<b>Chapter </b><b>145 </b>


    “Going to find Ileana?” Before Alessia could respond, Ste had already guessed


    her intention.


    “I’m at the café right outside the alley.”


    A small smile tugged at Alessia’s lips. “I’ll be there in a minute.”


    They’d known each other since grade school; their unspoken understanding was second nature by now. By the time Alessia arrived, Ste was already waiting for her in the car.


    “Which hospital?”


    “Harmony General.” Alessia snapped on her helmet and reached <i>to </i>steau, nerself at Ste’s waist. As soon as she did, Ste twisted the throttle. The engine roared to life, wind howling past their ears as they sped off into the city.


    Meanwhile, someone else had already arrived at the hospital.


    Lucy had heard the news that morning and taken the afternoon off toe. When she got there, Ileana was in the middle of a tantrum. The only person in the room was Dawson, the butler; no one else hade.


    “Give me my dad’s phone! York pushed me down the stairs–he’s trying to kill me! Get him out of here right now!”


    Fortunately, it was a private VIP suite, so Ileana’s shrieks didn’t disturb the rest of


    the ward.


    Lucy listened to themotion from the hallway, choosing not to enter right away. She leaned against the wall, waiting for the right moment.


    It wasn’t her idea to visit. Her father, Hargrove Summers, had insisted shee. ording to him, this was the perfect chance to build a connection with Ileana. If she happened to run into Scott while she was at it, all the better for the Summers family’s business prospects.


    Lucy didn’t hold out much hope for her father anymore, but if she and her mother wanted to maintain their current lifestyle–and keep her father’s mistress from taking their ce–she had no choice but to follow Hargrove’s orders and try to get close to Ileana.


    What Hargrove hadn’t counted on was that the Tate family barely cared about <b>the </b>daughter they’d lost for seventeen years. Pinning his hopes on Ileana <b>as </b><b>a </b><b>bridge </b><b>to </b>


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    <b>Chapter </b>145


    the Tates was nothing but wishful thinking.


    Of course, Lucy never told Hargrove he was wasting his time. Her mother was already gathering evidence of his affairs; once the time was right, they’d take half of Hargrove’s fortune and start a new life abroad.


    “Miss, Mr. Tate is busy at the moment and can’t take your call. The doctor said it’s just a fracture–you’ll be fine after a month of rest. There’s nothing to worry about,” Dawson replied calmly, unfazed by Ileana’s outburst.


    “And York? That’s it? He tried to kill me! Aren’t you going to do anything? He’s a


    murderer!”


    “Miss, the security footage doesn’t show Mr. York pushing you,” Dawson said, his expression unchanged, every word as formal as a legal statement.


    “So because the footage doesn’t show it, that means he didn’t do it? Are you saying I threw myself down the stairs?”


    Dawson remained silent, which only made Ileana angrier. She snatched the ss of water from her bedside table and hurled it at him. It shattered at his feet, sshing water onto his trouser leg, yet Dawson didn’t even flinch.


    “Please, Miss, you should get some rest. Once the observation period is over, we’ll arrange for you to return home.”


    “I want to talk to my dad!”


    “Sir is busy. Please just focus on your recovery. I’ll have someonee in to clean


    up.”


    The door opened and Lucy straightened, acknowledging Dawson with a polite nod. He returned it with a slight bow, stepping aside so she could enter.


    As Lucy stepped into the room, her previously calm face shifted to one of concern.


    “Ileana, are you okay? What happened in here?” Lucy’s eyes widened at the shattered ss, and she carefully picked her way to the chair beside Ileana’s bed before sitting down.


    “Lucy? What are you doing here?” Ileana, still fuming, tried to smooth her hair and managed a stiff smile.


    “As soon as I heard what happened, I came straight over. Are you alright?”


    Ileana was about tounch into moreints when the butler returned <b>with </b>the cleaning crew. Only after they’d swept up the broken ss and left <b>did </b><b>the </b><b>door </b>finally close, leaving the two girls alone.