Chapter 2
My mother's surgery was a success, but she still had to stay in the ICU for observation. I sat on a cold bench and didn't sleep all night. Morning sunlight poured through the windows, yet I couldn't feel a trace of warmth.
A scene from three years ago rose in my mind.
Back then, LunaCare Center had recently started out. Lucy's father had practically begged on his knees to win over an insanely picky rich matron. Her daughter suffered from severe postpartum depression, and nobody could help her.
I used my family's medicinal diet remedies and counseling skills, and over seven days and nights, I pulled her back from the edge of collapse.
Afterward, Mr. White clutched my hands, so excited he could barely speak. "Claire, you're LunaCare's greatest treasure. When the company goes public, I'll give you founder's shares. You're like my own sister."
That promise of founder's shares floated around like a bad check for three years, until Lucy showed up with her so-called modernization and kicked me out in one blow.
I let out a bitter laugh. People's hearts really were the easiest thing to test and the quickest thing to fail.
My phone buzzed. It was a message from my new boss saying Harmony International had already arranged to transfer my mother to the city's best private hospital and had advanced all of her medical expenses: [Ms. Summers, please focus on your family. Work can wait.]
My nose stung, and I sent back two words: [Thank you.]
That timely kindness and basic decency stood in brutal contrast to Lucy's cruelty and ingratitude.
As I was about to handle the transfer paperwork, Jenny called.
Her voice was so low she sounded like she was sneaking around."Claire, this is bad. Something huge happened. That idiot Lucy actually had one of the infant-care nurses force-feed the Little Heir according to the textbook."
My heart skipped. The Little Heir had a special constitution and an extremely weak digestive system. That was exactly why Margaret had searched so carefully before finding me.
"What happened?" I asked in a low voice.
"What do you think happened? He spit up on the spot. Now he's throwing up and has diarrhea, and his little face has gone white. Lucy's still insisting this's a normal reaction to scientific feeding and that the baby's adjusting to a new routine.
"Margaret and her husband are already charging over. From the sound of it, they may even call the police."
I closed my eyes for a moment. I could already picture the chaos at LunaCare Center.
Lucy thought running a postpartum care center was like managing a factory line: input commands and wait for results. She had no clue that every client and every newborn here needed real care, not formulas.
"Claire, are you really not coming back? Mr. White is losing his mind trying to find you," Jenny asked carefully.
"I'm not going back," I said flatly. "The second she threw that termination notice in my face, I had nothing to do with LunaCare Center anymore."
After hanging up, I got up and walked toward the ICU. Through the thick glass, I saw my mother lying quietly in bed, tubes running all over her body.
In that moment, I was more grateful than ever that I had walked away for good. If I had turned back to save face, my mother's condition might have grown far worse because of the delay.
That afternoon, I finished all the paperwork and transferred my mother to the private hospital Harmony International had arranged. It was a quiet private room, with a top medical team on call around the clock.
I had freshly settled everything when another unknown number came in. I hesitated for a second, then answered. A man's voice came through, low, cold, and so forceful it was impossible to ignore.
"Claire Summers?" It wasn't a question. It was confirmation.
"Yes, this is Claire." I replied.
"Edward Foster." Those two words were enough. I knew exactly who he was: Margaret's husband, the mysterious tycoon who controlled half a business empire, and the Little Heir's biological father.
His voice was even colder than the rumors said. "My son is in very bad shape right now."
He wasn't yelling. He was simply stating a fact, but every word hit me like ice. "Lucy said you quit without permission and acted irresponsibly."
I tightened my grip on the phone and asked coldly, "Mr. Foster, do you believe her?"
Silence fell on the other end. A few seconds later, Edward spoke again, and there was a faint trace of scrutiny in his voice. "Where are you?"
"Where I am has nothing to do with you, Mr. Foster. My employment with LunaCare Center is over. If you want to hold someone accountable, go find Lucy and LunaCare's legal representative," I answered.
"I'm giving you one hour to show up at LunaCare Center. Otherwise..." He didn't finish, but the threat was obvious.
I cut him off at once. "Mr. Foster, are you threatening me?"
"You can take it that way," He said.
I laughed. "Then let me tell you something. Since the day your son was born, every care record, feeding habit, and allergy note has been in my hands.
"Lucy's so-called scientific feeding used the wrong food. That food reacts badly with the vitamin D he's taking. Best case, vomiting and diarrhea. Worst case, acute kidney injury."
The breathing on the other end turned heavy at once. I could picture the look on this lofty Mr. Foster's face right now.
"Mr. Foster, do you still think I'm the one who should be showing up somewhere within an hour?"I said slowly, each word deliberate.