Chapter 253 Safety Concerns at the Hospital?

Katherine's POV

I gathered my things, preparing to visit Anthony at the hospital. I'd prepared a special nutritional meal for him, hoping it might help improve his condition. As I checked my purse one last time, I turned to face my four children who were lined up in the foyer.

"You four behave yourselves while I'm gone," I said. "If anything happens, tell your father immediately, understand?"

Emma bounced up and down on the balls of her toes, her eyes shining with a childish determination that was both endearing and fierce. "Don't worry, Mom!" she exclaimed with unwavering enthusiasm. "We are gonna take super good care of Dad! We've got a whole plan and everything."

William, standing a bit straighter, nodded solemnly, his small face mirroring a sense of responsibility beyond his years.

"Yes!" he chimed in firmly. "We're going to be with him all the time. We won't let anything bad happen to Dad ever again."

Ethan, the quiet one of the group, didn't utter a word. Instead, he silently shuffled to stand right beside Emma, his presence a silent but powerful statement of solidarity.

Ryan, meanwhile, looked every bit the little businessman in his neatly pressed clothes.

"Mom, the car is ready for you," Ryan announced, checking his watch with a seriousness that seemed comical on his young face. "You should leave now or you'll be late."

I couldn't help but smile at his authoritative tone.

"Remember to call me if anything happens," Ryan added, his small brow furrowed with concern.

I ruffled his hair affectionately. "Yes, Mr. CEO," I teased.

Ryan's cheeks flushed red. "Mom! Just go already."

Alexander walked me to the car, his arm wrapped possessively around my waist. When we reached the vehicle, he opened the door for me, then leaned in to fasten my seatbelt himself.

"What are you doing?" I asked. "Are you planning to come with me?"

His eyes twinkled mischievously. "I could."

"Go back inside," I said, giving him a gentle push. "The children are waiting for you."

Instead of moving away, Alexander leaned closer, his expression suddenly soft and boyish. "Come home soon, okay?" he said, winking. "The kids and I will be waiting. I'll make something delicious for you. How does that sound?"

I stared at him, bewildered by this playful, almost childish side of him. This was so unlike the commanding, authoritative Alexander Hudson I'd known.

"Alexander Hudson," I said firmly, emphasizing each word, "get back in the house right now!"

He straightened up and gave me a mock salute. "Yes, ma'am!"

Thirty minutes later, I arrived at the private hospital. Before entering Anthony's room, I paused to check my appearance in a small mirror, wanting to make a good impression.

Anthony had always treated me so well, just like his own daughter. The least I could do was dress nicely for him.

"Dad!" I called cheerfully as I walked into the ward, adding, "Katherine's here to see you!"

But once inside, I noticed Selena wasn't there again, and couldn't help but frown slightly.

My breath caught. The sight before me made my heart clench painfully. Anthony lay in bed, his face so pale, etched with a weariness that stole the familiar light from his features. 

The easy vitality I cherished was gone. His eyes, which always sparked with welcome when they landed on me, were vacant now, searching but not quite finding me.

"Is that... Katherine?" he asked, his voice thin and reedy, barely audible.

"Yes, it's me," I replied softly, stepping closer, trying to project a calm I didn't feel. "What's going on? Did you miss me terribly?"

He squinted at me, his gaze unfocused. "Katherine... Katherine looks like this..."

Something is very wrong, I thought, alarm bells ringing in my head. This wasn't just the normal progression of his memory issues. He'd recognized me perfectly fine just last week.

"Dad, are you tired?" I asked gently, setting the food container on his bedside table. "Why don't you rest a bit? We can eat when you wake up, okay?"

I helped him lie back against his pillows, and within minutes, he had drifted into an uneasy sleep. My chest ached as I watched him.

Despite not being my biological father, he'd shown me more paternal love than Scott ever had. The thought that he might eventually recover but no longer recognize me as someone he cared for filled me with a complex sadness.

At the nurses' station, I approached a nurse who had been caring for Anthony regularly.

"Excuse me," I said, keeping my voice low. "What's happened to Mr. Garcia? Why is his mental state so deteriorated? Has his condition worsened?"

The nurse looked genuinely puzzled. "That's what's so strange. According to his diagnosis, Mr. Garcia might not remember past events, but he shouldn't be this lethargic. The doctors can't find anything obviously wrong."

My mind immediately jumped to possible causes. "Could it be a medication issue? An incorrect dosage perhaps?"

The nurse replied with professional confidence, "I can assure you that's absolutely impossible. Our doctors are extremely thorough and professional."

Something about her quick dismissal didn't sit right with me. "What about his care routine? Could something in his daily care be causing this decline?"

The nurse's back straightened slightly. "This is one of Seattle's finest private hospitals. We would never have any safety issues. The doctors are still running tests. Please don't worry."

Safety issues? I hadn't mentioned safety concerns. Why would she bring that up unprompted?

As I murmured my thanks to the nurse and started back towards Anthony's room, my mind became a whirlwind, churning with suspicion.

The nurse's defensiveness, her strangely volunteered reassurances about safety when I hadn't even asked—it all screamed that something was fundamentally wrong.

A chilling thought began to take root, gnawing at me: could someone be intentionally harming Anthony? 

And layered on top of that, Selena's constant absence whenever I visited felt deeply unsettling, another discordant note in this whole situation. 

If there was some sinister plot unfolding, who stood to benefit from his decline?

I risked a quick, furtive glance back at the nurses' station, my eyes narrowing instinctively.

An undeniable tension hung in the air of this hospital, thickened now by my own growing dread. It felt like an invisible shroud had fallen, hiding something dark. 

Selena's persistent unavailability couldn't just be coincidence, could it?