Chapter 6 The Confrontation

• Ariana's POV:
• "Mommy, what's wrong? What happened?"
• "Huh ... what?"
• Still dazed with anger, I was jolted back to reality by that familiar, small voice. I looked down to see my two kids standing beside me. Griffin must've sensed my fury and brought Mirabelle over to check on me, and their presence helped clear my mind.
• Of course. How could I forget? I still had these two children with me.
• If I got caught, that was one thing—but under no circumstances could I let that scumbag find out about them. If he did, it would be all over for us.
• I finally regained my composure, crouching down in front of Griffin and holding onto his little arms.
• "Griffin, listen to me. I'm really sorry, but something came up. Mommy ... might not be able to take you to Zenovia after all. I'm going to call Aunt Susan and have her come pick you up and take you home, okay?"
• Griffin looked surprised, but when he saw the worry in my face and the guilt in my eyes, he nodded obediently.
• "Okay, Mommy. Don't worry. I'll take care of Mirabelle, and we'll be good to Aunt Susan."
• "Good boy, Griffin. I'm so proud of you. I'll take you both to that café over there and have Aunt Susan meet you."
• Looking at Griffin, so mature and understanding for his age, a wave of emotion hit me hard. I hugged him tightly.
• "Mommy, Mommy! Why are you only hugging Griffin? What about me?" Mirabelle's little voice piped up beside me.
• "Oh, of course, I wouldn't forget my sweet Mirabelle! Come here, let Mommy hug you, too."
• I laughed through tears as I pulled Mirabelle, still clutching her stuffed doll, into the hug as well. After a quick embrace, I took them both over to the café.
• Ten minutes later, my phone buzzed with yet another call from the hospital.
• "Dr. Nancy, are you on your way in? Mr. Ferrero is waiting for you."
• "I'm coming. I'll be there soon."
• Already out of the terminal, I replied in a flat tone, climbed into my car, and started the engine.
• The truth is, I wasn't afraid of seeing Todd.
• I didn't owe him anything, and I had no reason to feel guilty.
• The only reason I'd been avoiding him was because I never wanted to see him again. And I was terrified that if he found out about my kids, they might not stay mine.
• But I hadn't expected that, even after I'd gone to such lengths to stay hidden, this bastard would still manage to track me down—and even restrict my movements. I knew there was no way out.
• Fine. If that's how it is, then let's get this over with.
• The whole drive there, I felt an eerie calm settle over me. My expression shifted back to its usual cold, distant look, with no trace of emotion.
• William's POV:
• My godfather, Mr. Lockford, had been waiting in the director's office for a while now. In his hand, he was toying with a work ID badge from one of the hospital's doctors.
• Nancy Brown.
• The same Nancy who used to be Mrs. Lockford. She wasn't dead after all.
• I watched as Mr. Lockford stared at the photo on that badge, his eyes blood-red, like a predator ready to devour its prey.
• "Mr. Oliver, is ... is Mr. Lockford alright? Dr. Nancy ... she's ... she's on her way," Ferrero whispered, his face pale with fear.
• Not that I could blame him; no one can withstand Mr. Lockford's rage. I'm convinced that even a dead man, faced with an angry Mr. Lockford, would rise from the grave just long enough to run away before lying down to die again.
• I didn't know how to answer Ferrero.
• I didn't know if Mr. Lockford would be "alright."
• All I knew was that, five years ago, when he heard that woman and their children had died in the operating room, my boss had personally chosen three beautiful plots in a cemetery and laid them to rest as a husband and father should.
• Since then, he hadn't mentioned marriage to Ms. Lilith even once.
• So, would he be "alright" now? I honestly couldn't say. Maybe ... he'd just tear his ex-wife apart on the spot.
• A shiver ran through me.
• We waited in that suffocating silence for about 40 minutes, every one of us barely daring to breathe. Finally, the sound of high heels echoed down the hallway outside.
• "Mr. Ferrero, it's me, Nancy."
• In an instant, the room seemed to come alive.
• Ferrero, moving with a speed I'd never seen before, practically leapt to open the door.
• I looked over at Mr. Lockford instinctively. He was sitting in that black leather chair, gripping the work badge so tightly that, in the span of a second, his blood-red gaze narrowed—and the badge snapped in half in his hand.
• Mrs. Ariana Lockford had finally arrived.