Vincent didn’t waste time with pleasantries. He got straight to the point. He knew Katelyn must have had a hectic day, so he didn’t bother her earlier. Instead, he spent his time investigating the consortium himself. Estimating that she’d be finishing her work around now, he chose this moment to call.

Katelyn wasn’t surprised by the call. She nodded slightly, her tone calm.

“I know. But what I want to know is—who’s behind this consortium?” Whoever they were, they must have had a reason to buy Wheeler Group’s shares at such a high price. Otherwise, there’d be no reason to target Wheeler Group so recklessly. This attack wasn’t just an act of competition—it was mutual destruction.

Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window, Vincent gazed out at the glittering city lights. His eyes turned distant as he said softly, “I’ve looked into it. No consortium connected to the Wheeler Group has the capability to pull this off. And this one… It came out of Yata. But I haven’t figured out exactly when they emerged.”

Katelyn’s expression faltered. Yata again. It was as if every issue she encountered lately led back to Yata, like it was the center of everything.

Vincent’s voice broke the silence.

“You should ask Neil. He might know something.”

His suggestion was clear—Neil needed to be questioned.

Katelyn understood instantly and replied, “I’ll do that.”

Neil had been keeping a low profile since transferring the Wheeler Group to her. She couldn’t ignore the possibility that he might be connected to this mess. After all, it didn’t make any sense for him to pass those assets to her in the first place.

Vincent’s tone softened.

“Don’t stress about it too much. Even without the Wheeler Group, you’re capable of taking good care of Carol.”

His reassurance eased the tension in her chest. Katelyn managed a faint smile.

“I understand. Thank you.”

After a few more words, the call ended. Katelyn took a deep breath, steadied herself, and dialed Neil’s number.

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It took longer than usual for the call to connect. When it did, Neil’s voice sounded weak.

“Katelyn, anything you need?”

Her brows furrowed. It had only been a little over a week since they last spoke. Why did he sound so frail?

Suppressing her concern, she asked in an even tone, “Where are you right now?”

There was a pause, and then Neil chuckled weakly.

“At the hospital. Are you coming?” Though his tone carried a smile, his voice was faint and strained.

Katelyn’s chest tightened. She hadn’t been keeping tabs on him recently. Hospitalized? Why? She knew his health hadn’t been great, but it wasn’t so fragile that it required frequent hospitalization. Something wasn’t right.

Without responding, she hung up, grabbed her bag, and headed out the door.

The streets were quieter at night, so it only took her twenty minutes to reach the hospital.

As she approached the ward, she nearly collided with Lise, who was just leaving. The moment their eyes met, a flash of hatred flickered across Lise’s face. But in the next instant, she masked her emotions and brushed past Katelyn without a word.

The brief encounter soured Katelyn’s mood further. Stepping into the room, she saw Neil lying on the bed, hooked up to monitors. The numbers displayed on the screen were troubling—his heartbeat was slow, and his blood pressure was alarmingly low. Her frown deepened. How had things deteriorated so much in just a week?

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