Evelyn added, “Instead of going against me, Miss Daisy, why not think about who the woman Conrad is really hiding is? Anyway, when I first met Conrad, the first person I saw at that place was named Lillian. And isn’t it a coincidence that Lillian’s grandmother has the same illness as your grandfather Old Mr. White?”
Daisy’s smile completely disappeared. “What are you trying to say?”
Evelyn stood up, dusted off her sunglasses, and said, “I’m saying that in Conrad’s mind, Old Mr. White isn’t as important as Lillian’s grandmother.”
“Smack!” A slap landed hard on Evelyn’s face.
The malice and resentment in Evelyn’s eyes deeply stung Daisy. Daisy couldn’t be bothered to deal with Evelyn anymore.
“I don’t believe a word of your instigation. If you dare appear in front of me again, I’ll make sure you can’t stay in City N.” Daisy turned and walked away. As she entered the elevator, she looked at Irene. “Find out where Eric is right now.”
Irene nodded. Recently, since Eric had been appearing at the hospital, Daisy had someone following him. However, after following him for more than half a month, they still couldn’t figure out who he was treating.
Daisy hadn’t been able to find Conrad lately and didn’t want to worsen their relationship over this matter. So she simply had someone follow Eric to see if they could uncover any clues on their own. Now, with Evelyn’s words, the details Daisy had previously overlooked, including Conrad’s strange behavior, seemed to make sense.
Lillian. Could all of this be because of Lillian?
She didn’t care about Conrad’s dalliances. But when it came to her grandfather, she couldn’t just let it go. Conrad helped Lillian’s grandmother, even at the risk of offending her family, as if he were slapping her in the face.
“Miss, the bodyguard said Eric is on his way to the hospital and seems to be in a hurry.”
“In a hurry, huh?”
“Intercept him.”
“What if Mr. Conrad finds out?”
“You don’t need to take him away. Just crash his car, okay? Can a doctor still perform surgery after a car accident?”
Irene’s face changed, and Daisy glared at her. “What? Didn’t you understand what I said?”
“Yes…”
******
Meanwhile, when Conrad arrived at the hospital carrying Lillian, they waited and waited, but the ambulance carrying her grandmother didn’t arrive.
“Go check where that vehicle is right now.”
Lillian anxiously looked at Conrad, waiting for news from his side.
Dr. Beck and his team hurriedly returned, and the operating room was ready, waiting for the patient to arrive.
Ford hurried over upon hearing the news. “Mr. Conrad, I just contacted the highway surveillance. There was a pileup on the elevated highway, and Eric’s car was involved. The traffic police and ambulances are on their way to the scene.”
Lillian shot up from her seat. “What! The expert was in a car accident, so what do we do now?”
Ford took a deep breath, adjusting his glasses. “The second piece of news is that the ambulance carrying Grandma Kristin was also caught in the pileup.”
Gordon, Hogan, and others, who had been waiting for news and hadn’t left, were also taken aback. They instinctively glanced at Lillian.
She stood frozen, a buzzing sound in her ears, as if she could no longer hear the outside world.
“Lillian…”
Lillian blinked, but tears suddenly streamed down her face. Trembling, she grabbed Conrad’s sleeve. “Save… think of something. You must have a way.”
Conrad clasped her hand tightly. “Get the helicopter ready, now!”
Ford said, “It’s already arranged, but the fastest it can get there is ten minutes.”
“Attention all drivers, a serious pileup has occurred on the City N elevated highway ahead. Please take a detour.”
Hearing the broadcast, Daisy rolled up the car window. “Take me home.”
When Grandma Kristin was brought to the hospital, Lillian saw her with an oxygen mask, being rushed into the operating room by medical staff. Her legs weakened, almost making her collapse at the door of the operating room, barely supported by Conrad.
“My grandmother, what will happen to her…”
George looked at the light above the operating room, shaking his head. “We’ll do our best, but the window for emergency treatment is limited.” He couldn’t guarantee her survival. Besides, after being in that small hospital in Boyd Town for days, they had no idea how bad her condition had gotten.
From Conrad’s poisoning to Grandma Kristin’s sudden illness, everything seemed too coincidental, almost as if it had been premeditated, designed specifically to target Conrad’s weakness-Lillian.
Now, trying to figure out the motive behind it all was pointless. If Lillian’s grandmother died, that would be truly terrible.
At that point, what would stand between Conrad and Lillian would be a human life. If such a dreadful outcome really happened, how would Lillian manage to go on?
Conrad was about to move Lillian to a nearby seat to rest when the operating room door opened.
Dr. Beck came out, avoiding Lillian’s eyes.
Summoning some unknown strength, Lillian walked toward Dr. Beck. “How is my grandmother? Why is it over so quickly?”
Dr. Beck looked at Lillian and regretfully announced, “Miss Lillian, go in and say your final goodbye.”
Lillian felt her heart sink heavily. She couldn’t describe the feeling. Her knees buckled, almost causing her to collapse. “What did you say?”
Her ears buzzed, making it impossible to hear anything clearly. Dr. Beck’s lips moved, but she couldn’t comprehend a single word.
Conrad supported her from behind, and Dr. Beck apologized directly, “I’m very sorry. We’ve done our best. Go in and say your final goodbye.”
Lillian shook her head. “No, it’s not true. She was fine just now. How could it be the final goodbye? How?”
She clung to Dr. Beck, her face full of hope. “Dr. Beck, you’re joking, right? My grandmother is fine, isn’t she? She won’t have any problems, right? She won’t!”
Dr. Beck took a deep breath and looked at George and the others. “Who is Mr. Conrad? Grandma Kristin has woken up and specifically asked to see him.”
Lillian trembled all over and turned to Conrad. “You go. Go see Grandma. She’ll be fine. You go.”
Conrad felt a dull ache in his chest as he met her eyes, on the verge of collapse.
He swallowed hard and then lifted her in his arms, carrying her directly into the operating room.
The resuscitation efforts had already ceased. Grandma Kristin lay on the operating table, eyes closed, her frail body barely distinguishable.
Conrad brought Lillian to the bedside. Leaning down, he softly called, “Grandma.”
Grandma Kristin, hearing his voice, slightly opened her eyes and shakily reached for Lillian.
“Lillian…”
A layer of mist rose inside the oxygen mask.
Tears streamed down Lillian’s face as she nodded. “I’m here, Grandma. I’m here.”
Grandma Kristin took a breath and said, “Grandma won’t see you grow up and start a family. Smile for Grandma one more time. Grandma will miss Lillian…”
Lillian’s vision blurred with tears, and she forced out a smile, one that looked painfully strained.
Grandma Kristin’s frail hand stroked her face, wiping away the tears. “No more crying. Grandma is just going to another place, to look after Lillian…”
“Grandma, I don’t want you to leave. Don’t leave me behind. You’re the only family I have left. Don’t leave me!” Lillian clutched her hand, sobbing uncontrollably.
Grandma Kristin weakly nodded. “Grandma won’t leave. Grandma remembers. The cherry blossoms should be blooming downstairs at the hospital. Lillian, go pick one for me, will you? Grandma wants to see the cherry blossoms.”
Lillian nodded. “I’ll go right now. Wait for me, Grandma!”
She stood up and stumbled toward the operating room door.
But as she reached the door, her tears silently fell, and she felt a pain so deep it left her voiceless. Gordon and the others watched her collapse at the door, unsure of how to comfort her.