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

mom was bathed in the soft glow of natural light streaming through floor-to-ceiling windows. The atmosphere, however, was quite the opposite of serene. He placed the sleek tablet on Alexander's desk with a slight dip of his head, leading the other man's gaze

should see this," Kevin

for the tablet. His eyebrows furrowed as his eyes scanned the email on the screen. He clenched his jaw as he read what was on it, with each word his disbelief grew. The email was

He leaned back in

can't believe this," he muttered

put the tablet on his

the screen, his eyes

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

too much.

really cut him up completely? Did she think so little of him that she wouldn't even ask for his

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

really a great thing but, to bypass him completely, to turn

come to

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 the soft glow of sunlight filtering through the blinds. Her fingers danced across her laptop keyboard with urgency, her focus unbroken until she glanced up and

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

you doing here?" she

to ore, Enuma," he said

clouding in

for the children's VIP treatment, I know it's your doing. But instead of asking her, you should have come to me

I have?" she shot back, her tone sharp. Her gaze flickered out the windows,

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there," she muttered, her voice breaking with a slight quiver but determined. Turning to him once again, she said with hardened eyes. "You and I. Mr.

words were like a gut punch to Alexander. He fought to keep

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

Chapter 64

widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat as she froze. Still unable to form words, she stared after him as he opened the door,

steps cautious in case she woke Ethan. Reaching 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!" she screamed, her voice trembling with anger and despair. "Those children's

Emma clutched her fists onto the cold metal doors. Her mind was racing. She bit hard on

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

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

glared into her laptop, determination flaring in her

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

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 secretary, who looked at her from her

eyes narrowed, and for a second, she

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 insouciantly dazzling and infuriating