The Ceo’s Contract Lover

“WHAT!?” The room erupted in uproar.

“No! You can’t. What about my son?” Lilian protested hysterically.

“That’s my final order,” William asserted authoritatively.

“As for you,” he addressed the woman, who was on the verge of a mental breakdown, “Let’s get a divorce.”

Lilian’s eyes widened, and she slumped onto the chair with a thud. “No…”

William paid no attention to her.

His old body could not hold on any longer. He patted Jayden’s shoulder lightly before turning to leave.

Watching him walk away, panic seized Lilian. She jumped from her seat and dashed forward.

Kneeling, Lilian grasped William’s legs and pleaded for mercy. “Husband, I’m sorry. I was blinded by greed. I acknowledge my mistake, and I promise I’ll turn over a new leaf. Please don’t abandon me,” she begged.

The weight of her actions only became clear when she lost everything.

Without the title of Mrs. Luxton, she was nothing.

“Husband…” Lilian continued to create a scene, but it was to no avail.

The guards held her up and dragged her out of the office.

After she left, the room finally quietened down.

Everyone exchanged looks, seemingly understanding why Jayden was qualified to earn their respect.

Even on his deathbed, he could turn the tables in his favor.

It was a pity though!

The storm that loomed over Luxton Corporation finally subsided and everyone quickly left the room.

Once they left, Jayden suddenly clutched his chest.

His entire body jerked, and a tremendous pain radiated from his chest.

“Medicine…” Jayden uttered with difficulty.

Nina’s face turned pale, and she promptly retrieved a bottle of medicine for him.

Normally, Jayden would feel better after taking the medication.

However, today was different. His body showed no signs of improvement.

Veins protruded on his forehead, and he appeared to be in immense pain.

Nina’s heart trembled at his sight.

The doctor had repeatedly warned him against leaving the hospital, but Jayden insisted on attending the board meeting.

Despite Nina’s pleas for him to stay, he shrugged her off, refusing to listen to anyone.

“J-Jayden, are you okay?” Nina stammered.

As she finished her sentence, Jayden spat out a mouthful of blood. His face turned purple, and he appeared to be suffocating.

Jayden was rushed to the emergency ward as soon as they arrived at the hospital.

Standing in front of the emergency ward, Nina’s legs turned jelly, and she collapsed on the floor.

The thought of losing him was unbearable, and she didn’t know how to face such a reality.

A few hours later

The doctors had barely managed to resuscitate Jayden, but they were uncertain if there would be a next time.

In the VIP ward, only the sound of beeping machines could be heard.

Jayden lay motionless on the hospital bed. Tubes and wires connected him to various instruments.

He woke up briefly, only to fall back to sleep again.

The doctors had already declared that there was no hope left for him.

Nina sat by his bed, gently wiping his body with a warm towel.

As she performed this routine, she talked about many things to him until her eyes turned red, and she couldn’t continue any longer.

In the past, when they were together, she had always wanted to stick close to him.

Even when he did not have feelings for her, she wanted to be selfish and live under his love and care.

She had imagined their future countless times perhaps they would remain married and have kids, or maybe they would both live their lives separately.

But never in her wildest dream did she expect to meet him again at the hospital, as he awaited his death.

Fate had played a cruel joke on her.

Just when she thought she had secured her happiness, the heavens decided to play a prank on her.

She desperately wished she could make up for everything in this short period.

Drops of warm tears fell on the back of Jayden’s hand.

She quickly turned her head and wiped away her tears, fearing he might wake up.

—

The door to the ward opened.

Liam, Nora, and Rick entered the room, looking worried.

Hearing the commotion, Jayden slowly opened his eyes.

Now, the time he could stay awake was getting shorter and shorter.

The reality of his limited time weighed on everyone in the room.

He tried to get up, and Liam and Rick helped him to sit up.

Once he was settled, Rick cast a concerned gaze at him. “Master, you asked for us?”

Jayden nodded. “Take that folder,” he gestured toward the blue folder resting on the table.

Liam reached for the folder and opened it, his brows furrowing in curiosity. “What’s this?” he inquired, flipping through the pages.

“My will,” Jayden replied seriously.

The atmosphere in the room shifted, and everyone’s expressions turned into disbelief and sorrow. “You…”

“Hear me out,” Jayden interjected, his tone carrying a sense of urgency. “I don’t have much time left. I’ve already made arrangements, and I’m just informing you guys in advance.”

He took a moment, looking at each of them.

“Rick, though you’re my assistant, I’ve always treated you as my friend. Protect Nina. Liam is young and doesn’t know a lot of things. Accompany him, just like you’ve always supported me.”

Rick choked back his tears and promised him, “Yes, Master…”

“Nora, although you’re younger than me, I don’t know if I can ever repay you. Thank you for everything that you’ve done for Nina. Back then, the silly girl would always joke about how her life only revolved around me.” A small, nostalgic smile played on his lips at the memory. “But now I’m glad that she has you all around. Finally, she won’t be so alone anymore.”

Nora’s lips trembled and she tried her best not to lose control of her emotions.

“I know it’s selfish for me to ask this, but if… if I don’t make it, please help me take care of Nina,” Jayden pleaded.

Finally, his gaze settled on Liam and his expression turned gentle.

“I found you when you were thirteen. In the blink of an eye, twelve years had already passed. I know you don’t want to be associated with our family, but remember, you’ll always be my little brother.”© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“Since you and Nina are my only immediate family, I’ve divided my property and assets between you both,” he coughed lightly before continuing.

“Now that you’re the CEO of Luxton Corporation, handle your responsibilities well.”

“Brother…” Liam tried to maintain his composure but felt his eyes sting. Soon, tears flowed endlessly down his face.

Jayden told them to take care of Nina because she had no family.

But, what about him?

Other than him and Nora, he also did not have anyone he could call as family.

Each word was uttered with great effort.

Jayden’s voice sounded hoarse as if his throat had been ground by a stone.

“Nina… she’s stubborn and has a fiery temper, but her heart is good. She tends to bury everything inside her and doesn’t open up easily, so please don’t leave her alone. Actually, it should be me taking care of her, but I never thought I’d be unable to keep my promise.”

The vulnerability in Jayden’s words conveyed the depth of his concern for Nina’s well-being in his absence.

He was not afraid of leaving this world, he was afraid of leaving her behind.

“If, in the future, she finds someone she loves, don’t stop her,” he said gloomily.

God knows how difficult it was for him to utter those words.

However, he only wanted Nina to be happy, even if it meant moving on without him.

Outside the door, Nina covered her face and squatted down.

The weight of his words was too much for her to bear.

Despite her attempts to be strong for Jayden, the agony overwhelmed her, and tears streamed down her face.

Her heart hurt so much as though someone was repeatedly stabbing her heart with a dagger.

—

Nina lay beside Jayden, her head resting on his chest.

Tears streamed down her face, as she couldn’t bear to see him in this state.

“Jayden, what do I do?” Nina’s voice trembled with emotion as she spoke, her tears dampening the fabric of his hospital gown. “I don’t want to let you go.”

“Nina…” Jayden’s voice was feeble, his red eyes upon hearing her sobs.

Suddenly, Nina sat up straight and looked directly into Jayden’s eyes. “I can’t live without you. Take me with you, okay?”

Jayden tightened his hold on her waist.

“Don’t be stupid. You have your whole life ahead of you. Treat me as a bad dream, hmm?” He gazed into her eyes, a mixture of love and sorrow evident in his bloodshot gaze.

“If it were me, would you?”

The room held a heavy silence as Jayden grappled with the weight of her question.

No, he could never.

She was the most beautiful thing that ever happened to him. How could he forget her?

He fell silent and looked away momentarily.

“I love you, Jayden. Without you, there’s no meaning to my life. Who should I live for? You’re my only family.”

How could she find happiness and peace knowing that the person who loved her unconditionally would no longer be by her side?

“Don’t leave me.” Nina’s tearful whispers echoed in the room. She clung to him desperately, her shoulders shaking with sorrow. “Please, don’t leave me, baby.”

For a moment, Jayden was tempted to take her with him.

With her personality, he knew she wouldn’t be able to hold on any longer after he left.

Despite knowing that Nora and others would take care of her, he couldn’t trust anyone.

She had already endured a lot of hardships in her life, and he regretted contributing to her worries.

His baby was not a fragile and vulnerable girl.

Even in the face of grievances, she wouldn’t easily succumb to tears.

Yet, he had inadvertently made her cry time and time again.

If he had foreseen the pain he would bring into her life, he would have kept a distance from her right from the start.

“I’m sorry,” Jayden whispered, embracing Nina so tightly that it seemed as if he wanted to merge her into his own body.

Other than sorry, he did not know what else to tell her.

Nina cried until she was exhausted and unknowingly fell asleep beside him.

Jayden’s heart ached for her and in the quiet of the moment he finally closed his eyes.

Perhaps in his dreams, there would be a happy ending for them.

Nina’s eyebrows furrowed into a knot as though she was having a nightmare.

Cold beads of sweat clung to her forehead, and she woke up with a start.

Sitting up straight, she checked the time.

The sun was gradually setting outside the window.

Her attention immediately shifted to Jayden.

His complexion was unnaturally pale, and his thin lips were pressed together tightly, forming a grim line.

Even his breaths were almost imperceptible.

Nina’s heart skipped a beat as a terrifying thought flashed through her mind.

Panic surged within her.

“Jayden, don’t scare me. I’ll stop being stubborn, okay? I’ll listen to everything you say. Please wake up.” She spoke incoherently, drowned in fear. “Jayden…”