Shadows Of A Forgotten Spring
Billionaire Shadow 139

Chapter 139

Brandon pulled up in front of Emma's apartment, the weight of the day heavy upon his shoulders. He got out of the car with Emily in his arms, taking a deep breath to steady himself, she clung to him, her small fingers clutching his shirt. commendable, it left Brandon helpless.

He had been following the news relentlessly since the incident that afternoon, desperate for any updates about Emma, but the media remained frustratingly silent about her condition. Alexander Black had done a great job keeping Emma's health status, but while it was

Like the rest of the world, Brandon had been in shock as he had watched footage of Alexander running into that burning skyscraper to save Emma. It was an act that no one would have ever expected, least of all from a man with Alexander Black's icy reputation. And the image of Alexander carrying Emma in his arms had replayed on every news outlet throughout the day.

Entering the apartment, Brandon was struck by the silence. The house felt eerily cold, as though it, too, was mourning Emma's absence. Gone was the usual warmth and liveliness, oppressed by a heavy sadness that seemed to hang in the air. Ethan came out of the living room, his eyes wide with concern. Brandon had asked Nurse Kelly to fetch him from school earlier to protect him from the whispers and speculations that were sure to spread out.

"Uncle Brandon!" Ethan wailed, running to him.

Brandon fell to his knees, balancing Emily in one arm as he pulled Ethan into a tight hug. "Hey, buddy," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "How was your day?"

Ethan buried his face childishly. Brandon held both children close, their tiny forms pressed against him.

But as the evening wore on, the sense of responsibility weighed heavier on Brandon's shoulders. He tried to distract the kids with their favorite stories and generally playing with them, but his mind was consumed by Emma. Each time he glanced at his phone, hoping for an update, the silence was deafening.

When the children finally slept, Brandon sat in a darkened living room. He could not bear the thought of Emma not pulling through.

Desperation now forced him into action. He reached for his phone and dialed a number he'd acquired earlier through his assistant.

It was Alexander's private line.

The phone rang and rang, each unanswered call fueling Brandon's frustration. Desperate, he kept calling again and again; after all, all he needed was assurance that Emma would be just fine. But as he had expected, Alexander didn't pick up.

Brandon slammed the phone down, his hands shaking. He leaned back in his chair, looking up to the ceiling as pent-up emotions he had been trying to hold back all day finally crept to the surface. AAAAA

In the dark of night, Annie readjusted her face cap, tugging it low to keep her face obscured from the cameras.

She moved closer to Blackthorn Hospital, her heart racing.

She had been following the news obsessively, keeping tabs on every update since the accident. But since Jaden had arrived at the hospital, everywhere had been quite, and it was driving her mad. Her lips curled into a deadly smirk as she thought about the news that she was truly waiting for.

17:58 Tue, Jan 7. D B

Chapter 189

The news of Emma's death.

The thought sent a rush of twisted satisfaction through her veins She convinced herself she wasn't alone in her thinking

After all, most people who were giving praise for Emma were hypocrites, pretending to care because of her societal status and wealth. Beneath the surface, she felt they all harbored a secret wish to see Emma dead, just as she did.

Standing outside the small restaurant opposite the hospital, Ane watched the scene ahead. Hundreds of paparazzi were present outside the hospital. The crowd was thick, and they were all waiting for a chance to capture any snippet of information.

Annie was dying to walk into that hospital, but she knew better. She could not afford the risk of just walking into the hospital now amidst the sea of cameras; the last thing she needed or wanted was her face across headlines raising questions she wasn't ready to answer.

Pulling her phone out for the umpteenth time that night, she tapped on Alexander's number. The pale glow illuminated her face as she held her breath, waiting to hear the ringing of the call Of course, it was Kevin answering again. "Miss Annie, Mr. Black is fine but really busy right now. He will call you once he's done here."

"Busy doing what?" Annie hissed low but sharp. "I know something is going on in there, Kevin! Don't treat me like I'm stupid. How can I sleep without knowing if my man's all right or not?" Kevin huffed through his side. "I'm not in a position for me to tell you. I'm sorry." Annie's jaw clenched, her grip on the phone tightening. "You expect me to believe that after everything I've seen? I watched the footage of both of them being brought in on stretchers! You're hiding something, and I won't stand for it!" "Kwill get back to you as soon as possible."

Kevin hung up, and Annie was left fuming with frustration. She dropped the phone, staring at the screen that glowed back with dim light as thoughts swirled around in a mad mess.

She flagged a passing taxi, her mind running over and over with plans. If she couldn't step inside the hospital tonight, she will tomorrow but she needs to start planning towards it.

The cab pulled up, she slipped inside, and directed the driver to a hotel several miles away.

Annie registered under a fake name; she couldn't afford to let her guard down, not now, not when the whole world was watching.

She sank onto the edge of the bed in the privacy of her hotel room, bitterness and determination swirling in her mind. She would not rest until she uncovered what was really going on behind those hospital walls. More importantly, she would not rest until Emma Black was nothing more than a memory.

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