Chapter 121
Regarding Gregory's confession, I was just waiting to watch the drama unfold.
Because before we could say anything, Sophia looked at him with a devastated expression. "Gregory, you can't do this to me. I'm already carrying your child. If you like her, then what am I?"
Sophia stepped forward and grabbed Gregory's hand, pressing it against her belly. Tears streamed down her face like broken pearls: "This is our child. I've already lost one child. Do you really want to take away my right to be a mother?"
Gregory's face showed disgust. He yanked his hand back and frowned, taking a step back: "Do I really need to spell out how this child came about? Sophia, I've done more than enough for you. Please, just let me go."
Oscar and I couldn't help but exchange glances. It was obvious the child was conceived in disgrace.
Sophia's face turned pale. She bit her lower lip hard, her left hand clutching her chest, looking at Gregory in disbelief: "Is this what you think of me? Gregory, all these years, I've been sincere with you. Are you saying I'm just trying to use this baby to trap him? How do you think this child came about? Did I force you?"
She knelt at Robert's feet, grabbing his clothes and crying, "Mr. Robert Lopez, you have to stand up for me. Gregory is infatuated with Emily now. This child is innocent. If he sees me this way, I might as well be dead."
While clutching her chest, she made as if to throw herself against the corner of the table.
"Have you made enough of a scene?" Robert slammed the teacup beside him, and the entire hall instantly fell silent.
"Are you all trying to make sure I don't have a moment's peace?" Robert pointed a trembling finger at Gregory. "You bastard, Emily is Oscar's fiancée, your aunt, and you have such filthy thoughts about her. If word of this gets out, the Lopez family's reputation will be ruined."
Gregory quickly said: "She's not yet, so why can't I? Grandpa, I'm the one you watched grow up. At least I'm definitely your grandson. Can you be sure he's really your son?"
As soon as he said this, Robert's face instantly darkened. Without warning, he grabbed his cane and struck Gregory hard on the back, his chest heaving rapidly: "You bastard, I'll beat you to death."
Oscar's expression turned completely cold. Perhaps he said he didn't care, but after all these years, he still cared about his reputation as an illegitimate child.
Gregory covered his head with his hands and threw caution to the wind: "Am I wrong? We originally planned for him to come back and help The Novagen Group. Now he's back, but we haven't gained any advantage. Instead, you're giving him villas and luxury cars. Are you going to give him half of The Novagen Group's shares too? If that's the case, why did I beg him to come back in the first place?"
"Shut up." Robert struck him hard on the back again with his cane. "Gregory, you really are..."
Before he could finish, he staggered back two steps and suddenly collapsed backward, his head hitting the floor hard.
"Grandpa." Gregory was the first to react, rushing forward to check on him.
Oscar instinctively wanted to step forward, then paused. His outstretched hand fell back weakly. The panic on his face was quickly suppressed, replaced by appropriate concern as he moved forward: "Dad, are you okay? Emily, call an ambulance."
I really panicked, especially as I saw Robert's lips gradually turning purple. My hands were trembling so much I had to try several times before finally getting through to emergency services.
Robert was quickly lifted onto the ambulance, and our group followed, taking him to the nearest hospital.
Looking at the red light above the operating room, Gregory seemed anxious and restless, pacing back and forth, rubbing his hands, and constantly looking toward the operating room.
William and Grace soon arrived at the hospital too. Grace looked worried: "What happened? How did he suddenly have an episode? What happened? Did someone upset Dad?"
As she spoke, she glanced at Oscar.
Oscar responded coldly: "You'll have to ask your son about that."
Grace's expression froze, her brow furrowing: "What do you mean? Gregory, what did you do?"
Gregory's expression showed a trace of guilt, but he quickly hid it: "Mom, you can't blame me. I just spoke my mind. I didn't mean to make Grandpa sick."
Sophia quickly stepped forward, grabbing Grace's hand: "Mrs. Lopez, please talk some sense into Gregory. I'm already carrying his child, but he told Grandpa he wants to compete fairly with Uncle Oscar to pursue Emily."
Her words made Grace's face change instantly, her gaze turning toward me.
Oscar stepped forward, shielding me behind him, his expression cold: "I also think you really should control him. If this gets out, won't people laugh at us?"
William looked at Gregory with a dark expression: "Is what they're saying true?"
Gregory hesitated, stammering, but finally gritted his teeth and admitted, "Dad, what's wrong with that? I have no other demands. Is it not even okay to compete fairly?"
William looked at him through gritted teeth, lowering his voice: "You deserve to die for even thinking that way. Right now, your grandfather is what matters most. If anything happens to him, I'll kill you."
Then he looked at Oscar and said quietly, "Oscar, Gregory is being foolish. I apologize to you. Now is not the time to discuss this. I'll discipline him properly when we get back. Please don't take it to heart."
Oscar replied coldly: "If someone told you they fell in love with Grace and wanted to openly pursue her, would you not mind?"
William's face flushed red, unable to respond to that question.
I stepped forward: "Let's not discuss this now. What matters most is Mr. Robert Lopez. He had a sudden cerebral hemorrhage. We don't even know how he is yet. It's not appropriate to talk about this at the operating room door."
"Emily..." Gregory looked at me, his eyes fervent, as if he had many things he wanted to say.
"Shut up." William turned back to look at him coldly. "I've been patient with you lately, but don't push it too far. After all, if your brother were still here..."
Perhaps out of innate fear, Gregory's fervent expression suddenly cooled. He lowered his head and didn't dare say another word.