Chapter 62
Chaser 62 Wo
Chapter 62: Without Her
Without Her.
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Nathaniel stared into the woman’s eyes. Even in that state, there was still something commanding about him, something in the steadiness of his gaze despite the exhaustion, and in the way his spine remained straight even on his knees.
Dark shadows lay beneath his piercing blue-gray eyes, softening, but not reducing their usual sharpness. They spoke of sleepless nights rather than defeat.
His grip around the woman’s hand was tight, persistent, driven by his
determination to find answers. His dark brown hair, once immaculate, was slightly undone from his restless hands.
“Can’t you remember anything at all?” he asked softly.
“Please,” Nathaniel said, his voice strained, “I need to find her. You’re my only hope p>
The woman looked teary-eyed. Her brown eyes were filled with regret. “I-I wish I could remember. I’m sorry, Nathan p>
“My head hurts,” the woman said, pressing her temples before turning to her parents.
“Nathan, let’s not push Alice,” Mrs. Hartley said. “She’s trying her best. She hasn’t skipped any therapy since last year p>
Brandon Hartley then helped Alice from the sofa and into the hallway of the bedrooms. Alice could not walk on her own, at least, not yet.
Years ago, when Nathaniel’s men found Alice, she was deeply unconscious and was being treated by a stranger at her home, a female doctor named Sophia Roger.
Back then, Nathaniel had confronted Sophia about why she never took Alice to the hospital. She had said, “She begged me. She said her life was in danger and that the hospital may not be safe for her p>
After putting two and two together, Nathaniel used his connections to put Alice and her family under witness protection.
They had since moved to Westfield, where Alice received the best, but private medical treatment under Nathaniel’s orders There, the Hartleys used a different name, working like regular people within the community.
Alice was in a coma for a year. She received treatment for brain injuries, spinal
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Chapter 62 Without Her
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fractures, and much more. 2
Following Lena’s request, Nathaniel rose from his knees. He nodded and turned to Alice’s mother. “I’m sorry. It’s been four years, and I-I’m not doing well without her p>
“I wish we had answers for you,” Lena Hartley said. “But I was certain Serena intended to go to Oakridge. Alice did not mention anything else p>
Nathaniel nodded.
They had already had this conversation before. Alice had planned to go after Serena
in Oakridge City. But something changed. Serena never took the flight, and Nathaniel thanked the heavens for that. The bigger question was, where had she been all these years?
“I have to head back,” Nathaniel said dryly. “You all take care p>
“You too, Nathan. Take care,” Lena said.
After leaving the Hartleys, Nathaniel took several detours. It was imperative to keep his tracks clean. Over the years, his men had discovered that two separate groups were trying to locate the Hartleys. Yet despite repeated attempts to trace them, neither Nathaniel nor the authorities uncovered any leads. 3
He arrived in Velmon City at dawn. He rested at the villa for two hours before heading to Kline BioSolutions.
At the office, he received unexpected visitors.
Vanessa Holt and his mother, Bianca. 3
Yes, his mother.
Miraculously, Bianca had survived. A life-saving medical advancement later revealed the root cause of her neurological illness. 2
And no, it was never cerebrovascular disease, as Doctor Allen Holt had diagnosed. It was an old blood clot that had formed after Bianca’s first stroke years ago.
Considering Doctor Holt was a renowned neurologist, it was disappointing. However, Nathaniel had consulted with several specialists, and they all agreed. Given the small size of the clot and the fact that it was invisible on CT scans, the misdiagnosis had been a common and understandable one.
It wasn’t malpractice.
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They called it a reasonable diagnostic error.2
Bianca had undergone surgery two years ago, and now she was doing much better.
“Mother, what brings you here?” Nathaniel asked, his gaze lifeless.
“Good morning, Nathan,” Vanessa greeted with a smile. “I heard you were on a business trip. Aren’t you tired? Why are you already working?” 2
“Yes, Nathan. You should take a break,” Bianca added, her voice laced with concern. “We came here to invite you to an early lunch, and maybe convince you to rest p>
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“Mother, I have no interest in taking rests,” Nathaniel said. His gaze shifted to Vanessa as he reminded her, “Didn’t we agree you would no longer see my mother? If you keep this up, I’m going to remove you as Kline BioSolution’s ambassador p>
Vanessa’s composure faltered. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Nathan, is this still because of my uncle? I thought we already talked about this. He genuinely believed Bianca had cerebrovascular disease, and the treatment still effectively prolonged her life p>
Yes, they had talked about it.
In fact, by dismissing Doctor Allen Holt at the research institute, Nathaniel had ended up paying a legal settlement.
But it wasn’t just that.
Nathaniel had other reasons for distancing Himself from Vanessa. He looked her in the eye and replied, “It’s no longer about your uncle. It’s about you, giving my mother hope that I would be willing to be with another woman p>
Vanessa looked hurt, but at that point, Nathaniel no longer cared.
Whatever help the Holts had given him in the past, he had already repaid them through financial compensation and tangible assets. What remained was only a strategic alliance with the Holts, but Vanessa’s closeness to his mother made it impossible for him to keep a complete distance.
“I-I should go,” Vanessa said, turning on her heel and leaving Nathaniel’s office.
When mother and son were finally alone, Bianca looked at him with concern. “If not Vanessa… then who, Nathaniel p>
He didn’t answer.
“Are you really going to live like this forever Working until you drop, drinking with
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friends just to forget, coming home to that empty house p>
“I survived,” Bianca pointed out. “I fought to live, and I’m getting better every day. But what good is my life, and my recovery, if my son chooses to stay this unhappy p>
She reached for his hand. “Son, you’re still alive, but you’re not really living.” Nathaniel met his mother’s eyes. He took his time before responding with no life in his voice, “You know the answer to that, Mother p>
LiLhyz Author
December 18, 2025.
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