Chapter 173 No One Knows Who Spoiled Them
The next day was Friday, with no classes in the afternoon.
The driver was already waiting outside. Rebecca got in the car and headed straight to the hospital.
Before she even got close, she could hear laughter and cheerful voices coming from the hospital room.
Rebecca quickened her pace and saw Layla and her mom, one sitting and one lying down.
Layla was holding a fruit plate, peeling an apple while keeping her eyes glued to the TV.
Mom looked even more relaxed.
Half-reclining on the bed, she was holding snacks in her arms.
On TV was a bonus episode of a variety show that had just been updated at noon.
Rebecca smiled and quietly walked over to sit on the sofa.
During a commercial break, Alexa turned around, and her face lit up with joy. "Becca, you're here?"
Rebecca walked over with a smile.
Alexa pinched her cheek with mock complaint. "You're getting more disobedient as you grow up! I already told you I'm fine. With Layla here, that's enough. You should focus on your studies and stop coming here all the time."
It had only been a little over two months, but Rebecca felt like it had been a century since she'd heard her mom's gentle nagging.
Hearing it again now made the warmth feel doubled.
"Okay..."
Drawing out the word, Rebecca responded in a playful tone and snuggled into her mom's arms.
Gently patting Rebecca's back like comforting a baby, Alexa asked tentatively, "Why hasn't Dennis come these past few days? Becca, have you two made up?"
Rebecca froze.
A buzzing sound started as the hospital bed slowly rose.
Rebecca straightened up and looked at her mom's face, which had become serious. She said with a headache, "Mom, I have exams coming up. My head is full of test material. Where would I find time to deal with him?"
Then Rebecca narrowed her eyes. "Mom, do you not like me anymore? You actually like Dennis better, don't you? How about I call him to come peel apples for you, and I'll disappear the moment he arrives, okay?"
The focus quickly shifted.
Alexa was both amused and annoyed. She pointed at Rebecca and complained to Layla, "Look at her. I only said one thing, and she's got a whole basket of words waiting for me. I wonder who spoiled her like this!"
"Yeah... I wonder who spoiled her like this!"
Layla nodded in agreement, smiling broadly.
After lunch together, Alexa urged Rebecca to go back to school. "Didn't you say exams are coming up? Go back now. Just push through a few more days, and after the exams we'll go home!"
Rebecca froze.
Beside her, Layla said softly, "Mrs. Getty said that resting in the hospital is the same as resting at home, so we might as well go home. I asked the doctor, and he said recovering at home is fine too, as long as we come back for regular checkups."
For mental health conditions, especially sudden-onset cases like Alexa's, there weren't any quick and effective medical treatments.
The patient just needed to maintain a relaxed and happy mood, along with medication.
Everything else was left to time.
Rebecca nodded, but her heart felt uneasy.
In the Getty family villa, Dad's presence and traces were everywhere. Wouldn't seeing those things make Mom miss Dad even more?
Just as this thought crossed her mind, she heard her mom's suspicious voice. "Layla, I told you yesterday to bring my phone so I could call Henry. Did you forget?"
Rebecca's heart stopped.
Looking up, she saw Layla turn and pull out the phone from the suitcase. "I remember, I remember... Didn't I bring it for you?"
It was too late to stop her. Rebecca watched helplessly as Alexa found Henry's number in her contacts and dialed it.
Hearing the voice on the other end, Rebecca's heart, which had been sinking into an icy lake, suddenly stopped.
The next moment, the call connected.