Chapter 40
Hubert’s face flushed with anger as he reprimanded Rooney sharply, his voice rising in frustration.
Rooney, startled by her father’s outburst, trembled with fear. Realizing her mistake, she quickly shut her mouth, obediently lowering her head.
Helena shot her mother an exasperated glance. While she admired many aspects of her mother, her inability to filter her words was a constant source of irritation.
They had managed to keep Herman’s critical condition a secret—now it had been brought into the open. What would happen if Grandpa regained his memory? Could their family remain safe?
Hubert glanced nervously at his father and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Herman pinching the bridge of his nose in distress.
Lauren, trying to defuse the tension, spoke with a faint smile. “Dad, you heard everything, right? You were indeed critically ill and admitted to Jonford Hospital. Mr. Dean even brought in Miracle Doctor Tanner, but they couldn’t help you. It was Nash who saved you…”
Hubert’s face turned red with anger as he cut her off. “Lauren, enough with these lies! Stop spreading nonsense!”
Harrison, cold and biting, countered, “Who exactly is spreading nonsense about the truth?”
Before the argument could escalate further, Herman’s booming voice silenced everyone. “Enough!” His roar was commanding, his presence as the patriarch demanding respect.
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Herman’s eyes narrowed as he addressed his sons. “Now is not the time to argue over my health…”
His authority was undeniable, and the room was still.
Turning to Jupiter, he added, “Chief Holt, I trust you’ll conduct a thorough investigation tonight. Tomorrow, I will ensure the security system of the Lewis estate is reinforced.”
Jupiter nodded, his expression serious. “Rest assured, Mr. Lewis. We’ll uncover the true culprit before the night is over.”
Herman rose from his seat and surveyed both families with a steely gaze. “You all have work tomorrow. Go and get some rest.”
After the tense meeting, Nash returned to the ground floor of the building. He carefully avoided the cameras, moving stealthily like a shadow, before crawling along the wall to enter the apartment unit.
Once inside, he quickly freshened up and slipped into the bed where Hera had once slept. The soft, fuzzy blanket enveloped him, offering a rare comfort.
His phone buzzed beneath the pillow. A message from Hera caught his eye:
“There was a shooting incident at home. It was terrifying. It would’ve been great if you were by my side!”
Nash’s fingers moved quickly as he typed a reply, sending it with haste.
Seconds later, her response appeared.
“Did you give Mr. Lewis the medicine?”
Nash replied, assuring her, “Yes, I did.”
“I bought the medicine, and my mom is working on how to communicate with Maria. Why are you up so late?”
He quickly typed, “I had a nightmare.”
Her response came almost immediately.
“Are you scared? Come here, I’ll give you a hug!”
Nash chuckled, his earlier tension easing as he read her message.
“What’s there for a grown man like me to be afraid of? Go to sleep quickly!”
“Heh, what a typical man. I’m going to sleep now. Goodnight!”
With that, Hera huffily placed her phone down and went to sleep, her earlier panic forgotten.
Meanwhile, Herman sat in his room, lost in thought. He had been searching his phone contacts, trying to find Mr. Dean’s number. But after a long while, he realized he couldn’t find it.
Harrison had mentioned that Mr. Dean was his old comrade. If that were true, surely he’d have saved the number.
Frustrated, Herman’s eyes scanned the screen and then landed on Mr. Zoel’s contact. After a brief pause, he made the decision to call him.
“M-Mr. Lewis?” Adam’s voice trembled on the other end.
“Mr. Zoel, was I terminally ill with cancer before?” Herman asked, his voice calm but intense.
“No…” Adam replied quickly, sounding slightly confused.
Herman’s eyes flickered with uncertainty, but he didn’t let it show. “Please help me get Mr. Dean’s phone number from Jonford Hospital.”
Adam paused, his confusion clear. “Okay, Mr. Lewis. Please wait a moment…”
As he reached for his tablet, he noticed Helena’s profile on WhatsApp. After a brief pause, he typed a message:
“Ms. Lewis, Mr. Herman asked me to get Mr. Dean’s phone number for him…”
Almost instantly, a reply appeared.
“Let him know. We’ve already communicated with the hospital about it…”
Adam read the message, his brow furrowing in confusion.