Chapter 136
Chapter 136
Seeing Anthony retum, Alice, who had been anxiously waiting in the hospital room, immediately pressed, “Anthony, who was it?”.
Anthony loosened his tie, then took a few sips of water. After steadying himself, he said, “Grandma”
Alice paled in horror. “What do we do? She heard everything.”
If it had been anyone else, they might’ve bribed them to stay silent. But Margaret? Once she knew their secrets, she’d act. “We’re finished Alice muttered, her voice trembling.
“What’s there to fear?” Anthony’s gaze turned icy as it landed on her. “She’s unconscious at the bottom of the stairs. I’ll handle the surveillance footage, His tone hardened. “No matter who asks, you stick to the story–you never saw her.”
At that, Alice realized with a pang of guilt that she’d actually felt relieved hearing Margaret was unconscious. Her eyes fell on the gift box by the door, and she shut them weakly. There was no way for her to return kindness.
When Eliana heard about Margaret’s accident from Lainey, her first instinct was to look at Theodore. But his expression was unreadable–was he so devastated that he couldn’t even show it?
In the suffocating silence, Theodore finally asked, “How did Grandma get hurt?”
Lainey flinched under his cold stare but repeated Anthony’s script. “Anthony said she slipped and fell down the stairs while visiting Alice. She’s in the ICU now.”
Eliana couldn’t put her dread into words. She was terrified–not just that Margaret might not recover, but that others would blame her. After all, Margaret had gone to see Alice, the woman “she’d pushed off a cliff.”
But right now, she was more worried about Theodore. She stepped closer and gently touched his arm, only to find his muscles rigid with tension. “Mr. Russell,” she whispered, “are you okay?”
Theodore turned to her, his eyes stormy. “I need to go to Amberhold.”
“I’ll come with you,” said Eliana.
“Don’t.” His reply was curt. He grabbed his black coat and strode out without another word.
Eliana’s heart sank. He didn’t say it, but she knew–he blamed her for all this misfortune.
Suddenly, she remembered Daniel’s heirloom emerald necklace. She rushed after him. “Mr. Russell!”
Theodore turned just as he finished putting on his shoes. Eliana skidded to a stop in front of him, breathless.
He asked, “What is it?”
She opened her palm, revealing the necklace. “Please return this to Daniel for me.”
Theodore’s frown deepened at the sight of it. He snatched it without a word and left.
Eliana smiled faintly, tears slipping free. Better to give it back now than wait for the Russells to demand it.
Lainey sneered from behind her. “I told you–you’re a curse. Everyone around you suffers.”
Eliana wiped her tears and ignored her.
Lainey wasn’t done. “If Margaret dies, Theo’s first move will be divorcing you. Brace yourself.”
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Chapter 136
The next day. Theodors antived at Amberhold, in the surveillance room, the technician sweat bullets as Theodore replayed the footage ovat aved over khew the video had been doctored but Theodore’s scrutiny was relentless.
Anthony shot him a look, and the man stammered, “Mr. Russell, this is all there is. Margaret lost her footing and fell.”
Theodore replayed it again. The clip showed Margaret reaching Alice’s floor, then suddenly stepping backward–into empty air. She tumbled down blood pooling beneath her head.
The technician forced a shaky smile. “If you have questions, Mr. Russell, we can discuss them together now.”
“The elevators were right there,” Theodore cut in coldly. “Why take the stairs?”
The staff member was stunned by this question and then licked his lips. “P–probably too crowded, so she chose the stairs instead?”
Theodore didn’t respond. “Copy this for me.”
The man hurried to comply.
Once Theodore left with the USB, the technician whispered to Anthony, “Mr. Anthony, I risked my neck for you.”
Anthony patted his shoulder. “The money will be in your account. Don’t worry.”
“Theodore.” Alice, still in her hospital gown, rose unsteadily when she spotted him outside the ICU. She looked so fragile.
Theodore gave her a nod before approaching Daniel. “Grandpa.”
Daniel came back to his senses and said in a hoarse voice, “Theo, sit. The doctors… they say she might not wake up.”
Theodore’s jaw tightened. “She will.”
Alice clenched her fists. She thought, ‘Margaret can’t wake up. If she does, we will surely be ruined.‘
Just then, the ICU doors opened. The hospital director emerged. “Good news–Margaret’s awake.”
“What?” Alice gasped.
“Yes, she’s conscious,” the director repeated. “But her condition is unstable. You can see her briefly.”
Daniel’s face lit with hope. “Theo, did you hear? She’s awake.”
Theodore’s stoic mask cracked–just slightly. In the footage, Margaret had lost critical blood before being found. At her age, with a head injury, survival
alone was a miracle.
Daniel took a shaky breath. “I have to see her.”
Alice stood frozen.
Anthony, fresh from the surveillance room, sidled up to her. “What’s wrong?”
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