Katelyn’s face brightened with sparkling joy and surprise. Placing a hand on her chest, she added with a dramatic touch, “That’s such a relief! I don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t seen this message.”

Vincent glanced at her, noticing the healthy glow on her face. Without a word, he gradually eased off the gas pedal.

“What matters is that she’s alright,” he said.

Katelyn nodded eagerly, her smile widening. The usual forty-minute drive to the hospital felt shorter, taking Vincent just thirty minutes.

The moment they arrived, Katelyn stepped out quickly, heading toward the inpatient department. Inside, Carol looked noticeably better, the tray beside her holding a plate of regular food instead of bland nutritional supplements.

“Grandma!” Katelyn walked in with quick steps, a warm smile lighting up her face.

Carol glanced up from the book she’d been reading, her brows lifting in surprise. “Katelyn? Aren’t you supposed to be at work? What are you doing here?” she asked.

Her gaze shifted to the doorway just as Vincent entered. Her surprise deepened. “Mr. Adams? You too?”

Vincent’s sharp eyes lingered on Carol, his brow furrowing slightly. “Katelyn said you weren’t feeling well, so we came to check on you,” he said.

“What?” Carol looked genuinely puzzled. She had felt fine—good enough to get out of bed earlier.

Before she could say anything, Katelyn threw Carol a meaningful look. With her back to Vincent, Katelyn winked and mouthed two words, “Help me.”

Carol caught on quickly, though she wasn’t sure what Katelyn was up to. Still, she decided to play along. Moments ago, Carol had been sitting upright, looking cheerful. Now, she leaned back against the pillows, pressing a hand to her chest with a dramatic sigh.

? g?ν?

“Yes, I had a little discomfort earlier, a fit of chest pain,” she said. “It startled the nurse—that’s probably why she called Katelyn.”

Katelyn bit her lip to keep from laughing. Carol’s performance wasn’t exactly convincing, but it was just enough to smooth over Vincent’s doubts. She gave Carol a subtle thumbs-up, keeping her voice filled with concern.

“As long as you’re okay now, that’s all that matters. I’ll make sure they keep an eye on you,” she said.

“Alright,” Carol nodded weakly.

Vincent remained near the door, staring at the too-perfect timing of their responses. Carol’s shift in attitude was incredibly sudden. He wasn’t buying it, though he chose not to say so just yet.

Before the awkward silence could stretch, a nurse entered to check Carol’s IV. Upon overhearing the conversation, the nurse’s expression shifted to one of alarm.

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