Chapter14 Harbor City - Hospital Ivy Sloane froze when she saw Weston Vale and Grayson Sloane standing at the door. Panic consumed her. "Weston...Grayson, I can explain..." She stammered, her face pale. "What you heard just now, nonsense. I didn't mean any of it..." Weston's expression didn't change. His brow was drawn tight, his eyes like shards of ice. He strode forward and struck her hard across the face. "Ivy Sloane! Enough lies. What's the truth about your supposed liver cancer, your hysterectomy? Speak!" Her ears rang, but she still clung to her act. "Weston, Grayson, I swear, I really do have cancer. And yes, I lost my womb..." Weston's laugh was cold, mocking. "Is that so?" She thought his pause meant he believed her. She rushed forward, clutching his sleeve, eyes wet with false devotion. "I'm telling the truth. Please, trust me. Just this once." But his stare only grew darker. "Trust? Why should I trust you?" With a sharp gesture, Weston summoned a team of bodyguards and doctors. "Check everything. Leave no detail untouched." The results came fast and merciless. No cancer. No hysterectomy. No transplant. No sacrifice. Every word she had fed him was a fabrication. Worse, she had ordered the supports beneath the coffin cut, deliberately staging the "accident" to kill Jewel Whitmore. She had masterminded the abduction of Ethan Cole's son, forcing him into silence. She had even arranged for Weston to call her in front of Jewel, so Jewel would believe he had ordered her torment. Weston's fists clenched until his knuckles turned white. He had bled Jewel. He had cut into her liver, because of this woman's lies. His chest burned as if dipped in boiling oil. "Where is Jewel now?" His voice was low, lethal. Ivy trembled under his glare. For once, there was no charm left to wield, no mask that could save her. "She... she was taken away. I don't know where. Alive or dead, no one can say." Chapter14 The fury in Weston's eyes sharpened into madness. He lunged, his hand closing around her throat. "This is your fault. All of it. If she's gone, it's because of you!" Ivy clawed at his wrists, coughing, her lungs screaming for air. Only when Grayson tore Weston's grip away did she collapse, gasping. "Right now, the only thing that matters is finding Jewel," Grayson snapped. The words pierced Weston's haze of rage. He forced himself to breathe, to focus. He pulled out his phone and barked into it. "Ethan Cole, this is your last chance. Find Jewel, whatever it takes. Fail me, and I'll settle every score with you at once." Tears streamed down Ethan's face on the other end. That Weston would grant him another chance after betrayal, he hadn't dared hope. "Yes, sir. I'll give everything I have. Even if it costs me my life." Weston cut the line and, with Grayson, began calling everyone they could. police, colleagues, old friends, neighbors. Any lead, any hope. Meanwhile, Ivy clung to Weston's legs, her tears smearing across his trousers. "Weston, forgive me! I did it all because I love you. Jewel's gone now, she abandoned you. But I never will. Let's be together again, like before. Please..." Her voice shook with desperate obsession. She believed he still cared. That love, even warped, would save her. His answer shattered that delusion. "Love? Do you even deserve to use that word? Have you forgotten what you told me when you first begged to stay by my side?" His lips twisted in disgust. "You said, "Treat me like a tool. A release."" His eyes bore into her, merciless. "What man could ever love a tool?". His command was cold enough to freeze blood. "Take her away. Lock her up. She stays alive only until Jewel returns, then she'll face justice." The bodyguards moved at once. Ivy sank to the floor, clutching at Grayson's coat hem. "Grayson, please, say something for me. Help me!" Grayson's eyes were knives of contempt. The proud heir of the Sloane family had never imagined he would one day look upon his sister and feel only shame. He kicked her hard, his voice like thunder. "Bind her. Take half her liver, remove her womb, exactly as Jewel suffered. And hear me well. not a drop of anesthesia. She stays conscious through every cut.' "" Chapter14 Ivy stared at him in horror, her last hope gutted. She had thought her brother might spare her for the sake of blood. She realized now, he would rather see her destroyed than forgive her. Hysterical laughter ripped from her throat, tears streaking her face. "Yes! Fine! I admit it. I did everything. And what of it? Isn't this what you always wanted, for Weston to run back to Jewel once I was gone? You created this! Your favoritism pushed me to it!" Grayson's reply was merciless. "I warned you before. Jewel may be adopted, but she was family. You had no right to hurt her. You seduced Weston, faked pregnancies, fabricated illness, shamed our name at every turn. From this day, you are no longer of the Sloane family. Your name will be struck from our lineage. The only thing left for you is to await Jewel's return, and her judgment." He didn't spare her another glance. Dragged toward the operating theater, Ivy screamed curses and pleas in turn, but no one listened. Weston and Grayson left the hospital, heading straight for Raven's Gorge. Helicopters scoured the cliffs, rescue teams combed every crag, every stone. All they found were fragments of shattered coffin wood. Not a trace of Jewel, no clothing, no hair. They searched flight manifests, train stations, harbors. Every record came back clean. Jewel Whitmore had vanished as if the earth itself had swallowed her whole. Chapter14 Title: CEO, Your Wife Is Gone Author: CrushReel Genre: Romance, CEO, Sweet Romance, Modern, Romantic Status: ongoing In "CEO, Your Wife Is Gone," Elise battles cancer while striving to fulfill her role as the perfect wife to George. Trinity, Elise's sister, orchestrates a deceitful scheme against her... Embark on a heartfelt journey in this modern romance novel that explores themes of love and betrayal amidst the challenges of illness. Follow Elise as she navigates the complexities of her relationships and confronts unexpected twists orchestrated by those closest to her. What sets "CEO, Your Wife Is Gone" apart is its poignant portrayal of love tested by adversity and the resilience of the human spirit. Dive into this captivating narrative filled with emotional depth and intricate character dynamics. Discover the unique blend of romance and suspense that defines this captivating story available to read at CrushReel. Experience the emotional rollercoaster of Elise's journey online at CrushReel today.