reputation. You would do well to wait until you're fully recovered and clear-headed before you make such a reckless decision."
In response to the chaos, Donovan shut down completely. He simply turned on his side and prepared to sleep.
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