Chapter 102
Noella was pregnant?
Milford’s faint glimmer of interest immediately died out. He had a thing for pristine women; the moment they were tarnished, he wouldn’t give them a second glance.
Vincent, on the other hand, was in no position to be choosy. “Briony, hand me your phone. I need to call Noella and see what’s up!”
Whatever Noella demanded, he had to get her to agree to his terms. He wasn’t ready to face his own mortality.
Noella had blocked Vincent long ago; his calls wouldn’t even ring through.
Fumbling with Briony’s phone, Vincent hurriedly dialed Noella’s number.
“Hello? Noella, sweetheart, it’s Dad. Were you at Fortress Hospital today?”
Noella almost hung up when she heard Vincent’s voice, but at the mention of Fortress Hospital,
she frowned.
How did Vincent know she was at Fortress Hospital?
“Noella, darling, I’ve been sick, and it made me realize how much I miss you and your grandmother. That’s why I went back to visit her, but I took a tumble down the mountainside. and now here I am in Fortress Hospital. Would you come see your old man?”
Vincent, fearful of rejection, quickly added, “Don’t worry, if you’re willing to come back to the Lambert family, I’ll make sure to take good care of you and the baby in your belly!”
Briony’s fingernails dug into her palm.
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Damn it! Noella’s life was a hot mess, and Vincent still wanted her back? How could Vincent not be disgusted by such a daughter?
On the other end of the line, Noella frowned as she listened to Vincent.
A baby? Since when was there a baby in her belly?
“Noella, I know you’re at the maternity ward to get an abortion surgery so the Schnabels wouldn’t find out about the baby. Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret as long as you agree to reach out to the Schnabels and get Dr. Schnabel to come and treat me.”
So, it was all for Ulrich Schnabel.
“Noella, I know I’ve been wrong. You and your grandmother are the most important to me. Can you really stand to watch your father suffer? Your grandmother would be heartbroken too!”
Noella spoke coolly, “Did it break your heart when Grandma was ill?”
Vincent was about to say it did when Noella continued indifferently, “If it did, why didn’t you show up at the hospital even once? She wanted to see you more than anyone in her final hours,
11:39
but you never came, not even to her funeral. Did you ever really care?”
Vincent was at a loss for words!
This infuriating girl, why was she dredging up the past?
“Noella, I needed to make money then, to give you and your grandma a better life. The hospital where your grandma was had the best care!”
Noella let out a scornful laugh. “Three hundred a month, and you think that buys the best care? Perhaps now that you are sick yourself, you can enjoy the ‘luxurious‘ treatment that comes with three hundred.”
When Old Mrs. Lambert was ill, it was Lunar Lab that footed the medical bills, and Noella made sure every medication was tested thoroughly before letting it anywhere near her grandmother.
Vincent had never shown up.
A bit sheepish, Vincent tried to further justify himself, hoping to soften Noella enough to summon Ulrich.
“Noella…”
“Get lost.”
Noella hung up the phone and promptly added the number to her blacklist.
Palmer watched, a surge of sympathy pricking him like a needle, filling him with a protective urge toward the girl.
“The Lamberts?”
“Yeah, who knows what got into them. Just block and done.”
1
Noella effortlessly created a filter, preventing any calls from the Lambert family from reaching her phone.
A member of the Polaris Star in doctor’s garb knocked and entered.
“Boss, Thorpe has agreed to let us operate.”
“He had to. His brother’s been through too much; he can barely hang on.”
Noella turned to Palmer. “The surgery will take a while.”
“Don’t worry, nothing will disturb you. I’ll be right outside the OR, waiting for my fiancée to finish her work.”
He knew the silence she needed at her surgery table.
One of the Polaris Star members grinned. “Man, who would’ve thought I’d see the day when Vocalist would be guarding my surgery table. Lucky me!”
“Is he guarding you? It’s boss that he’s guarding! Boss, with Mr. Pollack being so great, when are you going to clean us up and take us all with you when you marry over?”
11:40
Noella gave them a helpless look, and Palmer let out a pleased chuckle.
Her cheeks flushed, thankfully hidden by the surgical mask.
“Go get ready.”
Brain surgery was no small feat, and the prep work was just as intricate.
The Polaris Star trio whistled and scampered off, not eager to get a kick in the rear.
Noella said, “I’m off to prep.”
Palmer caught Noella, gently tucking loose strands of her hair under her surgical cap with care. “I’ll be right here, waiting for you to come out.”
“Okay.”
The OR light turned on, and Thorpe paced anxiously outside the door.
Meanwhile, Vincent, blocked by Noella, was fuming with indignation.
“That girl has no sense at all! I’ve raised her for years! Does she think she grew up on fairy dust or something? No gratitude whatsoever! To just stand there and watch me fall into trouble? It’s infuriating!” NôvelDrama.Org holds © this.
Linsey let out a snort of derision from the corner.
“Now you know to beg for help? I honestly can’t understand your logic. It’s just another daughter, but you were too stingy to keep her around, had to kick her out to make room. It’s not like she’s a son who would fight you for the inheritance. Such petty behavior, and now you’re reaping what you sowed!”
1
Linsey couldn’t help but want to laugh at Vincent’s misfortune.
Served him right!
Although she wasn’t a fan of Noella’s holier–than–thou attitude, it was still far better than Briony’s timid and shrinking demeanor.
Besides, even if Noella wasn’t Vincent’s biological daughter, what’s the big deal in raising an extra girl? Some people yearn for a house full of children, seeing it as a blessing, but Vincent acted as if he was afraid of spending an extra dime!
She disliked this rushed attitude to marrying off daughters!
Briony felt humiliated by Linsey’s glares, and with Milford not coming to her defense, she was on the verge of tears.
“Dad, I have contacts with Miss Yvonne Schnabel of the Schnabel family. Maybe I could ask her for help. Ms. Schnabel might be able to get us in touch with Dr. Schnabel.”
Vincent perked up immediately.
“Ah! Briony, you really are my lucky star! Hurry and contact Ms. Schnabel! I can’t wait for you to bring Dr. Schnabel to me, while some people can’t find a good doctor and might as well be left
for dead!”
The faces of the Rosenberg family members were all looking rather grim.
Vincent felt a surge of pride. “Noella has no idea what’s coming. The Schnabels definitely don’t know about her antics, or else she wouldn’t have kept it a secret from them.”
After a moment of thought, he discreetly sent a message to Ashlyn!