Reclaimed By My Ex-husband-Chapter 262: Gracie is in a coma

Chapter 262: Gracie is in a coma
At Nathaniel’s office...
The conference room erupted in chaos as the directors hurled accusations from every corner.
"How could you make such a blunder?" one of them shouted. "You signed those papers without even verifying them! Why didn’t you consult us before deciding to invest in some unknown company?"
"We expected better judgment from you," another added sharply. "This decision is reckless."
"You didn’t even bother to check the company’s background. You were blinded by the promise of high returns. What if it’s a scam? Will you personally cover the losses then?"
"It’s not a small sum we are talking about," an elderly director thundered. "You are risking the company’s future — Our money is invested. I can’t support this. I’ll be pulling out my shares."
"Mee too."
"Same here."
Voices rose in unison, filling the room with angry protests.
"Everyone, please calm down," Nathaniel said evenly, his expression steady despite the uproar. He knew he hadn’t made a mistake — that signature had been part of his plan to deceive Zachary. But he couldn’t reveal that now. Someone inside the company had clearly been leaking information.
"I understand your concern," Nathaniel continued. "We all work hard for this company. A loss for one is a loss for all. But I assure you — there will be no losses. Give me some time, and I’ll provide a full explanation."
The room gradually quieted, the directors exchanging wary glances and murmurs among themselves.
Finally, the elderly director spoke. "Fine. We’ll give you time. But if there is no profit by the end of this quarter, you’ll have to withdraw this investment, or we’ll withdraw our shares."
"Agreed," Nathaniel said firmly.
The meeting ended, and one by one, the directors began to file out of the room.
Nathaniel sat grimly in his seat, his expression turning serious. He had signed those documents privately — only Liam had been present — yet the news had somehow leaked.
Someone was there watching his every move. Even his loyal secretary had deceived him. Anyone could betray him. Zachary could make anyone turn against him.
Ian entered in the meantime. "You okay?" he asked worriedly.
Nathaniel said nothing, his mind somewhere else.
"Give me a few more days," Ian said. "I’ll find out who the mole is."
"The ink might have disappeared by now," Nathaniel said. "I wonder what Zachary will do this time."
"Of course, he will be furious. But we are prepared this time." Ian’s confidence brimmed in his tone. "Finally, we have enough proof against him. Even the syndicate can’t save him this time."
Nathaniel was pleased. But before he could say further, he got a call from the hospital. He answered it instantly.
"Hello."
"Mrs. Grant has slipped into a coma," a woman’s voice said urgently. "Please come to the hospital at once."
Nathaniel shot to his feet, his pulse racing. "What did you say? She was perfectly stable this morning. Her s were normal. How could this happen so suddenly?"
"I’m not sure, sir. The doctor will explain everything. Please hurry."
The line went dead.
Nathaniel stumbled backward, his body weakening. The revelation was nothing short of shocking.
"How could she fall into a coma all of a sudden?" he wondered. "What is going on?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Nathaniel rushed back to the hospital, and the doctor was checking Gracie. "What is happening?" he asked urgently. "She woke up after the surgery. She was doing just fine. How could she fall into a coma?"
The doctor looked troubled. "We’re still investigating. Please give us some time—we’ll determine the cause soon."
Nathaniel groaned in frustration, dragging a hand down his face. None of it made sense. His mother’s condition had been stable just hours ago—what could have gone so wrong so quickly?
"Please wait outside for now," the doctor requested. "We need to run some tests."
Nathaniel stepped out of the room, his mind spinning. That’s when he saw his father sitting slumped in a chair in the corridor, shoulders drooping, his entire posture weighed down by despair. Nathaniel’s chest tightened painfully at the sight. He had never seen his father like this before.
He walked over quietly and placed a gentle hand on Vincent’s shoulder. "Dad..."
Vincent lifted his head, his eyes glassy with tears. "Your mother..." he whispered.
"She’ll be alright," Nathaniel said softly, taking a seat beside him. "Let’s trust the doctors."
Vincent shook his head. "Your mother and I... we never had a perfect marriage. We argued over everything. I started spending more time at the farmhouse just to stay away from the fights. But now..." His voice cracked. "Now she’s lying there, silent. She is not arguing back to me."
He looked at his son with pained eyes. "There were times I wished she’d stop talking—just for a bit of peace. At last, my wish came true. She fell silent – so silent that she wouldn’t even look at me."
His lips trembled as he choked out, "It hurts. This silence is far from peaceful. I want that stubborn, complaining Gracie who would argue about every little thing. Let her nag all she wants—I won’t be angry this time. I want her voice back."
Nathaniel gently wrapped his arms around his father, pulling him into a comforting embrace. "She’ll be fine, Dad. I promise," he murmured. "I’ll get the best doctors for her—every expert I can find. She’ll wake up, and she’ll talk to you again. She’ll even argue with you, just like before."
At those words, Vincent broke down completely, sobbing against his son’s shoulder. Nathaniel held him tightly, his own chest heavy with emotion.
"Nathaniel..." Zara’s voice drew his attention. He looked up to see her approaching.
"Zara." He stood up.
"I need to talk to you," she said urgently, grasping his hand. "It’s important. It’s about—"
Before she could finish, Vincent rose abruptly, anger flashing in his eyes. "Why are you here?" he snapped. "Because of you, Gracie got upset. You made her anxious, and that’s why her condition got worse."
Zara froze, stunned by his harsh tone.
"We told you to stay at home," Vincent continued sharply. "Why did you come back?"
His harshness cut her deep. Vincent had never talked to her in this way, and it pained her. But she ignored it and focused on what she was going to say.
"Nathaniel, please, you have to listen to me," she pleaded.
"Tell her to leave," Vincent said coldly, his tone unyielding.
Nathaniel couldn’t disobey his father. "Zara, you shouldn’t have come."
Zara couldn’t believe he had said that. She had rushed here to warn him, to save his mother, and yet, no one was even willing to hear her out.
"Go home. We’ll talk later," Nathaniel urged.
"But it’s urgent," she insisted. "If you don’t act now, something terrible might happen—"
"Zara," Nathaniel interrupted, his tone firm. "Focus on Grandma and Zane. Mom’s condition has already shaken Dad. If Grandma falls ill, too, things will get worse. Stay with them and let me handle this, alright? Go home."
"Nathaniel..."
"Leave," he snapped, his voice cold. "I won’t repeat myself."
At that, Zara’s eyes turned teary. He hadn’t listened, not once. He hadn’t even given her a chance to speak. She couldn’t help wondering if he would have treated Nora the same way.
"Fine," she said through clenched teeth. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you."
She turned on her heels and stormed out. She didn’t bother wiping the tears away.
Riya saw her leaving. With a sly smile on her lips, she followed her.
"Zara, leaving so soon?" Riya taunted.
Zara halted, every muscle tensing at Riya’s voice.
"I thought you’d stick around," Riya sneered, stepping in front of her. "But nobody wants you here. How sad."
Zara balled her hands into fists. "Keep smiling," she shot back. "Your little act will end. You can’t fool everyone forever — you’ll be exposed sooner or later."
Riya’s blood boiled. She wanted to smack her face hard. But she forced a laugh instead, confident she’d won. She imagined the punishments she’d inflict once Zara was out of Nathaniel’s life.
"Who is going to expose me — you?" Riya taunted. "Have you forgotten what happened last time? You accused me of poisoning Dad, and nobody believed you. Do you really think they’ll trust you now? Even Nathaniel told you to leave."
Zara’s fists on her sides started shaking as anger surged within her. She was losing her cool.
"They’ll never trust you," Riya said with a mocking smile. "You know why? Because you are pathetic. You actually think you can compete with their precious daughter? I’m the princess of this family, their pride and joy. They believe me—always will. Nothing you say can change that."
"Yes, they trust you," Zara shot back sharply, "but you’ve betrayed that trust. You never valued their love. The family that gave you everything, but you are tearing it apart with your lies and deceit."
She held up her phone. "I have proof against you, and I’m sending it to Nathaniel. He should know what kind of snake you are."
"No, wait..." Riya reached out to snatch the phone.
But Zara was faster. She yanked her hand back and hit send, forwarding the incriminating voice recording the nurse had given her.