Chapter 1035



Jake was slightly stunned at Kallie’s mentioning of him and took a moment to gather his thoughts. Watching her furious expression, he couldn’t ignore the faint stirring in his chest, as her earlier words carried a tone that almost sounded jealous. Jake pushed aside this thought, reminding himself that Elma’s health took precedence over everything else. Clearing his throat, he fixed Lacey with a sharp, disapproving look.

“Is Kallie telling the truth?”

Lacey’s face twisted into an aggrieved expression, though she remained rooted in place, refusing to let Kallie into the room.

“Yes, it’s true. I made excuses to bar her from entering.”

Jake’s brows furrowed deeper, his anger simmering just below the surface.

“Why did you do that? Do you no longer wish to work here? Kallie is Elma’s mother. Elma is unwell and needs Kallie. Why did you prevent Kallie from checking on her own child?”

Lacey met Jake’s gaze with a defiant glare, her voice unwavering.

“Precisely because she is Elma’s mother, she has even less right to go in.”

Jake smirked, the tension in his expression hinting at his mounting fury, as if he were about to lose his temper.

Lacey hesitated, visibly uneasy under his scrutiny, but she pressed on.

“Elma is suffering because of Miss Nixon. Every bit of it.”

Turning her attention to Kallie, Lacey’s eyes hardened with contempt.

“This lousy mother.”

The people nearby immediately erupted in whispers.

Kallie, managing to keep her anger at bay, asked in a calm voice, “Why did you say that?”

Lacey’s response came with a frosty smile.

“Elma’s health has always been fragile. The medicine I prescribed for her requires strict care. Yet, you ignored her well-being completely and pulled her to a hot spring, focusing solely on your own comfort.” Lacey raised her chin slightly, her tone growing sharper.

“She was not in the condition to handle a hot spring experience, and her condition turned more fragile. If she had stayed in the hot spring any longer, things could have taken a much darker turn. Even I might not have been able to save her.”

Kallie didn’t expect this. Her complexion turned ashen, guilt clawing at her chest. What had seemed like an innocent trip to the hot spring had turned into something harmful to Elma’s condition. What exactly was wrong with Elma’s health? Why had no one told her the full truth? Despite the mention of Elma’s rare illness, none had warned her.

of such risks, instead offering assurance that there was no immediate risk to Elma’s life, only that she needed meticulous care.

Kallie’s legs wavered beneath her, not because of guilt, but because of the overwhelming weight of distress.

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