Lucas gripped his utensils tightly. If Ella were truly Robert’s daughter, Eric wouldn’t have secretly retrieved that bag of trash to extract his DNA, would he?
If it wasn’t about extracting DNA, Lucas couldn’t think of any other reason worth taking that trash.
His heart raced with excitent. Picking up his phone, he quickly dialed his assistant. "Find a way to get a strand of hair or anything else from Miss Ella, a guest at the Vini Hotel, that can be used for DNA testing. Do it as quickly as possible, but make sure she isn’t hard."
"Yes, Mr. Anderson," the assistant replied respectfully.
Lucas was too restless to eat. Standing, he paced the room and, unable to resist, opened the door slightly to catch a glimpse of Ella dining with Eric.
She looked so much like Isabella! Those crescent-shaped eyebrows and large, captivating eyes were like a springti lake, drawing him in irresistibly.
And that faint smile, her gentle yet noble aura...
As Lucas gazed at Ella, she suddenly seed to sense sothing. The mont she turned her head, Lucas quickly shut the door to his private room.
He feared she might dislike him—especially since he hadn’t yet confird whether she was his daughter.
Wait!
Lucas began to calm himself. Didn’t Eric already take that bag of trash? Hadn’t they extracted his DNA? Ella didn’t seem particularly agitated—was it possible she wasn’t his child?
No!
Lucas dismissed the thought. In his heart, Isabella was the kindest and most virtuous woman he had ever known. Even after marrying Robert, she would never have been involved with another man.
There was only one explanation—Ella didn’t want to acknowledge him.
Lucas drew in a sharp breath. If Ella truly was his daughter, then how much suffering must she and Isabella have endured all those years? And he had known nothing of it.
He wasn’t worthy of being called a father.
As his thoughts spiraled, tears welled in Lucas’s eyes.
If she really was his daughter... how could he ever make up for more than twenty years of absent fatherly love?
...
After finishing their al, Ella and Eric headed to the small estate where Lauren and Henry lived.
"Ella! It’s been so long!" Lauren cried as she rushed to Ella, pulling her into a tight embrace, tears streaming down her face.
Ella gently patted her back. "Yes, I finally had so ti to visit. Now that I’m in my junior year, apart from internships, I don’t have much going on."
Lauren sniffled and reluctantly let go of Ella after a long mont. Eric, standing to the side, frowned slightly but said nothing as he headed toward Henry’s room. Over the past two years, Henry’s condition hadn’t improved at all.
"Co, have a seat. You must be exhausted after such a long flight," Lauren said softly.
Ella shook her head. "Not too tired. How’s Henry? Has there been any improvent?"
Lauren’s expression darkened as she shook her head slowly.
Lauren spent nearly every hour of every day by Henry’s side, talking to him, keeping him company, and taking care of him.
Even tasks like bathing him were all done by Lauren herself.
"The doctors say... his chances are very slim. But I have to keep hoping. Maybe one day, there will be a miracle," Lauren said with a faint smile.
Ella gripped Lauren’s hand tightly, unsure of how to comfort her.
If it weren’t for her, Henry wouldn’t be in a coma. He wouldn’t be spending the best years of his life unconscious, confined to a bed.
Lauren noticed the sadness in Ella’s expression and gently said, "Don’t overthink it. This is fate, and it’s not your fault."
Ella lowered her head, her voice quiet. "It’s hard not to feel guilty. I wish he could just stand up right now, but... I’m not a miracle worker..."
Her heart ached, leaving her montarily speechless. Every ti she visited Henry, it felt like her heart broke all over again.
But if heartbreak could help Henry recover, she thought it would all be worth it.
The two continued chatting about small things. When Eric ca back out of the room, Ella stood up. "I’m going in to see him."
Eric nodded, his expression neutral.
Ella entered the room quietly, leaving the door ajar. Eric, however, thoughtfully closed it behind her, understanding that his presence might make her hesitant to speak freely for fear of upsetting him.
Ella sat down gently.
Henry was sitting silently in his chair, his eyes fixed on the view outside. His gaze didn’t shift, his pupils remained still.
Ella moved closer to his side, but he showed no reaction.
She reached out, waving a hand softly in front of his face. Henry remained unresponsive, his expression blank and detached, as though he couldn’t see, hear, or sense anything around him.
Ella’s eyes filled with sorrow as she gazed at his handso face, now thinned and sunken. Even his once bright eyes seed hollow. Her throat tightened with emotion, and she fought back tears.
"Henry, I’m here to see you," she whispered. Standing up and moving in front of him, she struggled to keep her voice steady. "Do you see ? Are you... maybe waiting for to visit? Well, I’m here now. The least you could do is give a sign."
"I hope you’ll wake up soon. Don’t let your youth slip away in this endless sleep. I’m so sorry... If it weren’t for , you wouldn’t be like this. Honestly, I’m scared to face you. Every ti I see you like this, I feel awful for days."
Ella’s voice wavered, and her eyes grew red.
She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to be trapped in such a state, unable to feel or respond to the world around you. It was a fate worse than she could bear to think about.
Lowering her head, a glistening tear slid down her cheek, landing on Henry’s thin, lifeless hand.
"Henry, please wake up," she pleaded softly. "I want you to be like you were before—happy, carefree. Forget you ever t . Just live a good life with Lauren."
Ella wiped away her tears and looked at Henry again with misty eyes. His gaze remained unfocused, staring blankly ahead.
Suddenly, her thoughts drifted to BlazeKnight, the man who had once been so warm and caring toward her. She rembered the days she used to resent him.
How she missed those days now.
But the past was gone, irretrievable, and Ella’s heart ached from the weight of her mories. A deep, hollow pain settled within her, a pain borne of rembrance.
She wasn’t unfeeling. Henry had treated her with sincerity. If she didn’t feel grief and regret, she thought, she would be lying to herself.
Taking a few deep breaths, Ella managed to suppress the urge to cry further.
She stayed by his side, holding his hand silently.
She didn’t know how much ti had passed, but when her tears had dried and her emotions settled, she finally spoke in a soft voice. "I’m doing well lately. Your big brother has been very good to ... We’re planning to get married next year and have two children—boy or girl, it doesn’t matter. I just hope you’ll be there for my wedding."
"Henry, soone like you deserves happiness, not this—wasting away in silence. Don’t you see that?"
She spoke for what felt like hours, her words a mixture of hope and sorrow. Eventually, she patted his hand gently and stood up to leave.
As Ella walked away, a single tear welled up in Henry’s vacant eyes, slowly rolling down his cheek.
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