Chapter 267

Yvette's POV

Ralph quickly arranged everything, preparing to personally accompany Letty to the hospital.

I hid at the corner of the staircase, watching helplessly as he carefully carried Letty into the luxurious medical transport.

His every movement was filled with a tenderness and concern I had never seen before.

Watching their silhouettes, a wave of indescribable jealousy and hatred surged within me.

Why does everyone only like her? Why is it always her?

Just then, Tristan returned to the villa.

He looked like he had just come back from some nightclub, still smelling of alcohol and perfume.

Seeing me standing at the door, he was visibly startled.

I grabbed his arm, "Tristan."

He instinctively shook off my hand as if he'd touched something dirty and stepped back warily, "What do you want!"

Swallowing my humiliation, I stared intently in the direction the car had gone. "What exactly is the relationship between Ralph and that woman?" I struggled to control my voice, trying not to sound too eager.

"You mean Scarlett," Tristan thoughtfully stroked his chin with an enigmatic expression. "She's our boss's cousin's fiancée."

"Which cousin?" I pressed, my voice betraying an urgency I wasn't even aware of.

Tristan was momentarily at a loss, seemingly contemplating how to explain.

He looked me up and down, eventually shaking his head. "Let me give you some advice: don't waste your energy on Ralph. He prefers mature women like Scarlett, not inexperienced girls like you."

His words stabbed directly into my heart like a sharp knife.

My chest felt constricted, making it difficult to breathe.

Why! Why does everyone in this world only like her!

I was the daughter of Obsidian Palace's leader, yet I lived like a prisoner.

Years ago, when the organization was in chaos, Chloe had secretly escaped with only Letty, leaving me behind in that dangerous place.

Finally growing up, only to be sent here by Allison as a bargaining chip...

And now, why did even Ralph have to be so infatuated with her!

"Little girl?" Tristan beside me was startled by the expression on my face. He stepped back, wariness flashing in his eyes.

I quickly adjusted my expression, forcing a sweet smile as I looked up at Tristan. "Mr. Watson, could you help me with something?"

"Uh..." Tristan was obviously uncomfortable, but he didn't refuse me outright.

"Ralph is a man going to the hospital to take care of my sister. He'll surely be inadequate at caring for her. He'll exhaust himself, and might even make things worse. Why don't you take me there? I could help share some of his burden?" I blinked my innocent eyes, proposing this in my most naive tone.

The hospital corridor seemed endless as I followed behind Tristan.

As soon as we entered the surgical area, the strong smell of disinfectant hit me.

Letty had already been wheeled into the operating room, her condition unknown.

That's when I saw him—Ralph—pacing the hallway with a cigarette between his fingers. His actions and demeanor clearly indicated his concern for Letty.

"Mr. Gray, how is Miss Smith's condition now?" Tristan asked, instinctively glancing toward the operating room door.

"I don't know, probably not too serious..."

Ralph answered, the forced indifference in his tone obvious. Then he quickly changed the subject.

"How's the situation with Alexander?"

I observed their exchange carefully, noticing the change in Ralph's posture at the mention of Alexander's name.

There was history between them—perhaps competition, or maybe hatred.

"As per your instructions, we handed him directly to Marvin," Tristan reported. "But Marvin is also looking for Miss Smith. Should we—"

The name made my blood freeze.

Marvin.

The monster who had shaped my nightmares for the past ten years!

"No!" I cried out. "Don't hand us over to him! He's a monster! If my sister and I return to Obsidian Palace, there's only one fate waiting for us!"

My hands trembled involuntarily.

It was then that Ralph noticed me, his cold gaze sweeping over my face.

"Don't worry," he said, his voice carrying the authority of someone accustomed to being obeyed.

"I won't hand you sisters over to Marvin. You stay here temporarily to look after Scarlett. I'll have people monitoring this place."

I nodded gratefully, wiping away my tears.

Four hours later, I sat in the surgical waiting area, my legs numb from maintaining the same position for so long.

The surgery seemed endless, and Ralph never left. His agitation was only visible in his fingers constantly tapping against his thigh.

When they finally wheeled Scarlett out, I watched the change in Ralph's expression.

His eyes softened for a moment.

Jealousy coiled within me like a venomous snake.

During my days with Ralph in Thailand, I had tried everything to get close to him.

I had played various roles—submissive, assertive, intellectual, lively...

None had worked.

He moved effortlessly among women, sometimes changing partners several times a day, but he had never looked at me the way he looked at Letty.

What makes her so special?

This question, which had troubled me since childhood, surfaced again.

I suppressed my jealousy, making my expression appear curious yet concerned.

"Mr. Gray, when did you meet my sister? Haven't you been in Colombia all this time? My sister and you..."

Ralph turned to me, his movement sudden and predatory.

He leaned in close, his voice lowering to a dangerous whisper.

"You'd better control your curiosity." His breath, warm and tinged with cigarette smoke, brushed against my face.

"I'm not trying to scare you, but you and your sister are in a very dangerous situation right now. You'd better behave yourself around me, otherwise..."

The threat remained unfinished, but his smile—that slow, malicious smile—told me everything I needed to know.

I had seen how Ralph dealt with those who displeased him.

I swallowed hard, lowering my head in submission.

Having achieved his purpose with the threat, Ralph followed the nurse to Scarlett's room, leaving me momentarily alone in the hallway.

When I entered the hospital room, it was dimly lit.

Scarlett lay quietly on the white sheets, pale and powerless, in a vulnerability I had never seen before. The machines rhythmically beeped, recording the cadence of her unconscious life.

The doctor had spoken quietly with Ralph outside earlier.

A mild concussion, uncertain when she would wake up.

And the child in her womb—gone.

When he heard that last part, Ralph had smiled.

I approached the bedside, studying Scarlett's face.

We shared about seventy to eighty percent similarity—enough to mark us as sisters, but not enough to make us twins.

Looking at her, I couldn't help but clench my fists.

For ten years, it was because of her that I ended up in my current situation.

Good.

Very good.

I reached out, my fingers hovering above her pale cheek.

"Dear sister, when you wake up, I'll make sure we have a good talk about our sisterly relationship."