Chapter 796

Jim was lying in a hospital bed. An oxygen mask covered most of his face, leaving only his eyes exposed. His eye sockets had sunk deep, the once full skin around them now shadowed in dark blue and black. His eyes clouded over as if a white film had settled across them.

Hearing the faint sound of movement, Jim slowly turned his head. The moment he saw Rachel, his expression froze. For a second, he even wondered if his illness had worsened so much that he was hallucinating.

“R–Rachel, is that really you? Am I seeing things?”

Rachel’s hardened heart softened when she saw how frail and weak he looked. How had he gotten so thin? He was practically skin and bones.

She walked closer. “Dad, it’s me.”

“You came back. When did you come back? I thought you’d never set foot here again, not for the rest of your life.”

Jim’s eyes welled with tears as he looked at her.

To be honest, Rachel was still angry about what had happened before. The pain they had caused her was etched into her bones. It wasn’t something that could be erased with a few words.

Some things weren’t worth circling back to again and again. They would never understand her, anyway.

So, she decided to be direct.

“Dad, I came back today because I have something to discuss with you. About that proposal you made before–I agree to it.”

Jim was stunned. For a long time, he couldn’t even speak. “Are you really? You’re willing to drop the charges and let Yvette out?”

“As long as you promise that Yvette won’t cause me any more trouble, I’ll withdraw the lawsuit. We’ll act like nothing happened before. But let me be clear–if she comes after me again, don’t blame me for being ruthless. Next time, no one will be able to protect her.”

Rachel almost wanted to add that with Jim’s health in this state, he wouldn’t be able to protect Yvette anyway.

But in the end, she held back the harshest words.

Jim quickly nodded. “Y–You have my word. I won’t let her run wild again. From now on, you two will stay out of each other’s way.”

“Then hand the company back to me. You know as well as I do that once you’re gone, if Lloyd Enterprise ends up in Yvette’s hands, it’ll only be a matter of time before it collapses. She doesn’t have the ability to run the company.”

Rachel lifted her head, glanced around the dim room, and sighed.

“Dad, don’t you realize you’ve ruined a winning hand all on your own? You could have given the company to me. At the very least, I could have kept it profitable.”

Her words hit Jim exactly where it hurt. He knew she was right, but he also knew it was too late. Nothing he said now could undo the damage.

He pulled a document out of the drawer and handed it to her.

“It’s already prepared. Take it straight to the company. And I know Tyler loves you deeply. For you to do so much for him, it must mean he treats you well.”

Rachel clutched the document tightly and nodded.

“You’re right. He really does treat me well. Besides my mom, he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

She said it with a smile, but behind that smile was a quiet bitterness.

Deep down, she knew what she had longed for all her life was her family’s love. Even now, she still hadn’t found it.

At last, she came to terms with it. Some things were better off not being forced.

Holding the file, Rachel stood, looked at Jim for a long moment, and finally spoke.

“Since that’s settled, focus on getting better. I’ll be heading out now.”

Jim continued to look at her.

“Rachel, are you really not going to stay a few days? Keep your old man company? I–I might not have much time left.”