Entangled With My Rival CEO

Chapter 66

Vivan looked away, a flicker of sadness crossing her face before she managed a weak smile.

"I... I've been dealing with some health issues," she admitted, her voice carrying the weight of her struggles.

"But you're not here to check on me, right?" she asked, her brows slightly raised.

Clarissa sighed, stepping forward and clasping and unclasping her hands. "No," she said quietly, her eyes filled with sincerity.

"I'm here to apologize. I regret how I acted last time, the things I said... They were uncalled for."

Vivan's eyes narrowed, studying Clarissa with confusion.

"I'm sorry, but did Reynold put you up to this? Because if so, you really don't need to..."

"No, he didn't," Clarissa interjected.

She sighed, licking her lips before continuing, "When I found out that you had returned to town and considering the problems I was having with Reynold, I thought you were the cause... but the harsh truth is that I am... the cause."

"And I allowed my insecurities and frustrations to cloud my judgment, foolishly entering your home to accuse you of having an affair with my husband and even threatening you."

"For that, I am deeply sorry," Clarissa said, the heaviness of the silence hanging in the air, leaving them both on edge as she awaited Vivian's response.

Vivan remained silent for a moment, her expression softening as she processed Clarissa's words.

She could see the genuine remorse in Clarissa's eyes and the vulnerability in her posture.

Taking a deep breath, Vivan found the strength to respond.

"I appreciate your apology, Clarissa," Vivan said, her voice calm as she paused to gather her thoughts.

"To be fair, considering all the things I did in the past... I understand why you would think that" she added, a wry grin forming on her face.

"And..." she trailed off, a cough interrupting her words as she brought her elbow to her mouth to stifle it.

Clarissa's brow furrowed as she watched Vivan, concern evident in her expression.

"Sorry, do you need some water... or something?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Vivan vehemently waved her hand, signaling a strong denial.

"No, I'm... fine..." she wheezed out.

"It's probably just something... caught in my throat," she added, her cough growing more severe, intensifying Clarissa's worry as she approached her.

Vivan's coughing fit grew worse, causing Clarissa's concern to skyrocket.

Without hesitation, Clarissa rushed to Vivan's side, placing a comforting hand on her back.

"Vivan, are you okay? Should I call for help? What's happening?" Clarissa's voice brimmed with genuine worry and urgency.

Struggling to catch her breath, Vivan managed to speak between coughs.

"I'm... f... fine..." she said, but Clarissa's eyes widened with realization as she saw blood staining the fabric covering Vivan's elbow.

"Oh my God, Vivian, you're coughing up blood!" she exclaimed in a panicked voice, but Vivan weakly shook her head, her voice barely audible.

"No, Clarissa... it'll pass... I just need... to sit... and breathe..." she said, trying to downplay Clarissa's concern, even though she knew it wouldn't simply pass like that.

Her lungs and throat burned, her entire body shook, and her legs felt weak beneath her.

Fortunately, Clarissa wasn't deterred by Vivan's attempt to downplay the situation as she urgently called out for help, "Hello! I need some assistance here!"

She turned back to Vivan, who was experiencing a subsiding cough but growing paler by the minute, with labored breathing.

"You're going to be fine," Clarissa said somewhat desperately.

Just then, the older woman who had initially let Clarissa into the house appeared, having caught the muffled sounds of someone coughing and Clarissa's voice came into view.

Seeing Vivan's deteriorating condition, the woman immediately grasped the situation and hurried to her side.

"Vivan... are you alright?" she asked, her hand resting on Vivan's shoulder with an affectionate touch.

However, Clarissa interjected.

"We need to take her to the hospital now... she doesn't look well at all," she said urgently.

The older woman lifted her gaze to meet Clarissa's for a few seconds before finally nodding, her eyes reflecting deep concern for Vivan.

•~•~•~•~•~

Reynold's heart raced as he rushed into the hospital, his mind consumed by worry and fear for Vivan's well-being.

Navigating through the bustling corridors, he swiftly made his way to the entrance of Vivian's hospital ward.

Standing outside the room, Clarissa was there, her expression mirroring his deep concern.

Without a moment's hesitation, Reynold approached Clarissa, his voice trembling with frantic urgency.

"What did you do?" he asked, his words carrying a hint of accusation as he desperately sought answers.

Clarissa was taken aback by his tone, confusion evident on her face.

"I... I didn't do anything, Reynold," she stammered, trying to grasp the reason for his sudden accusation.

"She just..." Her words trailed off, left unfinished, as Reynold brushed past her without a second glance, driven solely by the urgency to reach Vivian.

Clarissa stood there, hurt by his dismissive behavior, but chose to set it aside and silently followed him into the room.

Inside, Vivian lay pale and fragile in the hospital bed, surrounded by monitors and medical equipment, her condition grave.

Her weary face displayed the toll of her illness, with sunken eyes and heavy dark bags beneath them.

Ignoring the presence of the older woman by Vivian's side, Reynold's voice trembled as he hurried to her, tightly gripping her hand.

"Vivian! Oh God, what happened?" His voice cracked with worry, his eyes pleading for answers.

Vivian managed to open her eyes, a faint smile forming on her lips upon seeing him.

"Reynold... you're here," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

Reynold nodded, tears welling up in his eyes. "Of course, I'm here. I'll always be here for you," he said, his voice choked with emotion.

He pressed a tender kiss to the back of Vivian's hand.

Vivian's giggle broke through, her voice hoarse, accompanied by a slight cough.

"That's... kind of cheesy," she softly remarked, prompting a chuckle from Reynold as he brushed away his tears, his emotions on display.

"Yeah... maybe... but it's true," he replied, sincerity in his voice and she hummed in amusement before sighing wearily.

"Tell me... how do I look? Beautiful, right?" she weakly joked, and Reynold couldn't help but laugh at the lighthearted question.

"Yes," he assured her. "Absolutely beautiful," he added, planting another gentle kiss on Vivian's knuckles before straightening up.

"How are you feeling?" he asked, his concern evident in his eyes.

"Tired," she responded honestly. "I feel like I'm slowly slipping away," she said sadly, her voice filled with profound sadness as she gazed into Reynold's worried eyes.

"Everything... just hurts... so bad."

"You're going to be okay," Reynold said firmly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.

Her voice faltered, and she took a shaky breath, her grip on Reynold's hand tightening.

"No, I'm not," she said sadly, her voice breaking as she closed her eyes and took in a ragged breath.

"I'm dying, Reynold... and nothing's going to change that..." Her voice trailed off, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"You're not dying... okay," Reynold said sternly. "I won't allow you to say things like that."

"You'll be fine... you can go for chemo...," he added, his eyes reflecting a fierce resolve.

"It's true... she is dying...The doctors said her health is deteriorating rapidly..." The older woman who had accompanied Vivian and Clarissa to the hospital interjected by her side, her voice trailing off as a sob escaped her mouth.

"Excuse me," she said hurriedly, unable to contain her emotions any longer.

She swiftly exited the wardroom, not wanting Vivian to witness her emotional breakdown.

Despite being Vivian's longtime employee, she had come to see her as a daughter. Seeing her suffer like this shattered her heart.

Vivian was such a kind-hearted person and didn't deserve the hardships she was enduring.

Vivian watched her leave, with her hand covering her mouth as she held back sobs and smiled sadly.

Then, she turned her gaze back to Reynold.

"Unfortunately it's too late for chemo now...They said I'd be lucky if I make it past tomorrow evening," she said sorrowfully, the weight of the prognosis evident in her voice.

Reynold's grip on her hand tightened, refusing to accept the grim reality.

He shook his head, his voice filled with pleading desperation.

"No... you can't leave. Not like this," he said, almost begging.

Vivian gently squeezed his hand, acknowledging the depth of his love and concern for her.

She nodded in understanding.

Meanwhile, Clarissa stood silently in the background, her heart aching as she witnessed the intimate moment between Reynold and Vivian.

She didn't dare intrude, choosing to observe from the entrance.

Despite the complicated history between them, she couldn't help but feel empathy for Vivian.

The pain of losing the man she loved since childhood to another woman, along with the agony she must be enduring now, were experiences that no one could truly comprehend.

She could only imagine how difficult this moment must be for both Vivian and Reynold.

As Vivian sighed tiredly, she mustered the strength to speak again, her words laden with emotion.

"You know, there are so many things I wanted to tell you... so much I should have told you years ago, but it's really hard to speak right now," she said, her gaze first fixed on Reynold before shifting to Clarissa.

"We could have been friends... really good friends," she said to Clarissa, a small, bittersweet smile gracing her face.

Clarissa returned the gesture with a gentle yet sorrowful smile.

Suddenly, Vivian's expression turned into a frown, her teeth clenched, She could only imagine how difficult this moment must be for both Vivian and Reynold. The weight of the situation weighed heavily on her heart.

As Vivian sighed tiredly, she mustered the strength to speak again, her words laden with emotion. "You know, there are so many things I wanted to tell you... so much I should have told you years ago, but it's really hard to speak right now," she said, her gaze first fixed on Reynold before shifting to Clarissa.

"We could have been friends... really good friends," she said to Clarissa, a small, bittersweet smile gracing her face. Clarissa returned the gesture with a gentle yet sorrowful smile.

Suddenly, Vivian's expression turned into a frown, her teeth clenched, as a familiar pain shot through her chest.

"Aaaah..." she cried out in pain, alarming both Clarissa and Reynold.

"What is it? Vivian..." Reynold asked frantically, his eyebrows furrowing as he searched for answers. But when Vivian's eyes fluttered closed and the sound of the monitor started beeping rapidly, he immediately shifted his gaze to Clarissa, who stood there in utmost shock, realizing how swiftly the situation had changed.

"Call the doctor!" he yelled urgently, his voice filled with a mix of fear and desperation.