Mila gently patted his head, What a silly thing to say.
She thought back to her own child, whom she hadn’t managed to raise well. Her child’s lack of closeness weighed heavily on her mind, especially whenever she thought of Adrian.
…
Not long after, Miranda returned.
She had just finished sorting out the hospital paperwork. Even before she opened the door, her loud voice rang out.
It’s the strangest thing. I went to pay the hospital fees, and the nurse told me some man had already settled everything. Didn’t even leave a name. What an altruistic soul. A real modern-day Good Samaritan.
Mila raised an eyebrow, guessing, Was it Nathaniel?
Eugene snorted, Pretentious.
Nathaniel? Miranda pulled up a chair, took a sip of water, and asked, puzzled, What’s he doing here?
Mila glanced at the child in her arms, This is his nephew.
Miranda’s eyes widened. After a moment, she slapped her knee, Damn it! He came by and I wasn’t here. I would have given him a piece of my mind. But why didn’t he take the kid with him?
The child in Mila’s arms stirred, and she quickly hushed, Keep your voice down.
Once the child was sound asleep again, Mila explained what had happened. Miranda frowned as she listened, not holding back her criticism of Mila’s soft-heartedness.
I’m telling you, you shouldn’t get involved with this kid.
She lowered her voice, I’m serious. Stay away from the Pembroke Family’s business, especially when it comes to this child. It’s a real hot potato.
What do you mean? Mila asked, puzzled.
She knew little about the Pembroke Family and even less about the people around Lysander, having always been kept at arm’s length.
Miranda’s expression suggested there was more to the story.
She glanced at the child and confirmed, He’s asleep, right?
A murder?
And it was a criminal case?!
Mila’s mind raced, recalling Nathaniel’s mention of a mother in prison and a deceased father.
She had assumed it was something else entirely:
Perhaps the mother was imprisoned for financial or economic fraud, typical of affluent families;
The father, she thought, might have died from illness or an accident.
Never in her wildest dreams did she imagine it would be a murder!
So, Julian Pembroke’s mother killed his father? One in prison, the other dead?
How could things have escalated to such a bitter end?