Chapter 113
"You're lying! Ethan wouldn't drive a wedge between us. He'd never do something like that!"
From when Ethan returned to the country until now, aside from these two direct confrontations with Leopold, he'd never actively sought Leopold out.
Sure, he'd suggested working with Sophia at one point, but he knew Sophia, and I didn't get along. He'd never help Sophia deceive me!
So I didn't believe a single word Leopold said.
Leopold's expression was stern, his lips pressed into a tight line.
After a moment, he spoke angrily.
"Then come to the hospital with me. I have ways to make you believe!"
Leopold forcibly dragged me back to the hospital.
No matter how I struggled, he wouldn't let go.
We arrived at Sophia's room. Alicia was talking to her.
"Don't stress yourself. The baby's still here. Rest well during this time, and I'll arrange for someone to care for you."
"Thank you, Mrs. Percy. As long as the baby's safe, I can rest easy."
Sophia had just finished speaking when she saw Leopold and me. Her smile froze instantly on her face.
"Leo, why did you bring her here?"
Alicia turned at the sound. Seeing me, her expression immediately darkened with anger.
"Lucinda, didn't I order you to leave the hospital? Why are you back?"
I was speechless.
Anyone with eyes could see I hadn't come back voluntarily, yet she still blamed me.
"Grandmother, I brought her. Stay out of it."
Leopold explained coldly.
Alicia grew angrier. "She almost killed your child, and you're still defending her!"
Leopold replied flatly, "I told you that child isn't mine."
Alicia clutched her chest in fury.
Sophia's eyes widened in disbelief, tears pooling in them.
"Leo, the paternity test results are out. Why won't you acknowledge this baby?"
"Did someone tell you something? Don't believe those lies. Even if you doubt me, the test results don't lie."
"What you're doing isn't fair to the baby or me..."
Alicia immediately backed her up. "Leo, you're being completely unreasonable this time. Let me make the decision for you."
"Guards! Throw Lucinda out! I don't want to see her for another second!"
At her command, Percy family security entered and started toward me without hesitation.
I was even more speechless. I hadn't said a word since entering, yet I was still the most hated person in the room.
"Who dares touch her?"
Leopold put on another protective show.
"Leopold Percy."
Alicia was so angry that she used his full name.
"Are you really going to oppose me over some woman?"
Though Leopold was tough on the outside, he'd soften toward his elders.
"Grandmother, the matter of the child is still up for debate."
"I brought Lucinda here this time because I want everyone to know the truth."
At his words, Alicia glanced at Sophia and frowned. "The test results are out. How could they be fake?"
I looked at Sophia too, seeing her nervously clutching her belly. I couldn't help recalling what Leopold had said in the car.
But just for an instant. I quickly dismissed my doubts.
Ethan wasn't someone who'd use underhanded methods. I couldn't suspect him.
"Why couldn't they be?"
As Leopold's words fell, a middle-aged man was escorted in by security.
I didn't recognize him.
Neither did Alicia. She immediately demanded, "Who is he?"
Leopold didn't rush to answer. He pulled over a chair and pressed me into it.
I didn't want to sit, but he said, "Your knee isn't good. Sit and listen."
I froze. How did he know about my knee?
Was he deliberately mocking me?
The ignored Alicia looked even more displeased, as if she wanted to kill me with her glare.
Leopold straightened, casually blocking her line of sight.
Then he ordered, "Repeat what you did."
The middle-aged man looked at him fearfully, then lowered his head without speaking.
Leopold glanced at the guard.
The guard twisted the man's arm forcefully backward.
He trembled in pain.
The guard barked, "Mr. Leopold Percy asks you something, you answer! Any more stalling and you can say goodbye to that arm!"
"I'll talk!"
The man gave up resisting and spoke immediately.
Only then did the guard ease up.
I watched as the man raised his head again and glanced toward Sophia.
Sophia, hand on her belly, met his gaze.
Though their eye contact was brief, I got the feeling they'd reached some kind of agreement.
Sure enough, the man began speaking.
"I'm a technical research analyst at the hospital. The paternity test Mr. Leopold Percy requested came from me."
"That report... does have problems."
Alicia's expression changed dramatically. "What problems? Speak clearly."
The researcher swallowed. "Someone approached me, wanting to pay me a high price to produce a fake report. I was tempted..."
Alicia gasped, demanding through gritted teeth, "So you falsified the report?"
"No!" The researcher quickly shook his head. "The report is real! When I was about to tamper with the results, Dr. Wood came in. I didn't have time to interfere."
Sophia and Alicia both exhaled.
I whipped my head toward Leopold. This was the result he wanted me to hear!
But then Leopold's gaze suddenly sharpened.
Like a predator emerging from hiding, he charged at the man without warning and kicked him to the ground.
I stood up abruptly.
The researcher crashed heavily into the corner, clutching his abdomen in agony, unable to even stand.
"Stop!" Alicia was shocked by the scene. Seeing Leopold approach the researcher again, she quickly intervened.
But Leopold didn't listen. The darkness in his eyes had almost become tangible.
"Say it again. Did you tamper with it or not?"
The researcher's face was pale with pain, but he still didn't change his story. "I didn't tamper with anything. The report is real..."
Leopold moved to strike again, but was stopped by Alicia's shout.
"Enough! How long are you going to keep this up?"
Leopold paused and didn't continue.
At that moment, Sophia struggled out of bed, demanding, "Then tell me—who wanted you to falsify the report?"
"I need to know who's so heartless they can't even tolerate an unborn child and has to drive us, mother and child, into a corner!"
The researcher raised his hand and pointed at me weakly. "It was her."
Alicia and Sophia both turned to look at me.
"It wasn't me. Stop biting people like a rabid dog." I immediately denied it.
But Sophia seemed not to hear, weeping miserably.
"Cindy, why you? If you have complaints, take them out on me. Why hurt my child?"
"The baby's barely a month old. How could you be so cruel?"
Alicia was furious. "I knew you had something to do with this. Thank God this man still has a conscience, or the Percy family bloodline would've been lost!"
"Drag this woman out! I don't want to see her for another second!"
Just as the Percy family guards moved, Leopold's private security quickly turned, forming a human wall in front of me.
Leopold said in a low voice, "I said don't touch her."
"You rebel!"
Alicia's face turned livid with rage. "If you dare protect her again, don't call me your grandmother anymore!"