Chapter 262 Officially at Odds
The next morning, Mark drove alone to the Cook family estate.
The Cook estate made the Hamilton family's old mansion look modest by comparison, but the luxury came with a chill—the kind that made your shoulders tense the moment you passed through the gates.
Mark parked in front of the main building, took a deep breath, and got out. The butler was already waiting at the door, his expression glacial as he led Mark into the living room.
Ralph sat on the sofa reading a newspaper. At the sound of footsteps, he barely lifted his eyes.
"Why is it you? Where's Alexander?"
Mark started to bow slightly when suddenly there was crying from the stairway.
"Mark!"
A pregnant woman stumbled down the stairs, practically throwing herself at him, grabbing his sleeve. Tears poured down her face.
"Please, please talk to Alexander for me!" Nova Cook was crying so hard she could barely speak. "I know Carl did something wrong, I know he shouldn't have gone after Alexander... but he's my husband, our baby's about to be born, he can't stay locked up forever..."
Her voice broke, tears streaming, her whole body nearly collapsing to her knees.
"No matter what he did, Carl is my family. Our child can't be born without a father... please..."
Mark listened, his face hardening.
He'd come to have a calm discussion with Ralph, to find a compromise that would keep the Cook family stable while ensuring Carl stayed locked away where he couldn't cause more damage.
But hearing this, his patience evaporated.
A child can't be without a father?
What about Caroline? Wasn't the child in her belly a life too?
Back then, Carl and Armando had worked together to put Alexander under house arrest, then sent people after the pregnant Caroline, causing her to go into premature labor and nearly die.
Yes, Mark knew—what ultimately destroyed Caroline was Alexander, was that shattering reality when her memories returned.
But during these long days, Mark often found himself thinking late at night: if Caroline hadn't been attacked, hadn't gone into premature labor, would she ever have recovered her memories? She might have safely given birth. Alexander would have stayed by her side, never giving Edith and the others a chance to reach her. In that case... could she have been saved?
Mark knew that Caroline losing her memory, being hypnotized into thinking she was Edith, wasn't fair to her.
But at least she would have lived.
Mark shook off Nova's hand coldly.
He was about to speak when Nova followed his movement and dropped to the ground, clutching her belly and letting out a desperate scream.
"Dad! My stomach—I'm going into premature labor!"
Mark froze.
Angry as he was, he hadn't lost his mind—he knew she was pregnant, so he'd barely touched her.
He could swear he hadn't used enough force to make her fall.
But Ralph was already rushing to her side, holding her.
"Someone! Get the doctor!"
The living room erupted into chaos.
Ralph looked up suddenly, his eyes cold and sharp as they locked on Mark, pain and fury mixing into a devastating accusation.
"Alexander sent him! He tried to hurt my daughter! Arrest him!"
Only then did Mark understand.
This was a trap.
Whether it was him or Alexander who came today, neither could have escaped.
He turned to leave immediately, but several bodyguards who'd been waiting outside rushed in, surrounding him completely.
Soon, explosive news swept through Grandhaven.
The head of the Hamilton family had tried to harm his brother's wife, causing her premature labor. Ralph was furious and immediately detained the man Alexander had sent, declaring a complete break with the Hamilton family—vowing to rescue Carl.
Once the news broke, forces throughout the city began to move.
Though the Cook family wasn't as powerful as the Hamilton family in its prime, it was still top-tier among Grandhaven's elite.
Now that Alexander's mental state was unstable, the company could still function, but anyone with eyes could see—the Hamilton Group was showing cracks.
With the Cook family openly breaking ties, other forces immediately began choosing sides.
Former business rivals started siding with the Cook family, trying to use this chance to bring Alexander down.
Even supposedly stable partners quietly prepared to terminate their contracts with the Hamilton Group.
Shareholders and executives all rushed back to headquarters to stabilize the situation, with no time to speak to Alexander.
And the person at the center of the storm knew nothing.
Alexander remained lost in his fantasy, sitting on the terrace, sharing afternoon tea with the "Caroline" across from him.
"How's today's tea? I had people source it from overseas. They say this origin is quite rare now," Alexander said softly.
He seemed to hear a response, his face showing a relaxed smile.
"I'm glad you like it. I'll have Liam order more."
Then he turned to his side.
He extended both arms, cradling empty air as if holding a baby, lowering his head to nuzzle it.
"Aurora, you're awake? Were you fussy today?"
"Kenna, you're taking such good care of her."
"Liam, you're back? Is the company all right? Tell them I'll be with Caroline all month. If anything comes up, they should find you. Don't disturb me."
When Della rushed onto the terrace in a panic, this was what she saw.
The outside world had descended into chaos, yet Alexander seemed to be living in a peaceful afternoon, unaware that crisis was closing in.
For a moment, Della didn't know if this was a blessing or a curse.
But she had no time to think.
She took a deep breath, forcing herself to speak.
"Sir."
Alexander turned his head, showing a gentle smile.
"Are you here with Aurora's formula? Give me the bottle. I'll feed her today."
Della's eyes filled with tears. She dropped to her knees at his feet, reaching out to grab his pant leg.
"Sir... please save Mark..."