chapter194

"What did you give him for breakfast? Or did you say something to him?" Lydia asked, her tone sharp and direct.

Lucinda felt her heart jump, her hands curling into fists at her sides. Still, she tried to keep her cool. Grandpa only ate what I brought from home. What would I say to him? We were just chatting, like usual. Lydia, what are you trying to say?"

Lydia didn't look away, her gaze fixed on Lucinda's face. "I'm saying that a sudden rupture like this can be triggered by food, or by stress."

Lucinda avoided Lydia's eyes, but she kept insisting. "I already said, the food was from home. We just talked, nothing more."

Kylie finally spoke up, her voice steady. "Lydia, I gave the kitchen specific instructions about Grandpa's food, just like you told me. There shouldn't have been a problem with his meals."

Relieved to have someone on her side, Lucinda straightened, turning to face Lydia fully, her eyes wide and wounded. Did you hear that, Lydia? I only brought Grandpa breakfast because Mom and Dad were exhausted. If I'd known you'd blame me for his wound reopening, I would've made sure you brought it yourself."

Lucinda made it look like she was the only one thinking about Grandpa, and Lydia wasn't even around.

"Miss Norwood..." Dr. Hady's voice suddenly cut through the tension from the doorway of the operating room.

Cameron and Kylie hurried over, hope flickering in their eyes.

"Dr. Hady, why did my father suddenly get worse? Do you know what happened?" Cameron asked, his voice tight with worry.

Dr. Hady walked over, holding a folder with scans and papers. He had taken a little longer so he could make sense of everything before talking to them.

"Mr. Norwood, you've been far too careless. It's only been two days since his surgery. His meals have to be soft and easy to digest. Why werent you following the

instructions?"

Lucinda's face turned pale. She looked like she might faint. "I... I gave him the special meal the kitchen made," she stammered.

Cameron and Kylie exchanged confused glances.

"Dr. Hady, we followed your orders exactly. We haven't let him eat anything off limits. Is there some mistake?" Kylie asked.

Dr. Hady shook his head and pulled out one of the scans, pointing at it. "Look here. This is from inside his airway. It's a corn kernel.

Both Cameron and Kylie stared at him in shock.

"How could that happen? I told the kitchen, no corn or anything like it," Kylie said, her voice rising with anger.

Cameron's jaw tightened. "The staff at home need a serious talking to. How could they get lazy with his food like this?"

Dr. Hady let out a tired sigh. "He's

just had surgery and he's not young anymore. It's tough for him to swallow and chew. That corn accidentally went into his windpipe, which made him cough hard The coughing tore open his wound, and that's what made his blood vesse rupture again. Luckily we found it quickly and operated right away. If we hadn't, things could have been much worse."

Lucinda's knees buckled and she had to grab hold of a chair to stay standing.

Cameron and Kylie both looked shaken as they thanked Dr. Hady over and over.

Dr. Hady paused, then looked back at them. Also, did anyone say something to him before this happened? Anything that might have upset him and caused his blood pressure to spike?"