The CEO’s Hidden Love Midnight Temptations and Deep Desires

But Karen couldn't find solace in those words.

Losing Kenneth, who loved her so dearly, was a reality she couldn't accept.

"Honey, I think Dorothy might be awake... Do you want to go check on her?"

He thought getting Karen to move around might help, instead of sitting there, drowning in tears.

But Karen's body stiffened, her eyes brimming with tears.

"I'll go in a bit, I just need a moment to gather myself."

Karen took a deep breath, her sobs breaking through now and then, her eyes red and swollen, her nose tinged with the same hue, "Even though I know that Kenneth made his own choice, it's just so hard. On one hand, there's Kenneth, who treated me like his own sister, and on the other, my best friend. I just "

She couldn't finish, but Jeffrey understood.

"If I could do it all over again, if it meant Kenneth could come back to life just once, I'd even kneel before Dorothy, begging her to accept my brother's love, even if just for a day! So he could leave this world without any regrets."

Karen knew that even if given another chance, Kenneth, being so hopelessly devoted to Dorothy, would still choose to sacrifice himself for her cure.

She couldn't blame Dorothy, nor did she want to.

It was guilt that weighed on her heart.

Why hadn't she helped Kenneth fulfill his wish while he was alive?

"Ever since we were kids... Kenneth always looked out for me." Karen's voice broke, unable to speak continuously, "Anything I wanted that our parents wouldn't buy, I just had to ask him... and he'd get it for me!" Jeffrey held her close, his own heart aching, "Stop, honey, please don't."

"I need to say this! Just let me finish!" Karen's tears soaked his shirt, "When grew up... he worried. about me living in a rental, so he gave me money to buy an apartment. He always... worried I wouldn't eat well, would starve myself, so he'd send food-over regularly..." NôvelDrama.Org owns all © content.

"Jeffrey, my brother did so much for me... and now I feel so ashamed! Ashamed that I never did anything for him in return!"

She knew what Kenneth had wanted most.

She knew what he had longed for all these years.

Clutching her chest, Karen found herself unable to continue.

Even Jeffrey couldn't help but shed tears, moved by the depth of her sorrow.

"Why do people have to die... why? My brother was such a good person, why couldn't it have been Lane instead!"

All Jeffrey could do was stroke her hair, feeling helpless in comforting Karen further.

Time seemed to stand still as they cried together, until Karen had no more tears left to cry.

Crying so hard had nearly drained all the energy from her, especially being pregnant.

"Jeffrey, help me up. I want to see Dorothy."

"Maybe you should rest a bit more!" he suggested, noting Karen's lack of energy, even her voice was weak. "That's the person my brother gave his life to protect. Now that he's gone... it's up to me to keep her safe."

Jeffrey pursed his lips, nodding,

"Okay, I'll carry you there. But you have to promise me one thing, no more crying! Honey, I can't bear the thought of any risk to you, losing you is my greatest fear."

Carrying the weight of a pregnancy already fraught with danger, especially now, with the risk of a miscarriage ever-present, was a burden Jeffrey couldn't bear to think about.