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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Chapter 6

soft glow of natural light streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows. The atmosphere, however, was quite the

you should see this," Kevin

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

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

can't believe this,"

scoff graduated into a bitter laugh as he put the tablet on his

the screen, his eyes

Emma. He knew how she was

too much.

not approach him first? Had she really cut him up completely? Did she

stood abruptly, scraping his chair on the floor. He was not one to

great thing but, to bypass him completely, to turn to someone else for

come to me, Emma," he muttered

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

went cold, and in a swift, nervous movement, she snapped her laptop shut and stood, as if to guard something

you doing

laced with something near regret. "You could have come to

her face clouding in bewilderment. "What

daughter contacted me. She wants to cover for the children's VIP treatment, I know it's your doing. But instead of asking

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 street. Her fists clenched, almost as

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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 years ago when you

to Alexander. He fought to keep

this at my doorstep, Emma' he returned, his tone going cold. His gaze darted fleetingly to Ethan, 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 care less. Now, if you don't mund. I'd like you to leave. I don't want you here." Alexander turned, his expression unreadable, and walked toward the door. But just as he reached for the doorknob, he stopped, his hand lingering on the polished metal. He turned his head slightly, his voice cutting through the tense silence. "Tell your

Chapter 64

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

the elevator just as the doors slid shut, she pounded on them

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 to

hands. The weight of the situation weighed heavily upon her. She blamed herself for pushing Alexander, for letting her emotions get the better of her. If she had kept her temper in check, maybe he

for the children who were still fighting for their lives. She simply couldn't clear the vision of the weeping parents she had just passed. Their wails ringing in her head. Lives would probably be lost if Alexander clung on to his decision, and it would be a guilt she would carry all her life with

wiped away the tears streaking her cheeks and glared into her laptop, determination flaring in her eyes. She might have

find some other way. Whatever it would take, she was

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

narrowed, and for a second, she did not believe her. Tll check for myself." she firmly said, pushing past the woman before she could

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 hands through it in frustration. Emma's breath caught in her throat. How could anyone look so