Marcus Valentine’s cigarette paused mid-air.
He said nothing, simply taking a deep drag.
Through the haze of smoke, he narrowed his eyes. “You’re saying William Ashcroft isn’t her father?”
“Correct.”
Marcus nodded. “The mistress admitted it herself. Evelyn Ross didn’t deny it either…”
He leaned in closer. “Could she be your daughter?”
Mr. Valentine stubbed out his cigarette, flicking it precisely into the trash can. “No.”
Marcus was stunned. “But I thought—”
Before he could finish, Mr. Valentine aimed a kick at him. “Do you think I wouldn’t know if I’d slept with someone?”
Marcus nimbly dodged, his face falling with disappointment. “I was hoping for another cousin. You’ve let me down.”
“Get lost.”
“Right away~”
“Come back.”
Marcus drifted back.
Mr. Valentine shot him a glance. “Ms. Sophia raised that impostor. There’s bound to be some affection.”
Marcus hesitated. “Should we go easy on her?”
Mr. Valentine’s laugh was cold. “Make it clean. Don’t let her have regrets later. She’s soft-hearted. It’ll only cause trouble.”
Marcus grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ve picked a nice place for Isabella Ashcroft.”
Upstairs, in the hospital room.
Evelyn Ross followed William Ashcroft inside.
William sat silently by the hospital bed, taking Sophia Ashcroft’s hand.
Evelyn looked at him. “You heard everything outside?”
William nodded mechanically.
His demeanor left Evelyn unsure how to proceed. She paused. “Linda Lowell has been arrested. Isabella Ashcroft is in danger. Do you want to see her?”
William’s head snapped up, his eyes icy. “She’s not Sophia’s daughter. She has nothing to do with me.”
The coldness in his attitude was exactly how he used to treat Evelyn.
Evelyn was taken aback.
She finally understood. William’s kindness to Isabella Ashcroft was solely because of Sophia Ashcroft. It had nothing to do with blood.
After a moment’s hesitation, she spoke. “I… you… we aren’t father and daughter.”
William looked down at Sophia Ashcroft. “You are Sophia’s daughter. Of course you’re not mine.”
Evelyn’s suspicion was confirmed.
She frowned as she heard William murmur, “Actually, I should thank you. Without you, Sophia would never have married me…”
He pressed Sophia Ashcroft’s hand against his cheek. “Marrying Sophia was the greatest blessing of my life. Linda Lowell… that happened before the marriage. I was drunk. She set me up…”
He trailed off, his attention fully on Sophia Ashcroft. “Sophia, please wake up. Your favorite Evelyn Ross is your daughter. Don’t you want to acknowledge her?”
Evelyn also looked at Sophia Ashcroft.
She still lay quietly, eyes closed, breathing steadily. Her complexion was rosy, as if she were merely asleep.
Evelyn longed for her to wake up. To ask who her biological father was. To unravel the secrets of the past…
She walked to the other side of the bed and took Sophia Ashcroft’s hand.
Her lips moved. She wanted to call her “Mom,” but no sound came out.
Suddenly, the wail of an ambulance echoed from downstairs.
Evelyn paid it no mind. Ambulances at a hospital were normal.
The room returned to silence.
A short while later, two doctors arrived with nurses for rounds.
They checked Sophia Ashcroft’s condition. Everything was normal.
As they left, snippets of their conversation drifted in.
“What a sight today. An ambulance coming to our hospital to pick someone up! I heard they were taken right after surgery…”
“They said it’s a psychiatric case. Violent tendencies. Could hurt people. They didn’t disclose it when admitted. What if they woke up and attacked someone?”
Evelyn initially didn’t pay attention.
But the nurses’ gossip reached her ears.
“Latest update! That woman escaped from a mental institution. Somehow got pregnant. Had a miscarriage, hemorrhaged badly. Had to have a hysterectomy to save her life! Patients like that belong in a psychiatric hospital.”
“Wow, a psychiatric patient getting pregnant? Who’s the father?”
“Who knows…”
Their voices faded into the distance.
Evelyn felt something was off. She exchanged a look with Alexander Vance. Both moved to the window.
Down below, a specialized psychiatric ambulance was parked.
Medical staff were loading a stretcher into the vehicle.
Even from three stories up, Evelyn instantly recognized the person on the stretcher. It was Isabella Ashcroft!
She stared, turning to Alexander Vance. “Did you arrange this?”
Alexander Vance frowned. “No.”
Evelyn had planned to wait for Sophia Ashcroft to wake up before dealing with Isabella Ashcroft. After all, Sophia Ashcroft had raised her.
She never expected Isabella Ashcroft to be sent directly to a psychiatric hospital!
It was an effective way to eliminate the problem permanently.
If Alexander Vance hadn’t stopped her, she might have been the one taken away…
Evelyn’s gaze shifted to the parking lot. The black luxury car was still there.
A tall, upright man sat inside, his features indistinct.
Marcus Valentine stood outside the car, waving at Evelyn Ross. He pointed at his phone.
Evelyn took out her phone. A message from Marcus Valentine appeared: [Satisfied with the arrangements for Isabella Ashcroft?]
She looked at Alexander Vance.
If not for him, she would be the one being taken away…
Her phone buzzed again. Another message from Marcus Valentine: [Also, can you come down? Third Uncle wants to apologize to you in person.]
Evelyn Ross: “…”