Chapter 218

The driver had already brought the car around, but Rachel didn't get in with her parents into it. "Mom, Dad, you go ahead. I'll come home later."

Before she finished speaking, Rachel was already running off.

"Rachel!"

No matter how her parents called after her, she didn't look back.

Rachel ran to the roadside and wandered aimlessly, her heart full of resentment and hurt. Not knowing where to go, she could only drift along the streets until the sky gradually darkened, then reluctantly made her way toward the Carter Manor.

In prison, Emily unexpectedly saw a financial news segment on TV.

While reporting on the Carter Group's annual financial summary, the final shot briefly showed Ethan and Christina attending a business summit—a moment Emily caught precisely.

Following others' example, she secretly bribed a guard and got ten minutes of phone time.

She quickly confirmed that Christina had returned to Emerald City and that the two were back together.

Ethan not only brought Christina to various business events but also took her and her son Henry to Elizabeth's birthday celebration.

This clearly threatened her son Nolan's position in the Carter Family.

That night, Emily attempted suicide, reportedly using a sharpened toothbrush handle to slash her wrists...

After two days of observation in the hospital, Christina's dizziness had significantly improved.

In the hospital room that morning, the doctor was making his routine rounds.

"How is it?" Ethan, who was by her side, asked nervously.

"Her head is fine," the doctor said, putting his instruments back into his white coat pocket while organizing his notes. "However, the transplant surgery date has been set. For the next week, there absolutely cannot be any incidents, or it will affect the scheduled surgery."

Ethan breathed a sigh of relief, then became even more cautious. "Understood, thank you, doctor."

"We'll observe for another half day today. If the patient shows no abnormalities, she can be discharged this afternoon. Go home and take good care of your body and mind to prepare for the surgery in a week."

Ethan walked the doctor to the door and spoke with him in a low voice for a few more moments.

When he returned to the room, Christina was on the phone with Henry.

He didn't notice that someone was standing outside the hospital room door. The conversation he'd just had with the doctor had been overheard entirely by Rachel.

Rachel had been forced by her parents to come to the hospital to visit Christina. Not far behind her, two bodyguards were monitoring her every move.

Ever since she came back from outside last time, her parents had completely lost trust in her. Afraid she'd cause more trouble, they'd hired bodyguards to watch her constantly—she had no personal freedom at all.

She'd come to the hospital and even bought flowers, but her heart was filled with growing hatred for Christina.

Her current situation was all Christina's fault.

"So she wasn't injured from a fall at all—she has cancer! Why should I be the scapegoat?" Rachel stood in the hallway, muttering to herself through gritted teeth.

Just as she was about to throw the flowers in her hands to the ground, the two bodyguards monitoring her immediately stepped forward, ready to drag her back to her parents.

Rachel had no choice but to stop, forcibly suppress her anger, and compose herself.

Inside the room, Christina was on a video call, her tone cheerful, and Ethan's expression was particularly gentle.

Rachel knocked lightly on the door. Christina and Ethan turned simultaneously, their eyes meeting hers through the observation window. Both their faces instantly tensed.

Rachel could only push open the door. Christina immediately ended the call.

The previously harmonious room fell silent the moment she entered.

Rachel spoke first. "Ethan, Christina."

No one responded. She clutched the bouquet tighter and continued awkwardly, "What happened that day was impulsive on my part. Christina, I also want to apologize for many things in the past. I hope you and Ethan can forgive me."

This humble, apologetic Rachel surprised both Christina and Ethan.

"Really? Do you know what you did wrong?" Ethan finally spoke, his tone skeptical.

Rachel nodded repeatedly. "I know, I know everything."

"I brought you flowers too. I'm sincerely here to apologize." She placed the flowers in Christina's arms on the bed. "Grandma already punished me. I still have wounds on my back—they've only gotten a bit better these past few days. I really know I was wrong."

Ethan was silent for a few seconds, his gaze scrutinizing Rachel. After a long pause, he said gravely, "I hope you mean what you say." He took the flowers from Christina's arms and placed them on the bedside table.

To convince Ethan, Rachel added, "Yesterday I thought it through and talked to my parents. I'll go to the Carter Group's branch in Aetheria."

Ethan was somewhat surprised and asked, "You don't blame me?"

"No, I know you're doing this for my own good. I've been spoiled and reckless. It's been so long since graduation and I've done nothing. You're sending me abroad to train, to start from the bottom, because you want me to learn responsibility and be accountable for my own life."

Ethan could tell these words were most likely coached by Andrew and Aunt Alice beforehand, but since she agreed to go to Aetheria, he said no more. "I'm glad you understand."

"I do understand, Ethan." Rachel agreed outwardly, but inside she was furious—who would want to go to a place like Aetheria?

"Ethan, I need to find a doctor to change my bandages, so I'll take my leave." Rachel made to go.

Ethan didn't stop her. "Go ahead."

"Then Ethan, Christina, I'll be going." Rachel left the room. Only after her footsteps faded did Christina ask softly, "Do you think she's really come around?"

Ethan looked down in silence for a moment, then changed the subject. "Let's not talk about her."

"By the way, after you're discharged, we'll move directly back to Garden Vista Estates, and Elysia will come too. There's more space there and more staff. After your surgery, it'll be easier to take care of you." Ethan arranged everything carefully.

Christina paused, then nodded. "Okay, whatever you say."

At noon, Rachel returned to the Carter Manor and played with Nolan on the lawn in the yard.

Looking at Nolan's face, almost identical to Ethan's, a terrible thought began to form in her mind.

Nolan's ball rolled to her feet. As the child ran over, Rachel bent down to pick it up, looked down at him, and spoke slowly, "Does Nolan miss Uncle Ethan? It's been a long time since he played ball with you, hasn't it?"

"Uncle Ethan..." Nolan responded softly.

Rachel's eyes flickered. She crouched down in front of Nolan, gripped his small shoulders with both hands, and looked him in the eye. "Does Nolan love Uncle Ethan very much?"

The child had no particular reaction, just stood there blankly. Rachel stroked his little face and continued, "Nolan and Uncle Ethan look so alike, both so handsome."

"Let me tell you, Uncle Ethan is actually your daddy. But now there's a little boy named Henry who also wants Uncle Ethan to be his daddy. He's going to take your daddy away. From now on, Uncle Ethan might only spend time with Henry, and Nolan won't have anyone to love him anymore..."

"Nolan..."

As Rachel was talking to Nolan, a soft call came from behind her.

Nolan immediately turned to look. Rachel slowly turned around too, surprised to see a woman standing outside the perimeter wall.

"Rachel." The woman called her name again. She wore a mask and baseball cap, dressed in a dark suit.

Rachel glanced around and walked to the wall with Nolan.

Through the ornate railing, she recognized the woman's eyes—they were incredibly familiar.

When the woman pulled down one corner of her mask, Rachel realized it was Emily.

What shocked her even more was that the half of the face revealed was completely disfigured.

She'd heard that Emily had ended up in northern Myanmar, become addicted to drugs, and been forced into sexual slavery.

When the police found her, her whole body was covered in sores, and she'd contracted syphilis and HIV.

Later, she'd heard that Emily had committed suicide.