Chapter 17
Damien led Lucian forward with purposeful steps.
“How did you know I was in the hospital?” Celeste asked, her eyes showing a hint of caution as she watched them.
“A friend at the hospital told me you were admited for emergency treatment, so I brought Lucian to see you.” Damien’s face darkened. “Don’t you know your limits? Was there no security at the orphanage? Did it really have to be you–an outsider–who rushed in to save lives?”
His words hung in the air, thickening the tension around them.
“That’s no way to talk, Damien!” Annie quickly stood up, positioning herself between him and Celeste’s bedside as she grumbled, “Security hadn’t even arrived when Celeste got there. Was she supposed to stand there and let the kids trapped inside die in the fire?”
“All I’m saying is, she doesn’t have the training for a rescue. She almost got herself killed, and in the end, she just created more work for the first responders. Wouldn’t that have made everything worse?”
“Exactly!” Lucian cut in. “Mom, you’re already such a coward. Why’d you have to make things worse at a time like this?”
The moment the words left his mouth, a cold weight settled in Celeste’s chest.
She had come so close to dying, yet the first thing Damien and Lucian did when they saw her was scold her relentlessly, instead of showing any concern. How ridiculous!
And to think Lucian had actually called her a coward. This was how he saw her after all these
years.
“Coward? Your mother ran into a burning building to save lives, and you have the nerve to call her a coward?” Annie’s brow furrowed, her eyes flashing with anger. “How could you say that about your own mother, Lucian?”
Lucian glared at her. Maybe her intensity intimidated him, because he didn’t dare say another
word.
“Why are you taking this out on the boy?”
Damien quickly pulled Lucian behind him, his furious gaze locking onto Annie.
7
She didn’t back down. “I’m just telling it like it is. Celeste must had a streak of bad luck to end up with the two of you!”
Damien’s brows knitted together in anger. He had always known that Annie disapproved of his marriage to Celeste.
But no matter how much she disliked him and Lucian, she had neverly confronted them
– until now. That was what made Damien so furious. His veins pulsed visibly beneath his forehead.
Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Celeste, who had stayed silent up until that point, interrupted, her expression indifferent, “Damien take Lucian and leave my ward. Now.”
The rage in Damien’s piercing eyes intensified. “We came here out of kindness to see you, and this is how you act?”
Celeste was exhausted and in no state to argue. Her voice grew even colder. “I’m tired. I need
to rest. Leave.”
“Fine, we’ll go,” Lucian said, tugging at Damien’s hand. His young face twisted in displeasure. “Dad, let’s leave if Mom doesn’t want us here!”
Damien had more to say, but Lucian kept pulling him, dragging him toward the door. Once it shut behind them, Damien led Lucian to the elevator. Both were furious, but neither said a
word.
As the elevator doors slid open, a tall figure appeared. Damien froze in surprise. “Uncle Adrian?
Adrian looked up and stopped mid–step. “What are you doing here?”
Damien’s eyes briefly moved to the fruit basket in Adrian’s hand before quickly looking away. Holding Lucian’s hand, he replied flatly, “A friend from the hospital called. He said Celeste was caught in a fire at the orphanage and brought here unconscious. We came to check on her.” “And she kicked us out,” Lucian muttered.
Chapl
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Chapter 18
