When She Walks Away (Teresa) novel Chapter 150

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Inside the emergency room, Richard was covered in wires and monitors, every inch of him connected to some machine.

The air in the room was thick with all kinds of sharp, unpleasant smells.

The machines kept beeping nonstop, filling the room with their relentless noise.

Teresa, being a doctor, instantly understood how critical things were.

She and Charles hurried to the bedside. Seeing Richard’s ghostly pale face and his eyes barely open, Teresa’s heart clenched. Things looked really bad.

Richard parted his lips, his voice weak as he called out, “Teresa…”

Teresa quickly grabbed his hand, her eyes reddening as tears welled up. “Grandpa, I’m right here.”

It was Richard who made sure she could marry Charles in the first place.

Teresa would always be grateful to him. If he hadn’t stuck to his guns, she never would’ve ended up with the guy she really wanted.

Even if things didn’t turn out perfect, back then, Richard was the one who helped her most.

And these past five years of marriage, he’d always been good to her.

She’d never forgotten what he did for her.

Richard gently stroked Teresa’s hand, then called out to Charles. “Charles…”

Charles reached out and placed his hand over Richard’s.

Richard brought their hands together, his voice raspy as he said, “I’m old now, and I don’t have many days left. All I ask is for you two to live well, and maybe bless me with another grandchild. Then I can leave this world with no regrets.”

Teresa wasn’t surprised at all.

But Charles just shot back, half–joking, half–serious, “Andrew and Serena are old enough to get married now. If you want more grandkids, you should hang in there and wait for their kids.”

Richard choked, coughing hard, and alarms blared from the machines.

Teresa quickly rubbed his chest, saying, “Grandpa, don’t panic. Take a deep breath.”

After a couple of gentle rubs, Richard finally calmed down.

Charles didn’t dare say another word, just looked at Richard with concern.

Richard glared at Charles, his voice low and raspy. “All I want is to cradle your and Teresa’s child in my arms. They two are still young, and I’m afraid I won’t be around to see that happen.”

Charles was quiet for a moment before finally saying, “Grandpa, I’ll do my best, I promise.”

Teresa shot him a glare when she heard his promise.

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But with Richard’s life hanging in the balance, she bit back the urge to snap at him.

They barely had time to say a few words before the ER doctors shooed Teresa and Charles out of the room.

Once they were out, Charles took Teresa by the arm and said, “Come with me for a minute.”

Teresa wasn’t sure what was going on, but she still went with him.

They walked out to the area outside the ER, and Charles stopped by the railing. He fished a cigarette from his pocket and lit up.

The tiny ember of the cigarette was especially bright against the night.

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10:34 AM

Chapter 150

Teresa didn’t say a word, just watched Charles. His face was lost in the shadows, unreadable in the dim light.

After taking a long drag, Charles finally spoke. “Why were you at Logan Manor tonight?”

Teresa just answered honestly, “I went back to get the marriage certificate from Grandpa.”

Charles suddenly tossed his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his shoe, grinding it into the pavement.

“Teresa, you actually went to get the marriage certificate from Grandpa? Do you even get why he took it away?”

Teresa could hear the anger in his voice, but she didn’t care. She just replied, “Charles, I’ve always been honest with you. I said I wanted a divorce, but you’re the one who keeps dragging your feet.”

Charles turned his face away, forcing himself to calm down.

He knew Teresa had only gone back to Logan Manor after Richard fell, but deep down, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she was somehow involved.

He knew that wasn’t fair, so he tried to push those thoughts aside.

After a long moment, Charles finally said, his voice hoarse, “You know Grandpa would never let us get

divorced.”

Teresa replied, her tone calm but resolute, “Even if he doesn’t approve, we can’t hide this from him forever.”

Charles shot back, “If something happens to Grandpa, could you really live with that?”

Teresa didn’t flinch. “If you don’t want anything to happen to him, then do what I say. Let’s get the marriage certificate reissued and handle things properly.”

Charles rubbed his temples, then pulled another cigarette from the pack, holding it between his lips but not lighting it.

“Teresa, do you really just can’t wait to get divorced?”

Charles didn’t want to dwell on whether Teresa was being honest or not. He flicked his lighter, watched the flame jump up, then let it die

At the same time, he glanced at Teresa, his voice steady but distant. “Not with Grandpa like this. I can’t go through with a divorce right now.”

Teresa couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation. “Divorce and Grandpa’s situation are two different things. Why do you have to lump them together?”

Charles didn’t even register what she said. He just kept going, lost in his own world. “And we need to put having a second kid back on the agenda.”

In the Logan Family, Richard was the closest family Charles had.

When he was a kid, his parents were always busy with work and barely paid him any attention. It was Richard who put up with his mischief and played with him, always there by his side.

Grandpa raised Charles, so it’s no wonder they were so close.

Right now, nothing else mattered to him. He only hoped his grandpa could leave this world in peace, without any regrets.

If having another grandkid was Grandpa’s last wish, Charles would do whatever it took to make it happen.

Teresa listened to Charles’s selfish little plan and let out a mocking laugh. “Why don’t you go have your second kid with Naomi then?”

Charles took a deep drag, smoke swirling around his face so Teresa couldn’t read him at all. But his voice cut through, cold and unyielding, leaving no room for argument. “I’m only having another kid with you.”

As for why he only wanted to have a second child with her, she knew the reasons all too well

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He’d seen Teresa nearly die bringing Yolanda into the world, and he was terrified Naomi might face the same risk.

He just stood there, watching her go, not even trying to chase after her.

Richard’s fall had totally wrecked all his plans. Now it looked like he’d have to rethink everything.

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When Teresa got back to Sullivan Mansion, she was so wiped out she just wanted to flop straight into bed.

Not wanting her family to worry, she pushed herself to join them for dinner, trying her best to act normal.

After the meal, she used being tired as an excuse and slipped upstairs.

She quickly washed up, put her phone on silent, and crashed out for the night.

Half–asleep, Teresa heard the sound of her window being pushed open.

Teresa was a light sleeper, so she snapped awake instantly.

She looked toward the window, just in time to see a shadowy figure crash into her room.

There was a loud thud, especially jarring in the dead of night.

Teresa sat up in bed, about to get up and check it out, when a knock came at her door. “Teresa, you okay in there?”

It was Theodore’s voice.

Teresa saw that the person who’d crashed into her room was Troy. As the breeze drifted in, it brought with it the unmistakable reek of booze clinging to him.

He must have been drinking.

Worried that Theodore might notice, Teresa blurted out in a rush, “Theodore, I’m fine. I just slipped and fell.”

Theodore wasn’t sure if he believed her, but she was his little sister, and he couldn’t just walk into her room.

So he said quietly through the door, “Take care, don’t hurt yourself.”

Teresa shouted back, “I know!”

Teresa waited until she was sure Theodore had walked away, then climbed out of bed and made her way over to Troy.

Troy crashed face–down onto the floor and just lay there, totally still.

Worried he might’ve really hurt himself, Teresa gave him a gentle push and called out softly, “Troy?”

When Troy heard Teresa’s voice, he barely managed to sit up, slumped against the window. The smell of alcohol clung to him, and his cheeks were flushed bright red.

His eyes were glassy and unfocused, but when he saw Teresa, the light slowly came back into them.

When he finally spoke, his voice was thick with grievance, like a kid who’d just had his candy stolen. “Teresa, you’re such a liar, big liar.”

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