The call was from Galen, who had heard about Gtea''s car ident and wanted to express his concern quickly. ric didn''t feel like answering, but he had some questions for Galen, so he picked up.


    "Was Gtea extremely busy at the hospital yesterday?" ric asked sharply, not allowing Galen a chance to speak first.


    Galen was notably anxious as he hurriedly exined, "Since that medical incident, I''ve made sure Gtea didn''t go near the operating room. Yesterday, we experienced a surge of patients from a brawl, and the ER was overwhelmed. Gtea spontaneously stepped in to help without my knowledge. It was her decision, which is why she was quite busy. It waste when she left the hospital."


    So, she had been tied up at the hospital untilte in the evening before rushing off to Nexus Innovations at his behest.


    Hearing the silence on the line, Galen, frightened to breathe, carefully continued, "Mr. Knight, I''ve arranged the best room and specialists for Gtea. If you allow her to be transferred, the hospital will provide her with the finest care." ric looked over at Gtea, lying unconscious. He had no intention of moving her. She wouldn''t want her former colleagues to see her in this state.


    "No need," ric said curtly before ending the call.


    After speaking with Galen, ric''s guilt deepened. Gtea was right. He was selfish and inconsiderate. Engulfed by thoughts of her still being unconscious, ric could barely consider confronting the driver responsible for the ident. His sole focus was on the silent form of Gtea, wishing more than anything for her to regain consciousness.


    Elsewhere, the phone rang, and the voice spoke with deliberate caution, "Don''t worry, it''ll look like a pure ident to anyone."


    Griffon remained silent, a sly smirk forming at the corner of his mouth.


    "Time for dinner. Who are you on the phone with now?" Mrs. Ravenna called out towards the living room.


    "Coming." Griffon put down his phone and headed to the dining room.


    "This is what dinner looks like tonight?" Griffon nced at the table with barely two dishes and a bowl of mashed potatoes.


    "It''s just the two of us. Simpler is better," Mrs. Ravenna said, her voiceced with sadness.


    "Who got under your skin today? You seem quite upset," Griffon inquired.


    That was the nudge Mrs. Ravenna needed to set aside her utensils and vent, "We used to be a family of four. Now it''s just us, so quiet and empty. You say Orion had to join the troupe, fine. But Cormac rarely returns from abroad, and when he does, you deliberately stop him froming home?"


    "Is it me stopping him? He clearly doesn''t want toe," Griffon retorted, visibly upset. "If he doesn''t want to be here, then let him stay away. Better yet, let him nevere back!"


    "Why can''t you two just talk things out? Do you bear no responsibility for this rift?" she argued.


    "He''s the one being rebellious. How is it my fault?"


    "And why is he rebelling? Could it be because you''re too controlling? Orion may be okay with mingling in showbiz as you arranged, but Cormac is different. He wants to study medicine. He dislikes the major you chose for him and the girls you approve of. What''s wrong with him wanting his own life?"


    "I''ve poured my heart into nning his future and his marriage, and if he can''t appreciate that, fine. But what does he do? Brings home a woman with no background, just to spite me."


    "And what about your tactics to break them up? Do you think he wouldn''t be heartbroken? Isn''t that why he stayed away for years?" Mrs. Ravenna grew increasingly upset. "And then there''s the issue with Orion, promised to the Knight family in an arranged marriage from the moment she was born. See the mess that turned into?"


    "You want to settle scores with me? Fine, get it all out. Don''t keep it bottled up and then me your illness on me," Griffon said defiantly, pushing his knife and fork aside, losing interest in his meal.


    "I''m just stating facts here. You''ve been telling Orion since she was little that when she grew up, she could marry ric, deeply ingraining that idea in her mind. And what happened? Isn''t Orion the one who ends up hurting? And don''t get me started on Caspian''s situation. It''s utterly ludicrous."


    Mrs. Ravenna had kept silent about Caspian''s issue over the years, and now, as she spoke, her voice was noticeably softer.


    "The whole Caspian debacle was orchestrated by Mrs. Carrington herself. You can''t me the Nash family for that," Griffon asserted with conviction. "She was the one desperate to secure a legacy for the Knight family, choosing a disloyal woman to bear ric''s child, and when it backfired, who else is there to me?"


    "If you ask me, a bastard like Caspian should''ve never been kept around. But she insisted, even consulted a fortune teller, iming that Caspian was the Knight family''s lucky star, promising he would ensure ric''s safety and the family''s prosperity. How can that not be nonsense?"


    "She wanted to keep Caspian, and then there was Orion, who wanted to marry ric. It was Mrs. Carrington''s idea to publicly dere Caspian as the child of ric and Orion. In hindsight, it truly did a disservice to Orion."


    Mrs. Ravenna''s expression grew pained as she slowly said, "The news of ric''s critical injury anda was certainly a blow to Mrs. Carrington. I can understand her desperation to secure an heir for the Knight family. At first, she approached me, wanting Orion to bear ric''s child.


    "I felt for ric, but Orion is my flesh and blood. What if she had a child for the Knight family and ric never woke up? That''s why I tactfully declined, thinking Mrs. Carrington would let the idea go."


    "Mrs. Carrington was thorough, finding a woman to secretly bear ric''s child without a hint of scandal. The identity of that woman remained a mystery until herst breath," Griffon replied.


    "But there''s something that doesn''t add up for me," Mrs. Ravenna continued. "A woman as meticulous and powerful as Mrs. Carrington, who handled the pregnancy arrangements herself, how could it have gone so wrong in the end? What kind of woman would dare betray Mrs. Carrington? The woman who died in childbirth was just as pitiful, with no answers given in death."


    "It was that wretched liar who deserved to die, you understand?" Griffon insisted. His fierce and sharp gaze suddenly met hers, instilling fear.


    "I don''t care what you think about this situation, but the fact remains, and it must never be discussed again. Regardless of what happens, Caspian will only ever be the son of ric and Orion. Watch your mouth. If you slip up in front of ric or Caspian, you won''t be able to handle the consequences."


    Mrs. Ravenna knew the severity of the matter. She could do nothing but guard the secret closely.


    "I''m just saying, if I can''t talk to you, who can I talk to?" Mrs. Ravenna said, "Let''s just never bring this up again, okay? Talking about ric and Orion''s issues, years of patching things up did no good, so let''s drop it. If ric wants to be with Gtea, let him be, and don''t interfere with them like you did with Cormac''s girlfriend back in the day."


    "Can we just eat and not talk?" Griffon snapped, tossing his silverware aside, "I''m done!" With that, Griffon stormed upstairs, leaving Mrs. Ravenna on the verge of a breakdown.