chapter 154 The Child is of the Davis Bloodline
Penelope could only speculate about the words that came next. Fiona, she was certain, would have informed their mother about the miscarriage, painting a bleak picture of her existence, embellishing and inventing details to further torment their mother. And so, Fiona had unveiled the harsh reality.
The savagery of the revelation had left their mother in a comatose state, necessitating immediate medical attention. Penelope found this truth unbearable, not only for her mother but also for herself. She took off her headphones and stored them away with care.
Outside, the weather was crisp and sunny, yet Penelope's heart was as cold as ice. As she exited the Davis Group building, the warm sunlight caressed her skin, failing to melt her frozen heart. She felt like a hollow shell, walking among the living but devoid of life.
The man from that fateful night, whom she had never anticipated, was none other than Kelvin. The child she carried was indeed a Davis. A preposterous and devastating fact, yet one she could not deny. Standing on the bustling street, Penelope tried to make sense of the chaos that surrounded her. She paused, feeling utterly lost about the direction her life was taking.
She hailed a taxi. "Where to, miss?" the driver inquired. "I..." Her voice trailed off. Where was she supposed to go? With no home to return to, her father incarcerated, and her mother in the ICU, Penelope was the epitome of a lost soul. "The hospital," she finally said, deciding to visit her mother. It was only by her mother's bedside that Penelope felt a semblance of security.
Meanwhile, Monica was returning to the office. Grumbling to herself, she pushed open the door, "That Timothy is such a nuisance, always showing up at the worst times. Be nice to him, and he thinks you're on meds; snap at him, and suddenly you’re 'just being yourself'…" After her rant, Monica looked up and noticed Penelope's absence. "Where is she?" she wondered aloud. "Did she just leave?"
"Penelope?" Monica rushed to the staff area, only to find Penelope's desk vacant. Odd. Had she vanished after hearing the recording? Had she stumbled upon some secret?
At the hospital, Penelope's heartfelt plea convinced the doctor to allow her into the ICU, but only for ten minutes. For Penelope, ten minutes was sufficient. Kneeling by the bedside, she pressed her cheek against her mother's hand, "Mom..." She couldn't finish before the tears started to fall. Only by her mother's side could she voice her truth and release her pent-up emotions.
"Why did it have to be Kelvin's child I'm carrying? Why?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper. "He wants me to get pregnant again, but he doesn’t know... he killed our baby with his own hands." She paused, struggling to hold back her tears. "Mom, what do I do now? How do I face Kelvin? How shattered will he be when he finds out?"
"If we had known earlier that the child was Kelvin's, maybe... maybe you and dad wouldn’t have suffered so much. Consider it for the sake of the child. The feud between the Davis and Cooper families could be set aside for now." She sighed heavily, "I'm so useless, Mom. So powerless. After all this time, I've found no truth about Mr. Davis's death, and Nathan’s been dragged down because of me."
The ten minutes passed too quickly. The tear stains on Penelope's face hadn't even had time to dry; they just hung there as she reluctantly left the ICU. "Your mother's condition is currently stable," the lead doctor commented. "If nothing goes wrong, she can be moved to a regular ward next week."
"And if something does go wrong?" Penelope asked, her voice trembling slightly. "Well..." the doctor began, but Penelope cut him off, "Sorry, I’m just being pessimistic," she said. “If all goes well, to what extent might my mother recover?” The doctor pondered for a moment, then said, "The patient is quite elderly, and the fact that the specialized medication wasn't administered earlier has diminished its effectiveness. With proper rest and care moving forward, there is still substantial hope."
Penelope nodded, understanding the doctor's words. Her phone buzzed incessantly in her pocket, but she made no move to check it. At that moment, she couldn't bear the thought of facing anyone. As she walked out of the care facility, she was about to hail a taxi when a familiar-looking Mercedes pulled up. She hesitated, stepping back to observe.
The car came to a halt, and the individuals who emerged were... Grandpa and Lily! Penelope gasped, confused as to why they were here.
"This is the location, Grandfather," Lily announced, her voice echoing in the stillness. "It was Kelvin who arranged for the transfer of Penelope's mother to this facility. The expenses for her treatment are astronomical; he must harbor deep affection to willingly shoulder such costs."
"We should proceed inside," he suggested, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Very well," she responded, her tone compliant.
With Lily offering support, they both began their journey towards the entrance of the imposing building.
Suddenly, a voice rang out. "Hold on!" It was Penelope, her voice laced with desperation as she emerged from behind a nearby tree. "If there's a need for conversation, I'm available!"
Upon seeing her, the grandfather's face contorted into a frown of displeasure. "Ah, you're present as well. That simplifies matters."
"Yes, I am indeed here," Penelope confirmed, her voice firm. "Please refrain from disturbing my mother. She's still unconscious and can't bear any additional stress!"
Her features were taut, the anxiety she felt clearly visible.
Her mother simply couldn't withstand any more complications.
The grandfather's gaze on her was a cocktail of revulsion and impatience. "Your presence reminds me of that unfortunate child... Penelope, you're so pitifully helpless! Born into such privilege, yet you failed to protect him!"
Past reprimands from her grandfather had barely affected her, but now, with the knowledge that the child was the legitimate heir to the Davis family, his words pierced her heart.
Her emotions were a whirlwind of confusion and pain.
Deep down, she acknowledged the truth in her grandfather's words... the child was indeed a Davis by blood.
As she turned to Lily, Penelope's gaze hardened.
"Why are you staring at me in such a manner?" Lily questioned, visibly unsettled by Penelope's intense scrutiny. "I didn't harm your child! I even accompanied you to the hospital for a comprehensive examination, which wasn't cheap!"
"You also arranged for a paternity test," Penelope pointed out.
"Yes," Lily admitted, her tone unapologetic. "You intended to steal the test tube, didn't you? The one you took was a decoy. I've been safeguarding the actual sample required for the test all this while!"
"So... you're aware that Kelvin is the child's father."
"Of course I'm aware," Lily responded, her expression one of confusion. "Weren't you? It's laughable to even consider you having an affair!"
Penelope's laughter echoed around them, yet her eyes were filled with unshed tears. "Why didn't you inform me sooner? Why?"
Lily's confusion only deepened. "Isn't this common knowledge? You're married to Kelvin, you're carrying his child, and the timeline aligns... What could I possibly tell you that you don't already know!"
The grandfather's eyebrow arched in surprise. "What? Lily, have you been withholding information from us? Did you actually conduct a paternity test?"
"Yes, Grandfather," Lily confessed, her laughter awkward. "I... I just wanted to ensure everything was in order, you understand? Imagine the chaos if there was a mix-up and the child wasn't a true Davis. That would imply Penelope had deceived us all!"
The grandfather's countenance hardened. "Nonsense."
As their conversation came to a close, the evening began to settle in.
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