Chapter 298: Bunny is Gone

"Mr. Wilson!"

Tom was startled, and the doctor's face paled with shock as well.

Tom stepped forward, intending to assist Daniel, but Daniel had already forced himself to lift his head.

His ashen face was still stained with blood—that small bit of color seemed to be the only trace left on his handsome features.

Please accept my condolences.

The doctor's words pierced through Daniel's heart like an ice pick.

The pain of losing a child was more agonizing than a physical wound.

But he wasn't the one who had carried the baby. If he felt this way, how would Scarlett endure this—she who had just gone through such grueling labor?

Daniel's Adam's apple hitched as he swallowed the metallic tang in his throat. He stared at the doctor and asked in a raspy, barely audible voice.

"Does she know?"

The doctor looked a bit frightened. After a moment's pause, he quickly shook his head.

"Mrs. Wilson lost too much blood and lost consciousness. She fainted afterward, so she doesn't know yet."

Just then, there was movement from the operating room—Scarlett was being wheeled out.

Daniel raised his hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, his gaze falling on her. Scarlett lying there looked as frail.

Her long hair was damp, her eyes tightly shut, and her forehead bandaged.

despite she was still connected to a blood transfusion bag, her delicate face was ashen devoid of all color.

Daniel gazed vacantly, his steps heavy, hesitant to approach.

"Mrs. Wilson is very fragile. She should wake up in roughly an hour. I'm sorry."

After the doctor finished speaking, he stepped aside and departed.

Daniel finally approached her, and bent down to clasp Scarlett's hand.

He held it tightly, wanting to give her some comfort, but his hand was just as icy—he couldn't warm her at all.

Daniel escorted Scarlett back to the hospital room. Theron didn't follow.

Theron stood at the operating room entrance, watching them leave. His hands hanging at his sides clenched silently, then loosened somewhat helplessly.

He hadn't expected that the baby couldn't be saved.

Scarlett had been heading to the hospital when the accident happened—the collision site wasn't far from the hospital, and she was brought in quickly.

He thought both she and the baby would be safe, but this was the outcome.

His mind flashed back to the first time he met Scarlett—when she collapsed in front of his car with stomach pain, clutching at his pant leg, begging him to save her baby.

She had been so anxious, loved that baby so much.

If only he could have driven faster, or left earlier.

Hospital room.

Daniel covered Scarlett with thick blankets, gazed at her for a moment, then bent down to embrace her limp body.

His Adam's apple rolled with difficulty. In the end, he couldn't say anything and settled Scarlett back in the bed.

Daniel turned and left the room. Tom, who had been waiting outside, stepped forward and carefully tried to persuade him.

"Boss, you need to take care of yourself too. Let me help you get checked out. You can't go on like this..."

Tom had been worried since Daniel suddenly coughed up blood earlier.

Tom had asked the bodyguards who came back with them and learned that on the way back, Daniel had swerved to avoid an accident and crashed into a utility pole—the airbag had even deployed.

Tom was worried Daniel had internal injuries, but before he could finish, Daniel's gaze fell on the bag the bodyguard behind him was carrying. His voice was hoarse as he said.

"Bring it here."

The bag contained a small blanket, baby clothes, bottles, and other things.

They had been prepared for the baby, but now they were all useless.

What the doctor had said at the operating room door earlier meant the baby was essentially stillborn—not even a dead infant.

But from Daniel's expression, he apparently wanted to personally take the baby out and arrange things properly.

Tom felt his nose sting. He reached out to take the bag and handed it to Daniel.

Daniel's face was calm as he took the bag and clutched it tightly.

The veins on the back of his hand strained, as if his arteries were about to burst from the repressed emotion.

His back was straight as he stepped forward. He seemed to have resigned to the truth, but Tom felt his heart pound with fear.

Tom stopped the security who wanted to follow, and everyone kept watch at Scarlett's door, waiting.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed in the silent hallway.

Tom turned to see Magnolia, Andrew, and Blair arriving together.

Magnolia stumbled in with assistance to see Scarlett, while Andrew and Blair, hearing that Daniel had gone to the maternity ward, went there together.

Just as Andrew and Blair reached the door, Daniel walked out.

Andrew saw Daniel holding a small wrap and exclaimed, "Daniel, didn't they say the baby..."

Daniel looked at them, his narrow lips twisting in a frigid, cynical smile.

"Your grandson. But he probably knew that with grandparents like you who aren't pleasant, and a father like me who's unfit, he wouldn't be happy, so he passed away."

As Daniel spoke and stepped forward with the bundle, Blair unavoidably saw the infant.

Her eyes fluttered, and she let out a terrified scream, slumping against Andrew. She grabbed Andrew's coat and whispered.

"How could this happen?"

Andrew quickly supported her, his face deathly serious.

He knew Blair must be thinking of the child she'd had terminated years ago.

He looked away, not willing to look at the bundle again, and sighed.

"Daniel, what are you doing? John is responsible. Nobody wanted this to happen. This is our grandchild too, Blair's and mine.

We're also sad and mourning, but how is this our blame? If you're going to blame someone, blame the Lewis family, blame Scarlett for having such a cruel father, blame destiny!"

The child just was ill-fated.

Andrew's forehead creased tightly as he helped the wan Blair step back.

Andrew had come with Blair to solace Daniel, but Daniel clearly despised them.

Knowing Blair had scarring from that induced pregnancy, Daniel intentionally held the bundle up for them to see.

Andrew could hardly believe this was the same calm and collected Daniel.

Daniel's condition was abysmal right now.

He must have snapped!

But hearing Andrew's words, Daniel found them so callous.

When Scarlett was pregnant, Andrew, as the baby's grandfather, never showed concern once.

Blair did express worry, but it was for Elliot's sake—everything directed at Scarlett was duress.

The Wilson family didn't merit to have a child as precious as Bunny.

Daniel didn't look at Andrew and Blair again and walked away.

Scarlett was roused by spasms of contracting pain. As consciousness resurfaced, her whole body ached.

But instinctively, she raised her hand toward her stomach. Before her hand could touch it, a large palm caught and gripped it tightly in halfway.

"Scarlett, you're awake? Are you uncomfortable anywhere?"

Daniel's gravelly, familiar voice resonated. Scarlett's eyes flew open.

She didn't look at Daniel bending over her. Her gaze fell straight to her abdomen.

Sunken. Empty.

She turned to look around. There was no baby beside her, not even a crib in the room.

Daniel watched her response and of course knew what she was looking for.

He had thought that when he alone wiped their child's body, dressed him, and prepared him for interment, the pain of his heart being pierced by ten thousand steel needles was his limit.

But now he realized the more painful and regretful moment was this—looking at her and having to tell her himself that their Bunny was gone.

Yet no matter how painful or difficult, he had no right to shirk his duty.

Meeting Scarlett's confused and empty eyes looking at him, Daniel's voice scraped out like it was raw and broken.

"I'm sorry."