Chapter 16: Midnight Emergency Meeting with Biological Father

"Christopher's attitude I don't know, but as soon as Hope Hart saw that designer she pounced on her, calling her 'mom' and making a fuss around Christopher, insisting on taking that woman home."

"Really..." Wendy frowned, "That's just nonsense."

"It is nonsense! But you know how indulgent your brother is with her, I just fear he listens to everything his daughter says and actually brings that woman home to be her mom!"

"Even if they want to, it doesn't mean the lady would agree, right?"

"That's hard to say. The CEO of Seal-Cloud Corporation, Hart Family, wealthy young lady—who can resist?"

"That's true..."

Lily Garcia looked troubled. "I still find it strange... Do you think it's possible for two people to look exactly the same? Could it be that Amelia Garcia didn't die years ago and has come back under a new identity?"

Wendy stared at her, pondered for a moment, and comforted, "Don't worry, wait until I go back home to stay for a few days and I'll ask my brother about it."

"Um, that would be best."

Wendy Hart didn't speak anymore, her mind raced with an old incident from seven or eight years ago, and she couldn't help feeling uneasy.

If Amelia Garcia had faked her death and now had come back scheming, could it be that she knows something and...

Lily watched her and hesitated, "Wendy... there's also one more thing..."

Wendy snapped back to attention and glanced at her, "Just say it."

"Wendy, that brat Hope Hart is just too detestable! If it weren't for her constant unreasonable objections, you know, the child with your brother—I told you last time, she's going to have a major surgery soon..."

Wendy understood her meaning but purposely didn't say it, asking, "And then?"

"And then..." Lily clenched her fists, nervous and guilty, "I was thinking, is there a way to make her surgery go wrong or something like..."

"Lily, you really dare, she is my brother's life."

Her words sounded like she was scolding Lily, but looking at Wendy's demeanor, it seemed like she didn't really care about her niece's wellbeing.

Lily also saw this and relaxed a bit: "It's just a child, your brother isn't sterile..."

"But can you?" Wendy looked at her, her gaze sweeping over her abdomen, "In your condition, wouldn't having children be too risky?"

Remembering her situation, Lily looked down at her abdomen, realizing—she was a woman with only one kidney!

"Uh... well, even if I can't, we could use a surrogate, right? With money, what can't you do?" she quickly continued, skillfully concealing her thoughts, yet sincerely and unapologetically saying, "I've loved your brother for over a decade. It's a pity I can't bear him a child myself..."

Thinking how it had all happened just to save herself, Wendy felt a twinge of conscience and patted Lily's hand to soothe her: "Don't rush, let me think of a way. That brat, I'm also tired of her. Always sickly, yet my brother treats her like the apple of his eye!"

She said this, completely forgetting that she had been just as susceptible to illness, and had been coddled by the entire Hart Family for over twenty years.

————

"What? Lily Garcia slapped you?" Later that night, during a video chat, Snow Fitch exclaimed angrily.

Amelia Garcia replied calmly, "Don't worry, I slapped her back, and even harder!"

"She must be sick in the head!"

"She is sick! Delusional disorder—she dreams of marrying Christopher Hart and becoming the lady of the Hart Family. So seeing Hope and me so close, she must have gotten jealous, worried I might take her place."

Snow frowned, curious, "I also want to know, just in case Christopher finds out your real identity and wants to get back together, what will you do?"

"Do you think it's possible? In his eyes, I'm a woman full of schemes and a venomous heart, nearly killed his own sister, and even stole his company's trade secrets—do you think he would get back together with me?"

"But none of that exists!"

"But he believed it was all true."

At this, Snow Fitch became infuriated, "Back then you were weak and couldn't compete with that Tricky Woman and her daughter, and you couldn't clear your name. Now that you have the capability, don't you want to take revenge?"

Amelia Garcia tugged at her lip, her gaze calm yet resolute, "Of course, I do, but... This needs to be carefully planned. Even if not for myself, I must consider Hope. Lily Garcia must not marry Christopher Hart."

Upon seeing her today, she clearly saw that Lily Garcia didn't like Hope and even detested her.

If she really married into the Hart Family and became Hope's stepmother, Hope's situation would be incredibly dangerous!

So, she couldn't let that happen!

"Uh-huh, just tell me if you need any help. Bringing down the Tricky Woman is everyone's responsibility!"

Amelia Garcia rolled her eyes silently and before she could reply, the living room door opened, and Shaw led the two brothers down.

"Mommy!"

"Mommy, you didn't even look for us when you got back!"

The brothers rushed over, Amelia's phone barely hit the couch before they tackled her onto it.

"You two are getting heavier! Get off, you're about to squish me into a pancake."

"We won't get up, Mommy smells so good."

"And so soft!"

Seeing the brothers wouldn't get up, Amelia Garcia let out a mischievous laugh, cupped her hands to her mouth, blew a breath of warm air, and declared, "Then mommy is going to use her ultimate weapon! I'm going to tickle you, tickle tickle! Don't run! Stand still! Let's see where you can go!"

The mother and sons soon became rowdy, scampering all over the house.

Shaw guessed that the boss wasn't in the mood to cook for the kids, so he took out his phone to see what takeout to order.

That evening, Amelia Garcia had Shaw take the kids upstairs to rest first, as she had several design drafts to revise.

Busy until the early hours, she finally went upstairs through the security passageway.

Entering the kids' bedroom, she habitually touched the little one's faces and tucked them in, but this time, the touch felt as hot as a branding iron.

Not good, a fever!

She turned on the bedside lamp, flipped over the child to look, and it was Noah.

"Shaw, get up quickly, Noah has a fever. I'm taking him to the emergency room, and you stay with Ethan." After instructing her assistant, Amelia Garcia efficiently grabbed her documents, picked up her elder son, and hurriedly left.

Spending the whole night in pediatric emergency, the doctor said the child had a mild infection in the lungs and recommended hospitalization for observation for two days.

Amelia Garcia did not take it lightly and immediately followed the doctor's advice for hospitalization.

As dawn was breaking, Amelia Garcia was utterly exhausted and fell asleep at the bedside.

Noah woke up, saw his mother sleeping soundly, and considerately didn't disturb her. Feeling unwell, he quietly got out of bed to get some water.

The air conditioning was a bit cold, and his mother was lightly dressed with the blanket trapped under her arm—he didn't dare pull it out. After thinking, he opened the door to go find a nurse to get a blanket.

He didn't know that just last night, right after their hospitalization paperwork was complete and they entered the ward, an ambulance rushed into the emergency department.

His estranged father, holding his sister who was in a high fever delirium, was there seeking medical help alongside him…