Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 39

That old bastard actually took the money and ran!

He didn't dare breathe a word of this to Grandpa.

Pete couldn't rest easy, so he stayed at the hospital, keeping vigil until now.

Alistair's sharp eyes glinted as he spoke, "Pete, we're all family here. The kids know they made a mistake. Celestine's their mother, after all. Maybe we should ask her what she wants."

Chester arrived with the doctor just then.

When he saw Celestine awake, his face lit up with relief—until he noticed Celestine clutching Pete's sleeve, her eyes wide and clouded with confusion. "Pete, who are these people?"

The question hit the room like a bolt of lightning.

Dahlia finally snapped. "Celestine, what's with this act? You don't have to recognize us, but Celia and Raymond are your children!"

"I have children? Ma'am, are you joking?"

Celestine let out a disbelieving laugh. "From what I just heard, they saw me hurt and didn't even help. Are you sure they're really mine? That's disgusting. If those were my kids, I'd rather have never had any."

The room fell utterly silent—you could hear a pin drop.

Celia and Raymond's eyes brimmed with tears they dared not shed. Their mother didn't remember them, and deep down, they prayed she wouldn't recall what happened yesterday, either.

Chester's temper flared. "Doctor, what's going on here?"

The doctor considered for a moment, then explained calmly, "She hit the back of her head when she fell. Memory loss and confusion are common after trauma like this. It's a normal reaction as she wakes up. The family should avoid provoking her, or her condition could get worse."

Everyone drew in a sharp breath.

So it was real—she'd lost her memory.

After a long silence, Alistair finally spoke. "Let's all give Celestine some time to rest."

With his words, the room quickly emptied, leaving only Chester and Pete behind.

Chester fixed his gaze on Celestine's uninjured eye, searching for any clue. "There's no one else here now. If you're upset, you can talk to me."

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