“Let me think, let me think,” Alondra repeated while pacing around the room. Eventually, she said, “Why don’t we ask Adam for help?”

“Adam?” Alana panicked. “That guy is a heartless tyrant!”

“But only someone like him can save us,” Alondra said. “Only he can convince Oscar to be on our side.”

“Auntie, why are we involving Oscar in this?” Alana became even more flustered. “It’s already a huge mess!”

“Only Oscar can settle this with his authority. We’ll ask Adam to get Oscar to help us!”

At the hospital, Hesperus finally woke up.

Emmeline smiled at him while tucking him in.

“I’m feeling a lot better now, Mommy. You don’t have to worry about me anymore.”

“Mm.” Emmeline felt a lump in her throat. “It’s all thanks to Mr. Ryker.”

“He’s not Mr. Ryker. He’s Daddy,” Hesperus said seriously. “All three of us think that he’s our daddy.”

Emmeline shook her head. “But… he’s not.”

“Mommy, you can marry Mr. Ryker. That way, he’ll really become our daddy, and Timothy will have a mommy.”

“Shh, don’t say that.” Emmeline gently pinched Hesperus’ nose. “Timothy already has a mommy.”

“But Timothy told us his mommy doesn’t love him at all. He thinks she’s not his real mommy.”

Emmeline was amused by what the little boy said. “That’s impossible! Alana is Timothy’s real mommy.”

“But that’s what Timothy says.” Hesperus pouted. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Timothy.”

Emmeline was about to read a storybook to Hesperus when she noticed a news notification on her phone. The headline read, “Tragedy at Brookwater Maternity Hospital! Three Dead.”

Brookwater Maternity Hospital? Isn’t that the hospital where I gave birth to the triplets?

She continued reading the article. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the names of the victims. The doctor and two nurses were the ones who assisted her delivery back then!

Of course, the triplets were among the countless babies they had delivered over the years.

Emmeline could not help but feel sorry for them. She wondered who could have been so cruel to murder them.

Suddenly, she heard a voice at the door.

“How are you feeling now, my son?”

Emmeline turned her head around abruptly. She saw Adrien jog into the room and fall on the bed.

“I’m sorry I’m late, my son. It’s not that I didn’t want to save you, but I had an accident!”

“That’s not how you speak to your son. You’ve always been playing with fire, so it’s no surprise you got burned this time. If you can’t be responsible for your own actions, can I rely on you to take care of the child?”

“Emma, I…” Adrien took Emmeline’s hands. “Please forgive me. I’ve already learned my lesson. I promise it won’t happen again!”

“It won’t happen again, of course. I’ve already saved my son, and I don’t need you anymore!” Emmeline said.

“Emma!”

“Let go of me!”

Adrien did not let go. Instead, he tried to pull Emmeline closer to him.

Emmeline was about to hit him when a stern roar was heard at the door. “Let her go!”

Abel strode over, shoved Adrien aside, and hugged Emmeline tightly.

“Why are you here, Abel?” Adrien roared.

“I should ask you that!” Abel said ferociously with murderous intent in his eyes.

Adrien shuddered. “Abel, you know I had an accident that day!”

“That’s what you get for messing with the wrong people at the Imperial Palace! You’re lucky that you’re still alive!”

“I’ve changed, okay?”