"It won't be that soon." Alexander's voice was low, almost distant, as he stood up and walked out of the reception room. His gaze, unreadable, made it impossible for anyone to guess what was going through his mind.
Mr. and Mrs. Luo were left in stunned silence. What did Alexander mean by that?
They stared at his retreating figure, but soon, the reality of the situation hit them. They weren't leaving without the company. They were determined to get Roche Group back. So they stayed in the room, refusing to budge.
Moments later, two burly security guards entered and asked them to leave.
Mr. Luo struggled, shouting in protest, but his voice was cut short when one of the guards landed a punch that knocked the breath out of him. As he was thrown out of the building, tears streamed down his face, his world crumbling around him.
It was over. There was nothing left. His company—gone.
"Old Luo…" Mrs. Luo stepped forward, her voice trembling with concern as she tried to comfort him.
"Don't touch me!" Mr. Luo snapped, angrily shrugging off her hand. He stormed off, refusing to show any weakness. He had to leave—alone.
"Lao Luo!" Mrs. Luo called after him, but then, pulling out her phone, she dialed Emily's number.
"Hello, the number you dialed is currently unavailable. Please call again later."
"What's going on with Emily?" Mrs. Luo muttered through gritted teeth. "Why isn't she answering?"
She tried calling again. No answer. Frustration built up inside her, and she finally gave up, lowering the phone with a sigh of resignation.
Just as she was about to hail a taxi back to Palm Springs, her phone rang. She thought it was Emily calling back. But to her surprise, it was Mr. Luo's phone.
"Hey, Lao Luo, come back and pick me up!" she exclaimed, eager to speak with her husband.
A stranger's voice came from the other end. "Are you a family member of the owner of this phone?"
Mrs. Luo froze, her brow furrowing in confusion. "Who is this? Why are you holding my husband's phone?"
"It's like this," the man explained, his tone urgent. "Your husband has been in a car accident. I've called for an ambulance. You need to come to the South Third Ring Road immediately."
"What?" Mrs. Luo's face went white, and the phone slipped from her hand, clattering to the ground.
A car accident?
People's Hospital
Mrs. Luo paced anxiously outside the emergency room, glancing every few seconds at the closed door. Her heart raced with worry, praying silently for her husband's safety.
When she had arrived at the scene, she had been horrified to find Mr. Luo, drenched in blood, being carried into the ambulance.
Please, please be okay.
After what felt like an eternity, the lights in the emergency room finally flickered off. Mrs. Luo rushed forward, trembling, to catch the doctor who had just stepped out.
"Doctor, is my husband... alright?" Her voice shook as she spoke.
The doctor, removing his mask, looked at her with a reassuring expression. "Fortunately, the patient was brought in quickly, and we didn't miss the golden window for treatment. He's no longer in critical condition. As for when he'll wake up, that depends on him."
Mrs. Luo felt a heavy weight lift off her shoulders, though the worry still gnawed at her. She followed the doctor as Mr. Luo was wheeled into the intensive care unit.
Still, Emily's absence haunted her. She had tried calling her daughter multiple times during the entire ordeal, but there had been no response.
What on earth was that girl doing? Why wasn't she answering the phone?
Meanwhile, Emily's Room
When Emily awoke, her mind was fuzzy, and she felt disoriented. The room around her was unfamiliar. She noticed the color of the quilt and the sleek, masculine design of the room. Her heart skipped a beat.
This wasn't her room.
She turned her head, and there, sitting beside her, was a handsome, gentle-looking man.
"Ah, you're awake," the man said, his voice calm and soothing.
"Who... are you?" Emily asked, still groggy, her mind trying to piece everything together.
The man smiled gently but didn't immediately answer her question. Instead, he handed her a cup of warm water. "Do you remember what happened? How you bravely stopped a car at the foot of the mountain?"
Suddenly, memories came rushing back. Emily's eyes widened as she pointed at him. "Are you the owner of that car?"
The man chuckled softly. "Yes, that's right."
"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to stop you like that…" Emily started to apologize, but as she moved her hands, she noticed the gauze wrapped around them. Her frown deepened. "What is this...?"
She met the man's eyes. "Did you bandage me?"
He nodded. "Your hands got burned, and you didn't tend to them. The wounds became inflamed, and you developed a fever. If I hadn't treated them, it would have gotten worse."
Emily subconsciously touched her forehead. "Do I have a fever?"
The man smiled. "No, you've slept long enough that your fever probably broke while you were unconscious."
Emily blinked, processing the information. She had been dizzy and uncomfortable that morning, and now it all made sense. She had been running a fever.
Wait… How long had she been out?
She looked around the room, noticing that it was now pitch dark outside. "Is it… evening now?"
The man nodded. "Yes."
Emily frowned, feeling a little embarrassed. She was clearly a deep sleeper, but it wasn't her fault.
"I need to go home," she said, throwing back the covers and trying to get out of bed in a panic.
She hadn't been to Lu Group today, and she had no idea what was happening with her parents.
"Wait a moment…" The man caught her wrist, stopping her.
"What's wrong?" Emily tried to withdraw her hand, feeling uncomfortable. She had no problem with Alexander touching her, but other men... well, it made her uneasy.
The man, noticing her discomfort, released her wrist and spoke softly, "You're pregnant, so you need to take care of yourself. Get plenty of rest. In the early stages of pregnancy, you should avoid stress and physical strain. If you're not careful, you could risk a miscarriage."
Emily froze, her heart skipping a beat.
"Pregnant?" she whispered, her mind reeling. "Are you sure?"
"Are you doubting me?" The man frowned, noticing the shock on her face.
Emily's face lit up with excitement and disbelief. She grabbed the man's hand, her eyes wide with joy. "Is it true? I'm really pregnant?"
The man nodded slowly, his expression serious. "Yes."
"How did you know I was pregnant?" Emily asked suddenly, the joy on her face fading into suspicion. "Shouldn't I, the mother, be the first to know? Why did you know before I did?"
The man chuckled, clearly amused by her confusion. "I'm a doctor," he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Emily stared at him for a moment before heaving a sigh. She wasn't quite convinced yet.
Sensing her doubt, the man went over to the bedside table and retrieved his medical certificate. "Here. Take a look."
Emily reached out, taking the certificate from him. She scanned it quickly, then looked up at him again, reading the name aloud, "Liu En?"
The man smiled. "That's me."
Emily stared at him for a moment longer, then handed the certificate back. She placed her hand gently on her stomach, a smile curling at the corners of her lips.
This was it. She was pregnant with Alexander's child.
She couldn't wait to tell him. She couldn't wait to see his reaction—would he be happy, or would he be disgusted?
Her mother-in-law had always called her a "hen that couldn't lay eggs." Well, this baby—this child—would change everything. Her mother-in-law would have to accept her as family now.
And Lu Qianqian? Maybe now she'd finally see Emily as more than just a burden.
A surge of happiness flooded her heart as she imagined what the future might hold.