Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring

Chapter 63

The man glanced at the photo but showed no reaction. His face remained stone cold, devoid of remorse. Emma's composure shattered. Tears streamed down her face as she rose to her feet, her voice trembling with grief and rage. "I know you're working for her." she said, her words laced with venom.

That caught his attention. He stopped, tilting his head slightly, but his expression remained guarded

"I don't know what you're talking about," he lied.

"Don't play games with me!" Emma yelled, pounding her hands onto the table. "I know you're in desperate need of money. I've read your file. I can pay you ten times what she did. Just tell me the truth, tell me Annie hired you."

For one fleeting second, a strange look crossed his face; shock or perhaps guilt, but it came and went as fast as the blink of an

eye

"I don't know any Annie." he said coolly. He stood abruptly, signaling to the guard that he was done.

Emma's desperation had peaked. "Ill pay you whatever you want she shouted, her voice breaking. "Just tell me the truth! Is I'll pay you ten times more!

But the man didn't look back. The guard opened the door, and he disappeared without another word.

Jaden stepped forward, pulling Emma close as she wept. "Come on, he softly told her. "Let's go."

Emma whipped her head from side to side, her body buckling with sobs. "He knows something. I need to know who's behind this, Jaden. I need to know!" Jaden's face darkened. "He's not going to talk, Emma."

All the way back to the hospital, Emma's phone buzzed. She opened the message and it was from the victims' WhatsApp group-a chat created to keep all the parents informed. Her heart sank as she read the latest update. Two children had succumbed to their injuries, and three others had turned for the worse.

Her hands were shaking, tears streaming down her face. "Jaden," he said, her voice breaking, "we have to go back to the hospital. Now"

"What happened?" Jaden asked, his face etched with concern.

Her voice couldn't cut through the lump in her throat. Most of the injured children had been taken to Blackthorn Hospital, since it was the closest hospital to the daycare. But unlike Ethan who had access to the best VIP care money could buy, these children had been treated in the regular wards. And now, two of them were gone.

When they finally arrived, the scene was one of chaos: wailing families of the deceased, their cries echoing down the halls, parents embracing each other, Beyond consolation at unimaginable losses. Emma stood in shock, eaten by guilt feelings

She couldn't get rid of the thought that this was all because of her. She had been so preoccupied with Ethan's recovery that she didn't check on the other families. Now, it was too late.

Tears blurred her vision as she turned and walked away, her heart heavy with grief and regret. She couldn't hear to face the parents anguish any longer. What kind of monster could orchestrate such a thing? And how could Annie have thought this was a good ideat She dried her tears and went to check up on Emily, who was being treated in her VIP room for her rare condition. Once she found Emily was stable, she pulled out her laptop, turned it on, and logged into her e-mail. She may have lost those two children, but that didn't mean she had to fail the others.

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taut with urgency. The mom was bathed in the soft glow of natural light streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows. The atmosphere, however, was quite the opposite

should

read what was on it, with each word his disbelief grew. The email was from W2 HOLDINGS.

gesture. He leaned back in his chair, the tablet still in his

can't believe this,"

bitter laugh as he put the tablet

the screen, his eyes

shot to Emma. He knew how she was connected to W2 HOLDINGS, but this this was

too much.

W2 HOLDINGS and not approach him first? Had she really cut him up completely? Did she think so little of

as he stood abruptly, scraping his chair on the floor.

to bypass him completely, to turn to someone else for something so important-it stung

"You should've come to

Ethan's room, he tapped gently. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. Deciding to step in, he opened the door to find Emma sitting by the window, bathed in

swift, nervous movement, she snapped her laptop shut

are you doing here?" she

have come to ore, Enuma," he

her face clouding in bewilderment. "What are

stepped close, his eyes unrelenting. "Mrs. Walker's daughter contacted me. She wants to cover for the children's VIP treatment, I know it's your doing. But instead of

indiference. "And why should I have?" she shot back, her tone sharp. Her gaze flickered out the windows, coming to rest on a man waiting at the crosswalk across the

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slight quiver but determined. Turning to him once again, she said with hardened eyes. "You and I. Mr. Black, are nothing but strangers now. You made sure of that five

like a gut punch to Alexander. He fought to keep his cool, but his eyes clouded over, cold

lying so still in the hospital bed, tubes and machines surrounding him. You're not as innocent as you want everyone to think." Emma's jaw clenched, and her voice dropped perilously low. "I appped caring about your opinion a long time ago, Mr. Black. Whatever you think of me, I couldn't

Chapter 64

shock, her breath catching in her throat as she froze. Still unable to form words, she stared after him as he opened the door, stepped out, and firmly closed

the elevator just as the doors slid shut, she pounded on them in frustration, her voice rising in desperation. "You can't do that, Alexander!"

Alexander out of reach. Standing there, Emma clutched her fists onto the cold metal doors. Her mind was racing. She bit hard on her bottom lip, holding back frustration tears as she went storming back

the window, Emma buried her face in her hands. The weight of the situation weighed heavily upon her. She blamed herself

Their wails ringing in her head. Lives would probably be lost if Alexander

the tears streaking her cheeks and glared into her laptop, determination flaring in her eyes. She might have failed to persuade Alexander,

other way. Whatever it would take, she was determined those children were going to

standing in front of Alexander's office door; her determination was shaken, but what she wanted to do and why was crystal clear in her mind. She had to talk to him, reason with him for the children's sake. She took a deep breath and walked over to his

moment. The secretary politely said. Emma's eyes narrowed, and for a second, she did not

heart racing, but she quickly stopped dead in her tracks. There he was, Alexander, leaning back in his chair loosely, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, tie loose, and the top two buttons of his shirt undone. His hair was just a little ruffled, as if he had been running his