Ryan Blackwood glanced at his watch, his expression darkening. The scheduled eting ti had already passed, and there was still no sign of Mrs. Lancaster from Elegant Realm studio.
This was unusual and irritating. Throughout his career, others waited for him—never the reverse. Ryan Blackwood didn’t wait for anyone, especially not for etings they had requested.
His gaze drifted toward the window just as Cedric Lancaster’s car pulled away from the curb. Their eyes almost t through the glass, but the vehicle accelerated past, carrying away the woman who should have been sitting across from him right now.
Inside the car, Serena clutched her handbag tightly, her mind consud with worry for her daughter. The eting with Ryan Blackwood had completely vanished from her thoughts.
"Cedric, what’s wrong with Rancy? Say sothing!" Her voice trembled with maternal panic.
Cedric kept his eyes on the road, his knuckles white against the steering wheel. "Her teacher called , so I ca to find you imdiately. Your assistant said you were eting a client here." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Rancy seems to have stomach issues—maybe she ate sothing that didn’t agree with her, or perhaps sothing else."
Serena squeezed her hands together, anxiety mounting. The doctors had warned her when Rancy was born that the child had so congenital weaknesses requiring special care. For the past two years, Serena had devoted considerable energy to ensuring her daughter’s health remained stable.
Rancy had been such a fighter, rarely experiencing serious health problems. These recent episodes of illness had completely shattered Serena’s composure.
As the car raced toward the hospital, Cedric reached across the console to grasp Serena’s trembling hand.
"Serena, don’t worry," he said, his voice deliberately soothing. "Rancy will be fine."
After what felt like an eternity, they finally arrived at the hospital—the closest one to Rancy’s preschool, where her teacher had brought her initially.
In the hospital room, Rancy lay unconscious, her small face alarmingly pale against the white sheets.
"Doctor," Serena called out, intercepting the physician as he exited the room. "How is my daughter? Is it serious?" Her voice shook with barely contained fear.
The doctor studied her with practiced professional detachnt. "Are you the patient’s mother? Her condition is concerning. Has her diet been irregular recently?" He glanced at his chart. "This child has a naturally weak constitution and appears particularly sensitive to certain foods, especially those served cold or improperly prepared."
"She’ll need to remain under observation for several days at least."
Serena inhaled sharply, feeling as though her world was collapsing around her. "But I haven’t given her anything like that," she protested. "I’ve specifically instructed the preschool about her dietary needs—they’re very careful!"
The doctor hesitated before offering a vague response. "She might have eaten sothing elsewhere. Children this age are naturally curious about food—it’s in their nature to sample things they shouldn’t. Try not to panic," he added, softening his tone. "With observation and proper treatnt for a few days, she should recover nicely."
Serena nodded weakly. Cedric wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close. "It’s going to be all right, Serena," he murmured against her hair. "The doctor says she’ll be fine after a few days. Don’t worry."
Serena finally found her voice, responding with a barely audible acknowledgnt.
A nurse erged from Rancy’s room, informing them they could enter to see the child. Serena stepped inside cautiously, her movents deliberately quiet as she approached the bed. Rancy looked impossibly small in the hospital bed, fragile and vulnerable against the expanse of white sheets.
Guilt washed over Serena as she gazed at her daughter’s pale face. If she hadn’t been so preoccupied with work lately, surely she would have noticed sothing was wrong before it escalated to hospitalization.
Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill over as she gently stroked Rancy’s small hand.
Cedric observed Serena’s anguish, a shadow passing across his features. Had he not deliberately given Rancy those problematic foods, Serena would likely be sitting across from Ryan Blackwood at this very mont. By then, he might have lost even the privilege of witnessing Serena’s tears.
"Serena," he said gently, touching her arm. "We should step outside and let Rancy rest."
He carefully guided her from the room. Just as they entered the corridor, Serena’s phone vibrated insistently in her purse. Her heart sank as realization dawned—she had completely forgotten about her eting with Mr. Blackwood.
She quickly answered the call, issuing instructions to Sally.
"Contact Mr. Blackwood’s office imdiately," she said, her voice professional despite her distress. "Explain that I’m dealing with an urgent personal matter and couldn’t make our appointnt. Tell him I’ll visit personally when things settle down, and I hope he understands."
On the other end, Sally hesitated, montarily stunned. Securing a eting with Ryan Blackwood had been extraordinarily difficult—canceling it was a significant setback.
After waiting nearly fifteen minutes, Ryan had already departed the restaurant when Sally’s call reached his assistant. The assistant sought Ryan’s input before responding.
"Mr. Blackwood, Elegant Realm studio is calling to apologize. Would you like to—"
Ryan’s expression hardened, his distaste for tardiness and broken commitnts evident. "No apology necessary, and no rescheduling required."
Those brief sentences perfectly conveyed Ryan’s position. He was only being this lenient because his daughter had seed particularly fond of "Rancy’s mother"—otherwise, he would have blacklisted the studio entirely.
His assistant nodded, relaying Ryan’s decision to Sally with diplomatic firmness that left no room for negotiation.
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