“Thank you, Victoria. Truly.”

Victoria gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s going to be okay.” With one last reassuring look, she turned and walked down the hospital corridor.

Isabella watched her go, a wave of profound thankfulness crashing over her. Her legs felt weak, unsteady.

She swayed slightly.

Henry was there instantly, his arm a steadying presence. “Mrs. Blackwood? Are you alright?”

Her face was pale. Her lips trembled. Words failed her as a wave of dizziness blurred her sight.

He guided her carefully to a bench in the hallway.

She sat, closing her eyes. She drew a slow, deep breath.

“Water,” she whispered, her voice faint.

Henry handed her a cup of warm water immediately.

Her hands shook as she took it. She sipped, the liquid helping to clear her head.

She opened her eyes and looked at him, confusion and raw vulnerability in her gaze. “What happened? Tell me everything.”

Henry sighed heavily before he began.

“Your grandmother was perfectly fine until Mrs. Victoria Blackwood and Miss Reed showed up. They asked us to wait outside. But we could hear them… arguing. It was loud. After they left, your grandmother…”

He didn’t need to finish. She understood completely.

Her hands clenched into tight fists. Her nails dug sharply into her palms.

Of course Sophia was involved. Why had she gone to Hawthorne Residence with Victoria? What terrible things did they say to upset Eleanor so deeply?

The questions swirled in her mind. Her anger ignited, burning hotter with each second.

She stood up abruptly. She moved quickly toward the hospital exit.

“Mrs. Blackwood, where are you going?” Henry called out, following her.

“To see Victoria and Sophia!” Her voice was sharp, laced with fury. Henry could only watch her determined figure stride away.

He knew trying to stop her would be pointless.

Isabella hailed a cab outside. “Blackwood Estate. Now,” she instructed the driver.

As the car sped through the streets, memories flooded her. Eleanor’s warm, loving smile. Years of her grandmother’s care and protection.

Eleanor had been her only safe harbor. Her anchor in a turbulent world. Keeping her grandmother safe was Isabella’s most important duty.

Meanwhile, a heavy, oppressive silence filled Blackwood Estate. The crystal chandelier cast a harsh light on the dark mahogany furniture, deepening the somber mood.

Noah stepped inside. The thick scent of polished wood enveloped him, feeling tighter, more suffocating than usual.

He handed his coat to a servant. “Where is my mother?” he asked, a sense of unease growing.

“In the living room, sir,” the servant replied quietly, his tone apprehensive.

Noah’s brow furrowed. He strode toward the living room.

Victoria sat rigidly on the sofa, her body tense. Her expression was dark. She clutched a document tightly in her hand.