Chapter 465

After saying that, Evelyn poured herself a cup and took a sip.

The atmosphere was tense.

Sandra sneered coldly. Instead of drinking from the cup Evelyn had poured, she grabbed another teapot, poured herself some green tea, and drank it all in one gulp, as if in revenge.

Evelyn muttered to herself, "Sandra, I never thought you'd turn out like this. If I'd known, I wouldn't have spoiled you so much back then."

"Too late!" A flash of satisfaction crossed Sandra's eyes, filled with the pleasure of having taken successful revenge. "You're right - everything now is exactly what you deserve..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a sudden wave of dizziness hit her, and she nearly collapsed onto the sofa.

Sandra stared at the teacup, suddenly realizing something.

She looked up at Evelyn, a hint of alarm in her eyes: "What did you put in the tea?"

Evelyn didn't deny it: "Just something to make you sleep for a while. A private jet is already waiting at the airport. Sandra, whether you believe it or not, I have to save you, even if it means using the most extreme methods."

Sandra jumped to her feet, the chair scraping harshly across the floor.

She felt an even stronger wave of dizziness, her vision starting to blur. She pinched herself hard to barely stay conscious.

"You... you're crazy..."

She stumbled backward, her handbag falling to the floor, spilling out her phone, tissues, and cards.

Evelyn stood up to help her: "Stop struggling. The more you fight it, the faster it'll take effect."

Sandra fell to the floor, gasping for breath, trying to stay alert.

Evelyn moved forward to help her.

Suddenly Sandra grabbed a pen from the scattered items, pointing its sharp tip at Evelyn: "Don't come closer!"

"There's still some goodness left in your heart, Sandra."

Evelyn took a step forward, completely ignoring the pen that could pierce her throat. "I love you very much. I raised you from the beginning. No matter how big your mistakes are, I won't give up on you."

The pen dropped to the floor.

Tears burst from Sandra's eyes, whether from the drug's effect or from some buried memory being touched.

Yes, before Amelia and Greta appeared, she and Evelyn had gotten along well. Mother and daughter had depended on each other, seeing each other as the only one in their lives.

But the next second, Sandra bit down hard on her tongue. The sharp pain brought her a brief moment of clarity.

She used all her strength to push Evelyn away. Caught off guard, Evelyn stumbled into the dining table, sending the silver tea set crashing to the floor.

"Ms. King!" The restaurant manager rushed in at the sound, seeing Sandra slumped on the floor and Evelyn barely standing, holding her waist.

"I'm fine," Evelyn said, forcing back the pain. "I'll handle this."

After the manager hesitantly left, Sandra had already struggled her way to the door.

She used every bit of strength trying to escape, practically crawling on the floor. Her expensive suit was wrinkled - gone was any trace of the high-and-mighty businesswoman.

"I will never go with you!" Sandra gasped. "Never. I won't forgive your betrayal..."

Evelyn slowly knelt down, holding onto the table, meeting Sandra at eye level: "Because I'm your mother... whether you accept it or not."

A tear slid from Evelyn's eye. Sandra stared blankly as it traced down those wrinkles and finally disappeared into her collar.

"Last chance, Sandra." Evelyn reached out a trembling hand. "Come with me. Forget everything from the past. We'll start over."

Sandra stared directly at her outstretched hand, her gaze gradually focusing.

The drug's effect was wearing off, replaced by familiar coldness and hatred.

She grabbed the door frame and stood up shakily, looking down at this "mother" she once thought about day and night. Tears welled in her eyes.

"You know what," her voice was terrifyingly soft, "what disgusts me most isn't that you abandoned me, but the way you look now, trying to get me back after abandoning me. Who are you performing for? Your two precious daughters aren't here - nobody cares about your acting."

She bit down hard on her tongue again, bringing sharp pain that made her alert once more.

"Amelia and Greta - you guys are the real family. Me? I was always an outsider. So stop trying to control me!"

Evelyn's hand dropped weakly, her eyes filled with deep disappointment and pain: "So... your choice is?"

Sandra picked up her bag and turned toward the door, leaning against the wall.

The moment she pulled the door open, she stopped without turning back:

"Goodbye, Ms. King. Ever since I jumped off that cliff, the old Sandra died."

The sound of the door closing wasn't loud, but it hit Evelyn's heart like a heavy hammer.

She sat on the floor in a daze. After a long while, she noticed an old photo among the scattered documents.

Sixteen-year-old Sandra stood beside her, smiling brightly, tightly clutching her sleeve as if it were the safest harbor in the world.

Evelyn pressed the photo to her chest and stood there for a long time, finally just crying silently.

She didn't know what to do anymore.

She had done everything she could.

Meanwhile.

Astoria.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains into the hospital room. Sirius sat at a small table by the window, drawing with colored crayons.

His cheeks still showed a sickly pallor, but his eyes had regained some life as he focused on spreading bright blue across the paper.

"Mommy, look, this is the hospital lake, and the three of us."

Sirius held up his drawing. In wobbly but charming strokes, it showed three people standing by a lake, with the little figure in the middle raising his hands high.

Amelia took the drawing, her fingers gently touching the rough paper surface, unable to help but smile.

This was the first time in three days that Sirius had the energy to sit up and draw.

Over the past seventy-two hours, his temperature had miraculously stabilized, and he'd even eaten a little.

Julius cautiously said to them, "wait and see, we can't let our guard down."

But as a mother, Amelia wanted to believe this was the turning point in Sirius's fate.

"It's beautiful, sweetheart." Amelia held his small hand. "When you get better, we'll really go have a picnic by the lake, okay?"

Sirius nodded hard, but the next second a sudden coughing fit hit him.

Amelia skillfully grabbed the inhaler from the bedside and helped him take two puffs.

This small setback didn't affect the warm atmosphere in the room. After a while, Chris came back with lots of food, and the family of three gathered around the coffee table for breakfast.

This was their most normal family moment in three days.

No monitor alarms, no doctors' serious expressions - just sunshine, food, laughter, and a child's innocent drawings.

Amelia quietly took a photo with her phone, hoping to treasure more moments like this.

After eating, Sirius fell into a peaceful sleep under the medication's effect.

Amelia and Chris stood side by side at the window, looking out at the wide green lawn beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, falling into silence.

"Prof. Johnston said if tomorrow's test results are still stable, we can consider reducing the medication dosage," Chris said quietly.