The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 394

Raymond might not be able to get near her here, but she couldn't stay in the hospital forever. He knew where she worked.

"I'm worried he might come back tomorrow when we're not here and try to see Chaim," Joseph explained. "It's better to have people here just in case."

So he was protecting Chaim.

"You really think of everything," Vivica said, looking at him with gratitude.

---

Raymond returned to the nephrology ward downstairs and pushed open the door to the room. His mother, Cheryl, was still awake. Seeing him return with his face contorted in pain, she gasped. "What happened? Who hit you?"

Raymond glanced at the hospital bed. "Aunt Hillary is sleeping. Please keep your voice down," he whispered.

Just as he spoke, Hillary stirred in the bed and woke up. "Raymond... what's wrong?"

"Aunt Hillary, you're awake?" he asked, looking over.

"I was dozing, but not sleeping soundly..."

Hillary looked frail and listless, her face pale from illness. Yet even ravaged by her condition, one could still see the traces of the stunning beauty she had been in her youth.

Although they were sisters, Raymond's mother, Cheryl, looked quite different from Hillary. Cheryl was pleasant-looking, with regular features, but for a woman of her age, beauty was more than just physical appearance. A happy marriage, a devoted son, a kind daughter-in-law, and an adorable granddaughter had blessed Cheryl with a life of contentment, which showed in her gentle, serene demeanor.

Hillary, in contrast, had been worn down by tragedy. Her husband had been bedridden for years, her young daughter was lost, and her son had died in infancy. Now, she herself was plagued by illness. The weight of it all had extinguished her spirit, leaving her looking withered and frail.

Cheryl looked at her son again. "You still haven't told me what happened. You were fine this afternoon."

Raymond hesitated. He wanted to tell his mother and his aunt that Vivica and her son were in this very hospital, just a few floors above them. But he was afraid that if he did, his aunt would insist on going up to find her immediately, forsaking sleep entirely. It was too late to disturb them, and his aunt's body couldn't handle the strain.

After a moment's thought, he decided to keep it to himself.

"I went to find Vivica and ran into her husband. We had a... disagreement," Raymond said, not telling the whole truth.

Cheryl frowned. "Why were you looking for her so late at night?"

"I thought that with Aunt Hillary being sick and in the hospital, she might soften and change her mind."

Cheryl sighed. "I doubt it'll be that easy. She got remarried so quickly after her divorce. That shows she's the type of person who can move on without looking back. People like that are tough—on themselves and on others. She's not going to give in easily."

Hillary pushed herself up to lean against the headboard. "So you met Vivica's new husband?" she asked her nephew.

*Leave it to Mom to see right through me,* Raymond thought. She had known he was lying from the moment he hesitated.

Raymond met his mother's gaze, feeling conflicted.

"Tell me now. Don't even think about trying to fool me."

He swallowed hard and decided to come clean. He gestured upward toward the ceiling. "Vivica," he whispered, "is on the eighteenth floor."

"What?" Cheryl gasped. "How did you find that out?"

"It was a coincidence. When I was coming in earlier, I saw her from behind downstairs. I was just suspicious at first, but then I did a little checking and went up on a hunch. And there she was."

Cheryl understood instantly. "So her husband is the one who did that to you upstairs?"

"Yes. He thought I had followed her to the hospital and got angry."

Cheryl's brow furrowed. "I thought her husband was supposed to be some important, high-profile figure. Why would he act like such a reckless thug?"

Raymond didn't answer, instead cautioning his mother, "Mom, don't tell Aunt Hillary yet. If you do, she'll insist on going up there to find her."