Chapter 269

Ralph's POV

Standing in the hallway of the VIP hospital room, through the glass window, I could see Scarlett's pale face lying quietly on the bed, like a framed painting.

Yvette stood by Scarlett's bedside, her hands trembling as she reached for her neck.

I heard her muttering something, her twisted face full of hatred.

"If it weren't for her, when mother escaped from Obsidian Palace, she would have chosen me!"

I let out a cold laugh.

How dare she try to harm someone I had my eye on, right in my territory?

Just as her hands were about to touch Scarlett's neck, I rushed into the room and forcefully pushed her away.

Yvette stumbled and crashed into the medical equipment by the wall, letting out a cry of alarm.

"Yvette, you're quite bold, aren't you?"

Yvette curled up, her face filled with fear.

"Ralph, I..."

I leaned close to her, lowering my voice: "If you don't want to go back to Marvin, you'd better behave yourself, and also..."

I pulled out my phone from my pocket and waved it in front of her, "Drop those little schemes of yours. Want to kill her? See if you have what it takes. The surveillance cameras caught everything."

Fear flashed in Yvette's eyes as she slunk out of the hospital room.

The room fell silent again, with only the sound of medical equipment echoing in the empty space.

I pulled up a chair and sat by Scarlett's bedside, watching her quietly.

Gently brushing aside the hair on her forehead, a strange feeling welled up inside me.

"I wonder..." I said softly, my voice particularly clear in the silent hospital room, "if Alexander knew you've lost your memory, would he be disappointed?"

A smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. "I asked the attending physician, there's a medication that can keep you in this state. How wonderful would it be if you never remembered Alexander?"

I leaned close to her ear and whispered: "From now on, I'll be your husband."

Once this thought appeared in my mind, it was like a seed taking root in fertile soil, impossible to remove.

I recalled childhood memories.

Father Richard and mother's marriage was never happy. Richard flirted with women outside, and mother progressed from arguments to extreme behavior, gradually spiraling into breakdown.

I still remember that day when mother locked herself in the bathroom.

I stood outside the bathroom door, listening to the sound of water, not knowing it would be the last time I heard mother's voice.

In contrast, Alexander's father and mother were deeply in love. They always appeared hand in hand at various events, and Alexander grew up in an environment filled with love.

At first, I only envied him, but later, this envy gradually transformed into bone-deep jealousy and hatred.

"How wonderful would it be if you never remembered anything."

I held Scarlett's hand, feeling the warmth of her palm.

Just then, I noticed her eyelids flutter slightly, and then she opened her eyes.

I was momentarily stunned, then smiled.

"What's wrong, Sylvia?"

I asked gently, with a tenderness I had never shown before. "Are you hungry? Shall I call a nurse to bring some food?"

Scarlett frowned slightly, her eyes filled with confusion: "Sylvia? Is that my name?"

She tried to sit up but seemed forced to stop due to a headache.

I felt a surge of joy. It seemed she really had lost her memory.

This plan might actually work.

"Yes."

I put on an aggrieved expression. "Your name is Sylvia, my wife. Surely you haven't forgotten your own husband?"

Scarlett's gaze wandered, scanning the luxurious hospital room: "I didn't mean that..." She paused, uncertainty in her voice. "My mind is in chaos right now, I can't remember anything. Am I really your wife?"

I looked at her with even more hurt: "You don't believe me? Sylvia, do you feel I wasn't good enough to you before, so you're deliberately forgetting me now?"

Scarlett became flustered: "That's not what I meant, I just..." She saw the tears in my eyes, and her expression grew more unsettled. "Don't cry."

She reached out, seemingly wanting to wipe away my tears, but hesitated just before touching my cheek.

A surge of anger rose within me, but I forced myself to suppress it.

"Sylvia, you really don't believe me?" I questioned, my voice filled with injury.

I took out the pre-prepared "marriage certificate" and photos with Scarlett from my pocket.

The photos were carefully crafted, showing us standing in a garden, looking blissfully happy.

"This is our marriage registration document. We've been married for over a year now."

I showed her the forged evidence. "Do you remember when we were on the cruise ship..."

Scarlett looked at the evidence in confusion: "I..."

I could see the struggle within her.

Although the face in the photos was indeed hers, she clearly had no memory of me.

For a moment, I worried she might see through the lie, but she eventually just frowned slightly, seemingly accepting this reality.

"Don't overthink it," I consoled her gently. "The doctor said your memory loss is temporary. You'll recover soon."

Of course, I would ensure she would never regain her memory.

I leaned in to kiss her cheek, but she instinctively pulled away.

This small gesture was somewhat hurtful, but I told myself to be patient.

After all, in her memory, I was a stranger.

"You need to rest," I stood up, adjusting my expression. "I'll talk to the doctor and see when you can be discharged."

Stepping out of the room, I took a deep breath, feeling an unprecedented excitement.

In the hallway, Tristan was waiting for me.

Seeing his anxious expression, I knew something had happened.

Two bodyguards stood at the end of the corridor, vigilantly monitoring the entire area.

"Alexander was taken away by Isabel," Tristan reported in a low voice. "And the FBI Financial Crimes Investigation Unit has also gotten involved. Ralph, we should keep a low profile for now."

I saw Tristan's gaze shift past my shoulder toward Scarlett in the hospital room.

I knew what he was thinking—this woman would bring us unnecessary trouble.

"Ralph, why don't I arrange for Scarlett to be discharged now? We could move to another location?" Tristan suggested.

I nodded: "Go ahead and arrange it. Also, have someone keep a close eye on Yvette. How's the background check on her coming along?"

"It's in progress," Tristan replied.

I leaned against the corridor window, looking at the night view outside: "Speaking of which, where is Alexander now?"

"I heard there were some complications during the rescue process. Isabel has taken him to a private hospital in Silverpeak City," Tristan said, with a hint of satisfaction on his face. "According to our intelligence, he likely won't be able to return to Silverlight City anytime soon. However, Marvin is still here. Ralph, what do you think we should do now?"

"What to do..." I laughed coldly. "Given his current position, each additional day he spends in Silverlight City will further damage his reputation. Isn't their concern all about their present status?"

I turned to Tristan, my expression becoming serious: "Go, have people continue to monitor Marvin, preferably create some unfavorable news about him to pass to Bernard. We need to act quickly; I don't want to waste any more time in this godforsaken place."

Tristan smiled: "No problem, that's a small matter. After all, the winds are changing in Silverlight City."

Just as I was about to return to the hospital room, Tristan suddenly remembered something and lowered his voice: "By the way, Richard just called and said..." He hesitated, his expression becoming strange. "He's getting married."

This news hit me like a bucket of ice water.

"What did you say? He's getting married?"

I couldn't believe my ears. Although there had been rumors earlier that Richard had a new woman by his side, I never thought he would actually take the step of marriage.

"Ralph..." Tristan's expression was complex, as if he wanted to say something but didn't know how to begin.

I turned around, looking at the night view of Silverlight City through the window, forcing myself to calm down: "It doesn't matter..." I tried to make my voice sound unconcerned. "Anyway, if I don't go back, he can't formally announce the marriage."

"But I am curious about what kind of woman my future stepmother is, to have captured his heart so completely."

Tristan avoided my gaze: "That remains unknown..."