Chapter 84 Revealing True Feelings

Chapter 84 Revealing True Feelings

When Alexander discovered all this information, he wanted nothing more than to kill Harold.

"Did you feel guilty for not protecting her when you found out what I'd done?" Harold asked, his eyes bloodshot. "Let me tell you, what I did was far worse than you could imagine. I even poisoned her. I made her lose a third of her stomach. Do you know how I felt when I saw her lying in that hospital bed, barely clinging to life?"

Harold stared at Alexander, finding no satisfaction in his revenge, only self-loathing. "I suddenly realized I'd directed my hatred toward an innocent person, adding more misery to her already tragic life. I'm a monster. And then, to make matters worse, I fell in love with Sienna. She's so good, so exceptional, while I'm like a rat in the gutter. How pathetic—I've become everything I despised."

Alexander gave a cold laugh. "You are despicable, and you certainly don't deserve Sienna. I first encountered her ten years ago, though I'd known of her much earlier. As a child, Sienna was bright, happy, and mischievous. I'd been watching her from afar for years before finally having a legitimate reason to meet her."

Alexander rarely revealed his inner thoughts, but today, facing Harold, he opened up. "We met but never truly connected. I'm actually quite a coward. Every time she came close, I retreated, feeling I wasn't good enough for her. Pushing away the person I loved most has been my life's greatest regret." He stood up, grinding his cigarette butt under his heel. "Harold, someone with darkness in their heart can never really receive true love, because real feelings are always a two-way street."

"I won't interfere with what happens to you—that's for the Smith family to decide. But I can tell you this: the Smith family wasn't your enemy. You were merely a pawn used against them."

As Alexander left the basement, he encountered Ethan, who was leaning against the wall with his phone, arms crossed.

"That was a pretty heartfelt confession. Why not just tell Sienna?" Ethan asked with a smirk.

Alexander didn't miss a beat. "If you met a girl you liked, would you just go up and tell her how you feel?"

Ethan shook his head. "Nah, I'm more the strong, silent type. Usually, it's the women who confess to me, not the other way around."

Alexander chuckled—they really were two of a kind.

"Ethan, Harold is your responsibility now. You know my temper—if he were left in my hands, he probably wouldn't live to see tomorrow."

"Consider it a favor I owe you. I don't want Sienna troubled by Harold's affairs."

Alexander nodded. He would never tell Sienna that Harold's actions stemmed from twisted love turned to hatred. That secret would go to his grave.

Daniel and Aria never expected to find themselves at the Smith estate, reunited with Henry, William, and Olivia. The children were equally surprised to see their great-grandparents, though their joy quickly turned to concern when they saw the elderly couple confined to hospital beds.

"Great-grandma, are you in pain? Let me check," William said, approaching Aria's bedside.

"Great-grandpa, I'll check on you too," Henry offered.

Aria beamed with delight. "My precious little ones! I've missed you terribly."

Sienna watched from the side, gathering the children onto her lap. "Grandma, focus on getting better. The children are doing well, so please don't worry."

Aria, ever the optimist, smiled. "Well, every cloud has a silver lining. This isn't so bad after all."

Amara entered the room, noticing how fond the children were of the elderly pair. They must have treated the children well.

"Mr. and Mrs. Knight, I apologize for your distress," she said formally.

Daniel looked at Amara with a slight smile. "Mrs. Smith, there's no need for such formality. If anyone should apologize, it's the Knight family for the years of hardship Sienna endured."

Amara remained silent on this point. While Sienna's suffering concerned her deeply, she couldn't bring herself to speak harshly in front of the elderly couple.

"What's past is past," she finally said. "The future depends on them. These three wonderful children and Sienna's return to the Smith family are what matter to me. As long as Sienna is happy, I have no complaints."

Aria visibly relaxed. Amara's elegant demeanor impressed her—a stark contrast to the Blake family.

"Mrs. Smith speaks wisely," Aria agreed. "Alexander made mistakes that hurt Sienna, but going forward, she'll be in charge of Knight family affairs. We stand firmly with Sienna."

Alexander walked in just as Aria finished speaking, and couldn't help but smile ruefully.

"Grandpa, Grandma, are you feeling better?" he asked.

Aria shot him a withering look. "If I waited for your concern, I'd be discharged already. Listen here—you've made some dangerous enemies. You'd better protect Sienna and the children properly, understood?"

Alexander nodded solemnly. "I understand. From now on, all Knight family assets belong to Sienna. I'm just here to work for her."

Aria nodded approvingly. "Men with money turn rotten. You're better off penniless."

This philosophy seemed to resonate with Amara, causing all three women to laugh. Daniel gave Alexander a calculating look—the young man was clever indeed, no wonder he'd earned Sienna's forgiveness so quickly.

The Smith family handled Harold's punishment. Though they spared his life, they exiled him to an impoverished region far away. Whether he survived would depend entirely on his own resourcefulness.

After James recovered from his injuries, he remained dejected. "We grew up together, and he stabbed me in the back—literally. Ethan, I just can't make sense of it."

"You're a doctor afraid of getting stabbed? Patch yourself up and stop whining," Ethan retorted. "Now get back to the hospital. Mom and Dad are retiring, so it's your responsibility now."

James wanted to protest but ultimately accepted reality and returned to work.

Alexander spent his days at home with the children, which Sienna found rather strange.

"Alexander, have you committed to being a full-time family man?" she asked one evening.

Alexander smiled, pulling her into his embrace. "There's nothing wrong with that. I've neglected you all for years—spending time with you is the least I can do." He paused. "I heard you're planning to work at the Smith family hospital?"

Sienna nodded. "James asked for my help—says he can't manage alone. I might as well do something productive with my time."

Alexander supported her decision. He had his own important task: driving the children to school each day.

However, on the very first day, he received a call from the school. When he arrived, he found his three children lined up against the wall—Henry tallest, William in the middle, and little Olivia shortest—looking like bars on a cell phone signal.

The principal frowned severely. "Mr. Knight, your children started a fight on their very first day. We don't accept such behavior at our institution. I suggest you withdraw them immediately."