Chapter 26

Oliver Edwards' mood soured the instant his assistant barged into the meeting, but the news jolted him upright.

A chill swept over the room as his gaze hardened,cold and sharp behind his gold-rimmed glasses.

"This meeting is over," remarked Oliver, cutting through the tension before snatching the phone from his assistant and making his way out the door.

"Grandpa, tell me what happened to Allison," asked Oliver.

"There's been an accident. Allison got hit by a car.The doctors rushed her into surgery at the hospital.You need to get here as soon as you can. Thank goodness Dr. Green happened to be on duty, or things could be much worse."

"Hang in there. I'm on my way. As long as Dr. Green is handling it, I trust everything will work out," said Oliver, ending the call, his jaw clenched.

He stepped into the elevator, stone-faced, and the staff hurried to clear his path. No one wanted to be caught in the wake of his fury. It was clear to everyone that something serious had happened.

Even the most curious employees kept their distance, deciding that staying safe was far more important than finding out what was wrong.

Even Jeffry Nash, Oliver's assistant, did his best to look invisible, keeping his eyes down and staying several paces back. Trying to talk to Oliver now would be pure suicide.

Inside the slow-moving elevator, Oliver stared at the glowing floor numbers, each one ticking by far too slowly.

Why did it feel like the elevator was crawling along at a snail's pace?

Until now, Oliver had never noticed how painfully slow the elevator could be. He loosened his tie, each tug a silent release of growing irritation as his glare grew sharper by the second.

Cramped walls seemed to close in, filling the small space with an almost unbearable sense of pressure.

Trying to ease the tension, Jeffry spoke up in a gentle voice. "Mr. Edwards, I really believe Miss Edwards is in good hands. She's got luck on her side."

"That kind of luck ran out for her mother. I won't let Allison end up the same way," said Oliver, his words cutting through the quiet like a blade.

Jeffry shrank back, not daring to challenge theicy finality in Oliver's tone. He held himself as still as possible, barely even breathing.

Nobody at the company had ever heard Oliver mention a romanticrelationship-he didn't even have any gossip swirling around him. Yet, out of nowhere,he had suddenly appeared with a young daughter years ago Even Jeffry, who had been by Oliver's side for ages,couldn't figure out who Allison's mother might have been.

The truth was, nobody knew where Allison Edwards came from. All anyone could see was how, as she got older, she looked more and more like Oliver.

Sometimes,Jeffy caught himself wondering if Oliver had a hidden love story he kept buried in the past.

At the hospital, Oliver joined his grandfather in the corridor outside the operating room. He couldn't stay still, pacing back and forth as the seconds crawled by.

He found himself torn, desperate for the doors to open but dreading whatever news might be waiting on the other side.

Allison was his last tie to the past. If she slipped away, he would lose the only piece of Allison's mother he had left. He forced himself not to follow that thought any further. Nerves left him lightheaded, his breath shallow, his hands trembling without relief.

"It's going to be alright. Allison's strong. She'll pull through," he whispered, trying to convince himself,though his doubt only grew with each passing second.

Every moment dragged on, each one stretching his patience thinner, until at last the operating room doors slid open.

The wait had felt endless, and now he braced himself for whatever verdict was coming.

"Dr. Green, please tell me-how's my great-granddaughter?" Samson Edwards couldn't hold back and hurried over.

"The operation went smoothly. She's stable and recovering," Landon answered, voice steady and composed.

He gestured for his team to step outside. Among them, Emilia slipped away, her face hidden behind a mask, moving quickly down the hallway without a backward glance.

All she could think about was changing out of her scrubs and finishing her divorce before the day ended.

With Landon staying behind to handle the rest, Emilia knew she could leave everything in his hands.

"We can't thank you enough for saving my daughter.I'm Oliver Edwards, and this is my grandfather. We'll make sure to visit and thank you in person. If there's ever anything you need from the Edwards family, just reach out," said Oliver, extending a grateful hand.

As Oliver spoke, Landon's eyes lingered on them a moment longer, realizing who he was dealing with.

So,these wee the Edwards-the wealthiest family in Oticester.

He gave a polite smile, refusing to take credit for what he hadn't done. "You're giving your thanks to the wrong person. I wasn't the one who performed the operation. I only stepped in to help."