Lunar Heights Estate.


    Irwin was moring to build a snowman, and because Rosita was too frail to y outside with him, Stewart stepped in himself.


    From the sunroom upstairs, Rosita watched her husband and son in the snowy yard below, theirughter drifting up to her. Her eyes were filled with tenderness and contentment.


    Suddenly, a phone vibrated on the wooden tea table beside her.


    It was Stewart''s phone.


    Rosita walked over and picked it up, pausing when she saw the caller ID: Cedric rke.


    Her hand stilled for a moment as she recalled a video she''d just watched online. She nced through the window at Stewart and Irwin, still ying in the snow.


    After a breath, she set the phone back down, lifted her cup of herbal tea, and sipped slowly, savoring the warmth.


    At the hospital, Cedric rke had already called five times, but no one answered. "This is odd. Why isn''t Stewart picking up?" he muttered.


    "Maybe he''s ignoring you on purpose!" Ste was clearly agitated. "He probably guessed you were calling about Bryn and decided not to answer!"


    "Stewart isn''t like that," Cedric replied with conviction. "He''s probably just busy—" "Oh, forget it! I must be out of my mind to think Stewart would help!" Ste sighed in frustration. "I''ll just go to the Kensingtons myself!"


    "Are you sure you want to go alone?" Cedric caught her arm. "Do you want me toe with you?"


    Ste hesitated. Her first instinct was to refuse, not wanting to trouble him-but then she remembered the Kensingtons and their notorious arrogance. The rke family was influential in Northborough, and Cedric was close to Stewart. Having him along might actually help if things got tense.


    She nodded. "Thank you, Dr. rke. I''d appreciate it."


    Cedric nodded back, about to say something else when a nurse rushed over, face pale and anxious.


    "Dr. rke, urgent! The patient in Room 28 has copsed!"


    Room 28!


    Ste''s eyes widened. "That''s Ms. Hudson, isn''t it?"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll check on her right away!" Cedric said, already moving.


    Julia had suddenly suffered a severe episode and lost consciousness. Cedric rushed to lead the emergency response.


    Ste waited outside the ER, pacing back and forth, anxiety etched in every line of her face.


    Gina stood nearby, looking just as worried.


    Julia had fainted just as Gina had gone downstairs to grab a snack from the convenience store. By the time she returned, Julia was already in the ER.


    If anything happened to Julia, Gina knew she''d never forgive herself.


    A painfully long half hour passed before the emergency room light finally flicked off.


    The door swung open.


    Ste hurried forward. "How is Ms. Hudson?"


    "She''s stable," Cedric said, pulling down his surgical mask with a relieved smile. "She''s already regained consciousness. There''s no sign of her condition worsening-it looks like her fainting was triggered by emotional distress, not her illness."


    "Emotional distress?" Ste frowned. "She''s barely left her room. What could have upset her so much?"


    "When I left her earlier, she seemed fine," Gina recalled. "She even asked me to bring her back some corn on the cob."


    Ste thought the situation odd as well.


    "Let''s get her back to the ward," she said. "We can ask her once she''s feeling better."


    Ste nodded, and Julia was soon settled back in her room. She seemed calm, even chatted quietly with Ste for a bit, but quickly slipped back into a drowsy sleep.


    With no answers and still worried about Briony, Ste reminded Gina to keep an eye on Julia''s mood, then left for the Kensingtons'' estate.


    As she walked down the corridor, Ste overheard a group of nurses whispering


    "Did you see that video? Unbelievable! Are all these high-society families really that crazy?"


    "You mean the woman in the video-Ms. Kensington? Isn''t she the daughter of the patient in Room 28?"


    "That''s her. Poor thing, getting stuck with a family like the Kensingtons. She''s really got it rough."


    Ste frowned and stopped one of the nurses. "Sorry, what video are you talking about?"


    "Dr. Joyner, you haven''t seen it?" The nurse pulled out her phone, found the video, and handed it over. "Look, that''s Ms. Kensington, right?"


    The woman in the video, forced to her knees with her hair yanked back, was indeed Briony.