Chapter 450 Patricia Falls into a Well-Devised Trap
Martin raised an eyebrow in surprise; he hadn't expected Hunter to go so far as to hire a dedicated nutritionist for Patricia.
She continued, "Even though he stopped pushing for the abortion later, I knew he hadn't planned to spare the child I was carrying. As soon as my baby was born, I was certain he would strike. That man is cold-hearted. There's nothing he wouldn't do."
"For my baby's safety, I pleaded with the doctors for a long time. I was particularly lucky that day; when I went into labor, two other pregnant women were also giving birth in the same ward. One baby was in critical condition due to a lack of oxygen from the umbilical cord being wrapped around their neck."
"The other, born to a student who got pregnant out of wedlock, was a child with Down syndrome. She couldn't afford treatment for the child and abandoned them in the operating room before fleeing. The doctor presented the two infants to Hunter, claiming they were my children. Without a moment's hesitation, Hunter smothered the children right in front of the doctor.”
A flicker of doubt crossed Martin's mind: Could it really be such a coincidence?
Martin's brow furrowed. "And he believed it?"
The notion that Hunter, a man notorious for his deep-seated suspicions, would blindly accept such claims seemed implausible to Martin. His extensive history with Hunter had taught him that the man was inherently distrustful. The idea that Hunter could have been so easily deceived into believing the children were his and Patricia's was unfathomable. Martin was convinced there was more to the story, a piece of the puzzle Patricia was perhaps unaware of.
Meanwhile, Patricia, unaware of the turmoil of doubt in Martin's mind, affirmed with a nod, "He believed it. And right before my eyes, he smothered the children with a pillow. The devastation was overwhelming, a true heartbreak. I was tormented by guilt for my indirect role in the demise of those innocent lives and enraged by Hunter's merciless nature."
"I begged him for mercy, but he was unmoved. He went ahead and killed them... and, he wouldn't even let me take care of the bodies. Instead, he had James discard them behind the hill to the wild dogs."
Martin recoiled at the mention of 'wild dogs,' a shudder coursing through him.
"You mean to say he discarded those infants, those babies, to the wild dogs in the hinterlands?" he pressed for confirmation.
Patricia's affirmation came heavy with sorrow. "Yes, it's true. He's a monster. I've never encountered a soul as terrifying as his. The mere thought of what might have happened had those been our own children is unbearable."
Patricia's hair, a sudden clarity pierced his previously clouded thoughts. The enigma that had eluded his grasp began to align, revealing a clearer picture.
Suppressing the surge of excitement within him, he looked down and posed the crucial question, "Then who was it that you arranged to rescue the children?"
Patricia's response came with a glimmer of hope: "The doctor was the one. She mentioned her nephew was coming to the U.S. for work, and he could bring my children along."
"A nephew? A man?" Martin asked.
"I suppose so," Patricia replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "She said 'nephew,' not 'niece,' so I assume it's a man."
Her uncertainty lingered, leaving questions hanging in the air. Martin, deep in thought, tried to piece together the fragmented information. He distinctly remembered a woman bringing Maria to him, which contradicted the story of a nephew. The puzzle pieces weren't fitting together, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.
The narrative about a killer, as described by Hunter, who had allegedly taken the life of his child and left the remains for the wild dogs in the mountains, suddenly seemed dubious to Martin. It dawned on him that his son might still be alive, a realization that brought both hope and turmoil.
Breaking the silence, Martin inquired, "What's the doctor's name? And the hospital?"
"St. Mary's Hospital. The head obstetrician, Dr. Isabella," Patricia recalled with clarity, her voice carrying a note of gratitude for the doctor's assistance.
A strong feeling surged within Martin—the feeling that his son might still be alive, in someone's custody unknown to him.
But since this was just a guess, he dared not raise Patricia's hopes only to dash them again. Gently caressing her face, he comforted her, "Patricia, Charles, Randy, Fannie, and Maria all need you! I know you're hurt, but I hope you can pull through for the four kids."
Patricia, sensing the unresolved mystery, grasped Martin's arms, her voice quivering with a mix of hope and fear. "Martin, do you think... Could my baby still be alive? Maybe he didn't die after all?"
Her intuition as a mother, the unspoken bond between her and her child, left her clinging to a sliver of hope.
Martin cupped her face and wiped away the tears with his thumb. "Don't worry, I'll get to the bottom of this. Right now, it's all about the four kids. Charles is worried sick about you."
The possibility of hope rekindled a spark in Patricia's eyes. With a deep breath, she committed to being strong, not just for herself but for the children who depended on her. "I'll be strong for them. I have to believe my baby is still out there."
Martin offered a comforting smile, his words unspoken but his resolve clear. After ensuring Patricia was calmed, he excused himself to make a crucial call to Alan from his study.
"Investigate Dr. Isabella, the head obstetrician-gynecologist at St. Mary's Hospital. Check her bank account from six months ago, her social network, and phone records—especially her nephew's. See if he was in Ivara City any time in the last six months."
Alan, known for his discretion, wasted no time in acting upon Martin's instructions. Meanwhile, Martin found himself in his study, peering out of the floor-to-ceiling window that offered an expansive view of Ivara's capital from his elevated position. His contemplation was interrupted when, less than thirty minutes later, his phone vibrated with an incoming call from Alan.
Without hesitation, Martin answered, pre-empting Alan's report. "Dr. Isabella resigned six months ago. Her stint at Madonna General Hospital was brief, not even a full year," Alan informed him, prompting Martin to furrow his brow in concern.
This revelation added complexity to the already tangled situation, suggesting that Dr. Isabella's involvement might have been specifically for Patricia's childbirth. Martin pondered the reasons behind her sudden resignation. Was it a direct consequence of defying Hunter to aid Patricia, sparking fear of retribution? Or were there other, deeper motivations at play? The absence of any known familial connection to Patricia made her willingness to help all the more puzzling. Could it have been simply out of compassion, or was there an unseen piece of the puzzle yet to be discovered?
Alan continued reporting, “Also, about the nephew you asked me to look into – there’s no Alan's voice broke through Martin's thoughts again, delivering another unexpected twist. "Regarding the nephew you inquired about, it turns out there is no nephew. Dr. Isabella was an only child."
This piece of information caused Martin's focus to sharpen, his suspicions intensifying. It became clear that Patricia had been ensnared in a meticulously orchestrated deception from the outset, with unseen forces maneuvering from the shadows.
And it dawned on him that his son might still be trapped within Hunter’s reach.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
