"Quiet!" The doctor''s sharpmand cut through the anxious chatter, and everyone immediately fell silent. Pulling off his mask, the doctor addressed them in a measured voice: "The patient''s rib was fractured-we''ve already removed the broken piece surgically. Luckily, there was no damage to his internal organs. We''ve managed the internal bleeding caused by the impact. His right leg is broken and has been stabilized with a metal te. He also has multiple abrasions; nothing too serious. There was a stab wound to his abdomen that had been stitched, but the wound reopened, so we''ve re-stitched it. He suffered a head injury as well, with some internal bleeding. We performed a minimally invasive drainage procedure. He''s still in a critical period-the next forty-eight hours are crucial. If he wakes up, he should recover. If he doesn''t..."


    "If he doesn''t wake up, what happens then?"


    Phelps, his hands trembling, gripped the doctor''s arm. Timothy was the grandson he was most proud of, the one he''d mentored personally. The thought of losing him was unbearable.


    "We''ll need to run further tests to be sure. For now, please step aside. The patient needs to be moved to the intensive care unit."


    The mention of the ICU sent a chill through the room-it sounded grave. Phelps''s knees buckled, and he fainted on the spot.


    The Naylor couple and N Lawson rushed to his side, helping him away from the chaos.


    Sallie didn''t follow. Instead, she fixed Vince with a steely gaze and spoke in a low, urgent voice. "You know what really happened, don''t you?"


    Vince pressed his lips together, refusing to answer.


    Sallie''s eyes narrowed, her brow furrowed in frustration. "Say something."


    Timothy was her twin brother. There were things on her grandfather''s side of the family she could ignore, but when it came to Timothy, she couldn''t just stand by.


    "When Timothy wakes up, you can ask him yourself," Vince said finally, his tone clipped. "His personal life isn''t mine to discuss."


    Still, the wait gnawed at Vince. Forty-eight hours felt like an eternity.


    He''d helped Jessica, yes-but he never wanted Timothy to get hurt.


    Sallie''s stare grew even colder. "Does this have something to do with Jessica?"


    She remembered dragging Timothy home from Moonstrand Vis that night. Afterwards, Timothy had gone out, searching for Jessica, and she hadn''t seen him since. He hadn''te home, hadn''t contacted anyone. Husband and wife both neglecting their own son she''d had to take Henry to stay with her.


    The realization hit her then. "Timothy''s in such a serious ident, and where is


    Jessica? She hasn''t evene to the hospital? That''s it, I''m calling her."


    Sallie dialed Jessica''s number.


    "We''re sorry, the number you have dialed is currently unavable."


    Sallie almost hurled her phone at the wall. "She''s really got some nerve-turning her phone off at a time like this? She''s be more and more irresponsibletely. She doesn''t care about her son onher husband anymore? Honestly, I don''t think she even wants to be Mrs. Lawson."


    Vince said quietly, "Maybe she really doesn''t."


    Sallie took a step forward and grabbed Vince by the tie. "Don''t make me angry. Tell me the truth-did Timothy''s ident have anything to do with that mute girl?"


    Vince yanked his tie out of Sallie''s grip. "She''s your sister-inw. Stop calling her ''that mute girl''—it makes you sound utterly ssless. If I were her, and you treated me like this, I wouldn''tst a day in your family."


    Sallie let out a bitterugh. "At Larkin''s birthday party, I saw the way you looked at her. Don''t pretend you


    don''t know. Seven years ago, do you


    really not know why Timothy suddenly got married? Jessica should count herself lucky she just happened to be in the right ce at the right time. If she weren''t mute, do you really think Timothy would''ve married her?"