Chapter Twenty-Seven
In a Luxurious VIP Suite
A man lay propped up in a bed, the sterile scent of the hospital room mingling with the faint hum of machines around him. He wore a pale, loose hospital gown, his fingers delicately gripping his phone. His voice was low and steady as he spoke, his words drifting into the calm atmosphere.
He was a striking figure, perhaps in his late sixties, with skin as smooth and taut as cream, despite his years. His face was sharp, his oblong jawline softened only by the slightly receding chin. His eyes—deep, dark, and wide—were striking against the silver strands of his ruffled hair, which matched the gravity of his gaze. His build was still strong, his posture defiant even in the face of illness.
As he spoke, the door clicked open, and a man in his early fifties entered, holding a thick medical folder in his hands. His demeanor was calm, his movements precise.
The man in the bed put down his phone and, with a tired but genuine smile, greeted the doctor. "I'll call you back," he said, his fingers quickly dropping the phone onto the crisp white linens.
"Good day, Mr. Blackwood," the doctor said, approaching the bedside with a warm, reassuring smile.
"It's good to see you again, old friend," the patient replied, his voice tinged with a sense of camaraderie.
The doctor seemed to hold something important in the folds of the folder he carried. "I've got good news for you."
"Am I being discharged soon?" The man leaned forward, hope lacing his words.
The doctor shook his head, his smile unwavering. "Not quite. The good news... is bigger than that."
The patient raised a brow, his curiosity piqued. "What's the news, then?"
"We may have finally found your daughter."
The words hung in the air for a moment, electrifying the room. The man's eyes widened with excitement, his heart racing. "What do you mean?" His voice was barely a whisper now, filled with disbelief.
"The woman who donated blood to you," the doctor continued, "had a high compatibility match with you after testing. It prompted me to run a DNA test... and the result? A ninety-nine percent match."
The man's breath caught in his throat. "That means... she's my daughter?"
A smile tugged at the doctor's lips. "Yes, Mr. Blackwood, she is."
The patient's voice cracked with emotion. "Where is she?"
"She's here, at the hospital right now."
The man swallowed, his mind racing. "Who is she?"
"Her name is Nicole Grayson. And she's married to Alex Grayson."
The patient blinked in shock. "She's married to Alex?"
"Yes. And... she has a son. His name is Ethan."
Ethan. The name echoed in the man's mind like a distant memory. "Ethan?" He whispered the name, piecing things together. "That's... my grandson?"
The doctor nodded. "Yes."
"Do you know him?" the doctor asked, watching his patient's reaction.
The man's lips curled into a knowing smile, tinged with both admiration and regret. "I do. He's the boy I told you about—the one who took Feng Teng away from us."
The doctor's expression shifted, his curiosity piqued. "You mean Shaun's secretary?"
"Yes, the very one," the patient replied. "I always wondered why I felt such a special connection to him."
The doctor's eyes narrowed. "Your grandson is truly remarkable."
The man smiled proudly. "Of course. He's my blood."
The doctor shifted in his stance. "So, what's your next move?"
"I'll tell her the truth," the man said. "I'll tell her she's my daughter. And then... I'll hand everything over to Ethan."
The doctor's eyes darkened. "You can't tell her yet."
The patient's brow furrowed. "Why?"
"Ethan's wife, Mae," the doctor explained gently, "has just lost their child. There's been an accident, and the family is grieving. It wouldn't be the right time to drop this on them now."
The man frowned. "Ethan is married?"
"Yes, to Mae Wilson."
"Mae?" The man leaned back against the pillow. "That boy really is something else. Surrounded by all these powerful families."
"He takes after his grandfather," the doctor said with a wry smile.
The patient's gaze grew somber. "Let me know when the time is right. I'll wait. But there's one thing I need to tell you first."
The doctor raised an eyebrow. "What's that?"
The patient's eyes hardened. "I was attacked. Sebastian sent someone after me. He's trying to kill me."
The doctor recoiled, his face tightening with concern. "Your son? He sent someone to kill you?"
The man's jaw clenched. "Yes. He wants everything I have. He'll stop at nothing."
The doctor's voice dropped, laced with a warning. "If Sebastian would do this to you, what do you think he'll do to Ethan when he learns you're passing everything to him?"
The man's expression shifted, dark with resolve. "I'm going to protect Ethan. But, knowing him... he doesn't need my help with Sebastian. Ethan will handle him."
The doctor's face showed confusion. "What do you mean?"
"I'm going to let Ethan teach Sebastian a lesson," the man said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "A lesson about never underestimating the weak."
The doctor's eyebrows shot up, his smile matching the patient's. "I suspect Sebastian isn't going to like the lesson he's about to learn."
The man's eyes gleamed with a cold satisfaction. "Well, he'll have to learn it the hard way."
In Mae's Room
Mae wheeled herself into the room, the faint squeak of the wheelchair against the polished floor announcing her arrival. Kate and Liam immediately stopped talking, their conversation halting as Mae entered.
"Mae, where have you been?" Kate's voice was filled with concern.
"I just needed some air," Mae responded softly, her gaze distant.
Kate looked at her carefully. "How are you feeling now?"
Mae took a deep breath, hesitating before speaking. "Mom... there's something I need to ask you."
"Go ahead, darling," Kate encouraged.
"Do you remember the amusement park we went to, thirteen years ago?" Mae's voice wavered, the past stirring within her.
"Mae," Kate replied, a little confused, "how am I supposed to remember something that far back?"
"I remember that day so clearly," Mae continued, her voice soft but intense. "I called you, told you I wanted to go. You picked me up from my therapist, and we went there. We had so much fun. You even won me that bunny at the shooting game. We named it Mae Jr."
Kate's face softened at the memory. "How could I forget that day, honey? It was one of the best days we had."
"Yes... it was." Mae's gaze darkened. "But something changed after we came down from the Ferris wheel. You started acting... weird."
"I told you, something came up," Kate said, shifting in her seat.
"Yes, you did. But after we left, I woke up to see a car that had just been in an accident. Do you remember that?"
Kate nodded slowly. "Yes... I remember that car."
"I asked you what had happened. And you told me that by the time you got there, the accident had already happened."
"Yes, we called for an ambulance. But I don't understand why you're bringing this up now."
Mae's eyes bore into her mother's, the truth slowly unraveling. "Were you the one who caused that accident?"
Kate's face paled. "I... I already told you, I didn't—"
"Don't lie to me, Mom."
"Mae, what's going on?" Liam interjected, concern creeping into his voice.
"That accident... Mom, it killed two innocent people. Their lives were torn apart because of you."
Kate recoiled, her breath catching in her throat. "What are you talking about?"
Mae's voice cracked. "Do you want to know why Ethan hates me so much?" She paused, watching her mother's growing horror. "He hates me because his sister died in that crash."
"Ethan's sister..." Kate's voice trembled, her heart sinking. "But... how...?"
"Ethan's sister was pregnant," Mae whispered, tears brimming in her eyes. "She was about to give birth when the crash happened. She died... and the baby, all alone in the world... was forced to grow up without a mother."
Kate's face crumpled in shock and regret. "Mae, I had no idea..."
"Why didn't you stop? Why didn't you help them?" Mae's voice was strained, angry. "You left them there, alone."
Kate's face flushed with shame. "I didn't know... I didn't know about the kids in the car. I swear, I didn't know."
"But you knew there was an accident!" Mae cried out. "You didn't care, did you?"
Liam tried to intervene. "Mae, please. Stay calm."
"I love you Liam, but please stay out of this," Mae snapped, her eyes never leaving Kate. "This is your fault, Mom. Everything that's happened to me... to Ethan... it's all because of what you did!" "Why in the world did you leave them there, Mom?" Mae exclaimed, her voice trembling with a mix of desperation and anger.
"I'm really sorry, Mae," Kate said, her voice laced with a genuine remorse. "I know I've let you down before, but this has nothing to do with you."
"What do you mean it has nothing to do with me?" Mae asked, her voice rising in frustration. "Ethan is my husband. I want the truth mom:"
"I was running away from someone," Kate interjected, her voice a low whisper.
"Who?" Mae demanded, her eyes narrowing into slits.
"Someone who wanted to harm us all," Kate replied, her words dripping with a heavy gravity.
"What are you talking about?" Mae asked, her confusion evident.
"Kate, I think it's time we told her the truth," Liam said, his voice laced with a mix of reluctance and determination.
"What truth?" Mae asked, her voice laced with a hint of trepidation.
"After I stopped working for Mr. Blackwood, I couldn't get a stable job, and to make matters worse, I was owing some people a lot of money," Kate began, her words spilling out in a rush. "That's why your mom got married to your father, to use you as a tool to get money from him. It was all my idea, Mae, and I'm sorry."
Mae's eyes widened in horror as the truth began to dawn on her. "What did they want to hurt me?"
"Seeing that we could afford paying what we owed without working for an important family they decided to ask for more. They put surveillance on us, and then they found out your mom was living in the Wilson mansion," Liam explained, his voice barely above a whisper. "They assumed your mom was your nanny, and they told us to have you kidnapped so they could ask for ransom. We didn't want to hurt your family, so your mom did everything she could to push your father to the edge."
Mae's mind reeled as she tried to process the information. "You mean all those times you left me, you were actually trying to protect me?"
"I'm really sorry, Mae," Kate said, her voice filled with regret.
"Sorry isn't going to cut it, mom," Mae snapped, her anger boiling over. "Ethan hates us, and he's going to take revenge."
"Revenge?" her voice wavered, barely a whisper in the tense silence.
Kate's eyes, wide with fear, locked onto Mae's. "He's coming for us, Mom. He said he's going to take away everyone I love." Her voice cracked, the weight of his words pressing down on her.
Kate's breath hitched, and her hand trembled as it hovered over the table. "Take away everyone you love?" she repeated, her tone sharp with disbelief. A chill spread through her, settling deep in her bones.
Mae's heart raced. "What's wrong, Mom?"
Kate's gaze was distant, haunted, as if something long buried was rising to the surface. Slowly, she looked at Liam, her face pale. "Liam... that's exactly what Jake said."
"Who's Jake?" Mae asked, her confusion evident.
Kate's eyes widened as the pieces fell into place. "It all makes sense now," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "The card Ethan gave me... it was the money Jake was talking about."
Mae froze, her face draining of color. "What money? Who's Jake?"
"He's the one we've been protecting you from all these years," Kate replied, her voice shaking with the gravity of the revelation.
Kate's gaze hardened. "Ethan was the one who got Jake to kidnap Camilla," she said, each word heavy with accusation.
Mae's heart skipped a beat. "What happened to Camilla?"
"Jake kidnapped her."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Mae's voice cracked, frustration and fear clawing at her chest.
"Your husband is the reason your sister is in the hands of very dangerous people," Kate shot back, her eyes burning with anger.
"Would you blame him?" Mae snapped. "You killed his sister!"
Kate's eyes widened with hurt, but her voice was steady as she fired back, "You're choosing him over family?"
Mae's jaw tightened. "Are you talking about the same family that's made my life hell since I was born? Or do you know about some other family that I have no clue about?"
"Mae, your sister is in danger."
"And whose fault is that?" Mae's words hung in the air, sharp and biting.
"Are you seriously doing this, Mae?" Kate's voice was strained, pleading.
"I'm sick and tired of you always choosing Camilla over me!" Mae's chest heaved with emotion. "I didn't get you into this mess, so don't ask me to get you out of it."
"I only drove past that car because I was trying to protect you," Kate protested, her voice breaking.
"No, you were doing it to save yourself." Mae's eyes burned with resentment. "I wouldn't even have been in that mess if not for you. You ruined my life, and now you're using the fact that you were 'protecting me' from something you exposed me to as some kind of excuse. I've tolerated your mistakes and made excuses for your absence since I was a kid. I'm not doing it anymore. This is your problem, so you deal with it. You chose your husband over me. Now it's my turn to do the same." With that, Mae stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.
The silence that followed felt deafening.
Liam's voice cut through the tension. "You're the reason Camilla is in this mess?" His tone was low, dangerous.
"I had no idea Ethan was this dangerous," Kate whispered, her face pale.
"You killed someone... and you didn't tell me?" Liam's anger was barely contained, each word a punch to the gut.
"It was a mistake," Kate said, her voice faltering.
"It doesn't change the fact that you killed someone."
"I'm sorry, Liam."
Liam stood, his body rigid with fury. "I want my daughter back by the end of the week. I don't care how you're going to get her, I just want her back." He turned, his footsteps heavy as he walked toward the door.
Kate's hands shook as she ran them through her hair. "What am I going to do now?" she thought, her mind spinning, the weight of the situation crashing down on her.
Later in the Evening – Mae's Room
Michael entered, his footsteps steady. He found Mae sitting on her bed, her gaze fixed on her phone. A small smile played on her lips as she scrolled through pictures. He pulled up a chair and sat beside her, eyeing her carefully.
"What's making you smile?" Michael asked, his voice soft.
"Pictures of Ethan and me," Mae replied quietly.
"Are you still upset with him for what happened with that guy?"
"No," she said, shaking her head. "It's not that. I was just thinking... how nice it would have been if he loved me the way I love him."
Michael looked at her, his gaze understanding. "Mae, Ethan does love you."
"I'm not so sure anymore," Mae murmured.
Michael sighed, the weight of the conversation settling on his shoulders. "It's not what you think. Ethan never wanted to hurt you, and he never cheated on you."
Mae's head snapped up. "What do you mean?"
Michael took a deep breath, his voice steady. "Ethan didn't want to marry Bella. It was all a plan. I asked him to do it."
"What?" Mae's voice cracked with confusion.
"When I proposed to Emilia, Ethan was there. I begged him to keep it a secret. He asked what he could do to help, and so... we came up with the plan for him to propose to Bella. It was never about him marrying her. It was just to make sure both families were there for Emilia and me."
Mae's expression shifted, processing the revelation. "So... Ethan never wanted to marry Bella?"
"No," Michael confirmed. "It was just a cover."
Tears welled in Mae's eyes as the weight of her doubts lifted. "He didn't cheat on me?"
"No. Mae, everything Ethan did... he did for me."
A quiet silence filled the room as Mae let the truth sink in. "Do you think he'll forgive me for doubting him?"
Michael smiled gently, his hand squeezing hers. "He will, Mae. Ethan cares about you. He loves you."
"I really hope so," Mae whispered.
Michael nodded, offering what little comfort he could. "It'll be okay."
Elsewhere in the Hospital
Mark gets admitted at the hospital after being treated. Alex and Nicole head back home and promise to come back again the next day. Michael goes back to go stay with Emilia at the hotel they lodged in while Caleb and Emily also head home. Mae and Ethan stay at the hospital in their respective rooms.