Chapter 587: Can You Give Up Custody?
In the dead of night, Susan got jolted awake by the phone's blaring ring. She'd been in the middle of a gnarly nightmare and felt all kinds of off after being yanked out of it.
Half-asleep, she noticed Caleb getting up and rubbed her eyes, "Who's calling?"
Caleb grabbed the phone, squinting at the screen with a frown.
"Grace?" Susan asked, her voice groggy.
"Yeah," Caleb muttered, looking like he wanted to hang up.
"Wait, don't hang up. What if something's up with Candy?" Susan stopped him.
Caleb flicked on the light and answered the call.
"Caleb, Candy's got a fever of 102. She's at General Hospital. Please, come quick. I'm begging you," Grace's voice was frantic.
"I'm on my way. But if this is some kind of trick, I swear I'll kill you," Caleb snapped before hanging up.
"I'm coming with you," Susan said, trying to get up but feeling dizzy. It was 3 AM, no wonder she felt like crap.
"You stay here and sleep. I'll be back soon."
"But..."
"Don't worry, it'll be fine," Caleb reassured her. "You're pregnant, you need to rest."
"Okay... I'll just lie here and not sleep. Call me as soon as you know what's up, okay?"
"Okay," Caleb quickly got dressed and kissed her forehead. "I'm going now, don't stress."
"Alright."
As the door clicked shut, Susan felt a wave of unease.
Her whole body ached, but sleep was the last thing on her mind. Her brain was on overdrive, wondering if Grace was pulling a fast one or if Candy was really sick.
All these thoughts clashed in her head, making her super anxious.
Caleb would never give up on Candy, and she couldn't and wouldn't ask him to. But that meant Grace would always be in the picture.
Just thinking about it made Susan feel drained, 'When will this ever end?'
At the hospital.
Caleb rushed in.
"Caleb..." Grace tried to throw herself into his arms, but he pushed her away, disgusted.
The second Grace touched him, he felt a wave of revulsion.
"Sorry to bother you so late, but I didn't know who else to call. You're Candy's dad," Grace's eyes were red, like she'd been crying. "Candy suddenly got a high fever, and I freaked out."
Caleb looked at Candy on the hospital bed. She was getting an IV, her face flushed with fever, making his heart ache.
"She was really upset after seeing Susan today and kept crying..." Grace added.
Caleb grabbed Grace's wrist, his face hard, "Are you trying to blame Susan? Do you want me to blame her? Is that your game?"
"No, no, that's not it. I'm just telling the truth. Candy went to find her on her own, I didn't know..."
Caleb sneered, "I don't buy that a three-year-old could take a cab and find the Eilish Group on her own."
"Candy's smart, you know that. And she often goes to your office... Caleb, it hurts, can you let go of me?" Grace pleaded.
"You still won't come clean? Do you think I won't break your hand?"
"I'm telling the truth... How could I deliberately take Candy there?" Grace looked like she was about to cry from the pain. "Even if you force me, you can't make me admit to something I didn't do. Caleb, why don't you believe me at all?"
"Because you're a liar," Caleb spat out. "This is your scheme, right? Using Candy to hurt Susan, to drive a wedge between me and Susan. Is that it? Grace, I really underestimated you before!"
With that, he grabbed her by the throat, and Grace immediately started gasping for air.
"Caleb..."
"Still won't tell the truth?"
"I'm... gonna die..." Grace choked out, "Let... go..."
Caleb's grip tightened, "Will you talk?"
"I... didn't... Caleb... you... believe me..."
"Talk!"
"I really didn't. If you don't believe me... you... you can strangle me..." Grace closed her eyes in despair, a tear sliding down her cheek.
Even facing death, she was still stubborn. Did she think he wouldn't really kill her?
In a fit of rage, Caleb really wanted to strangle her.
"Daddy..." Candy's weak voice broke through.
Caleb let go. Grace collapsed, clutching her throat as she fought for breath. She almost passed out.
"Caleb..." Grace's eyes were bloodshot, full of tears.
"Mommy, what's wrong?" Candy asked worriedly, each breath she took was burning hot. "Daddy, are you... bullying... Mommy again..."
"I'm fine..." Grace got up from the ground, "Look, your daddy came to see you. Your daddy still cares about Candy. Right, Caleb?"
"Daddy, I'm so hot... My whole body hurts. Am I going to die? Daddy, I don't want to die," Candy whimpered in fear.
"Of course not, silly girl. You just have a fever. Take some medicine and stay in the hospital for a couple of days, and you'll be fine," Caleb reassured her. "I'm here, I will take good care of you."
"Daddy..." Candy weakly reached out her small hand.
Caleb quickly held it, "I'm here with you. Candy, try to sleep, okay? Be good."
Caleb gently coaxed her, and Candy slowly closed her eyes.
"Candy relies on you a lot. You might have to stay here overnight," Grace said softly. "Do you need me to explain to Susan?"
"Stay away from her!" Caleb warned. "Grace, Candy is my daughter. I will never give her up, and I won't allow you to use her to control me. You can forget about achieving that."
"Caleb, I really didn't think that way..."
"Shut up, I won't believe a word you say. Candy had started to accept Susan and was getting along well with her. But as soon as you showed up, her attitude towards Susan changed. You say it wasn't your doing? Grace, don't take me for a fool."
"It really wasn't me..." Grace shook her head desperately. "Candy's attitude changed because I'm her biological mother, that's all. I absolutely didn't do anything. You can't blame me for everything just because you like Susan. I'm innocent. If I did anything wrong, it was loving my daughter too much. I can't stop seeing my daughter."
"And between you and me, Candy loves me more. She... she wants to stay with me in the future. Caleb, can you give me custody?" Grace asked cautiously.
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