Chapter 379 Their duties

“Dr Gordon...” When the nurses saw that it was Darla, their interest in gossip vanished instantly, and they hurried off to tend to their duties.

Alana saw Darla and tried to ignore her, walking around her.

Darla shifted her body slightly, blocking Alana’s path.

Alana had no choice but to stop.

She furrowed her brows and looked at Darla in front of her. “Miss Gordon, could you please move aside?”

Darla stared at Alana, her face icy. “Alana, you’re feeling pretty smug, aren’t you?”

“Of what?”

Darla sneered. “Why are you pretending? Wasn’t it through your scheming and manipulation that you got Stephan’s parents to agree to his marriage to you?”

“It’s already common knowledge around the hospital... you and Stephan are getting married at the end of the year.”

Alana smiled faintly. “Yes, Stephan and I are getting married at the end of the year.

Is there a problem with that?”

Darla curled her lips. “Lana, I underestimated you. You really are cunning! It’s one thing to make Stephan fall for you, but to actually win over his parents as well?

And here I am, having lost to you.”

“I’m clearly above you in every way, yet you’ve so easily snatched the man I wanted. It’s hard to believe.”

Darla felt a deep sense of resentment.

Alana glanced at Darla.

“Darla, when it comes to scheming, who can compare to you? You knew full well that Stephan and I were already together, yet you schemed to drive us apart and even used my mother to persuade me to break up with him. Aren’t you the one who’s truly scheming?”

Darla’s expression darkened. “You’re not good enough for Stephan!”

Alana retorted, “I’m not good enough? So are you? If you think you’re worthy of Stephan, why aren’t you with him? Isn’t it because he doesn’t like you?”

“Love is a two-way street. If he doesn’t like you, he doesn’t like you. No amount of forcing will change that. If I were you, knowing full well that a man doesn’t like me, I would’ve given up long ago instead of clinging to him like this. How is that any different from humiliating yourself?!”

“Darla, someone as brilliant as you, how can you not understand what I’m saying? I’m starting to doubt your intelligence.”

A flash of anger crossed Darla’s face. “You!”

She had always prided herself on being superior and more capable than anyone else. No one had ever humiliated her like this before!

And by a woman she looked down on, no less!

But at that moment, she couldn’t refute it.

Alana calmly observed Darla’s reaction and continued, “Darla, I sincerely advise you to let go sooner rather than later and free yourself.”

“Clinging to a man who doesn’t love you... that is your greatest tragedy.”

Darla lost her composure. “Who do you think you are? I don’t need your advice!”

Hearing this, Alana felt there was nothing more to say. “I’ve said all I need to say.” She walked past Darla once more and left.

This time, Darla didn’t stop Alana; she merely clenched her fists.

To think she’d been lectured by a woman like Alana, someone she looked down on.

How ridiculous!

Just like Agnes, they both exuded a repulsive aura from the very core of their being.

Darla turned and watched as Alana entered a hospital room. She clenched her teeth, a flash of obvious venom passing through her eyes.

Darla didn’t linger long before leaving that floor.

On her way back to her own department, she ran into Cynthia.

She instinctively called out, “Aunt.”

Cynthia glanced at Darla with a cold expression, didn’t even acknowledge her, and simply walked past her and left.

The resentment Darla had felt just moments ago toward Alana immediately resurfaced.

Unwilling to let it go, she couldn’t help but ask, “Auntie, do you really intend to let Stephan marry Alana?”

Cynthia paused in her steps, turned around, and looked at Darla. “Their wedding is at the end of this year. You’re welcome to attend.”

Hearing this, Darla felt her heart sink to the depths.

It was as if her last shred of hope had been completely snuffed out.

Cynthia recalled her son’s words: Alana’s mother was now Darla’s stepmother.

Not long ago, Alana’s mother had suddenly reappeared and urged Alana to break up with her son.

She suspected Darla was the one instigating this behind the scenes.

She paused for a moment, not wanting to point it out directly, and could only say,

“Darla, I hope you’ll wish my son and Alana well.”

Those words cut deep.

Darla twisted her lips. “Fine, I’ll give them my blessing.”

With that, she turned and walked away.

Cynthia sighed, feeling quite regretful.

If she’d known Darla would take things so seriously, she never would have introduced her to Stephan in the first place.

But it was too late for regrets.

**********

Alana returned to the ward and put away the clean hospital gown. Her grandmother had woken up and chatted with her for a while. Suddenly, a little boy’s head poked into the room.

Grandma glanced over and froze. “Whose little boy is that?”

Alana turned to look as well.

When the little boy saw Alana, he was both surprised and delighted.

“Pretty lady?!”

Alana was taken aback... this little boy was actually Jamin.

She was just about to ask Jamin why he was here and if he was sick.

But the next second, Agnes appeared behind Jamin.

Agnes glanced at Alana and the elderly woman in the bed, biting her lip.

Then she tugged at Jamin’s shirt collar, straightening his posture.

“Jamin, let me formally introduce you: she’s your biological older sister, and the woman lying in bed is your grandmother.”

She didn’t have the time to explain Grandma’s real relationship to Jamin.

Besides, she had always regarded the old lady as her mother anyway.

So she could also be a grandmother to Jamin.

Hearing this, Jamin was even more surprised. “My biological sister? That beautiful lady is my biological sister?!”

Alana and her grandmother were both stunned.

Alana, in particular, was stunned.

She never would have imagined that Jamin, the boy she’d met several times, was actually Agnes’ son.

She recalled how Jamin had tried several times to introduce his mother to her, but each attempt had fallen through.

Alana had already begun to suspect something.

It turned out that Agnes had long ago... recognized her, but had deliberately refused to acknowledge her.

Seeing Alana’s expression, Agnes knew she might have figured it out.

She felt a bit awkward facing Alana, but she still took Jamin’s hand and walked into the hospital room.

She said to her mother in the bed, “Mom, this is Jamin, the son I had with that man.”

“Quick, Jamin, say hi to Grandma.’”

Upon hearing this, Jamin immediately called out in a clear, bright voice, “Hello, Grandma.”

Grandma was so shocked she couldn’t speak.

This little boy before her, with his fair, delicate skin and round face like a white steamed bun, could he really be her grandson?

Grandma quickly came to terms with the reality and beckoned to Jamin.

“Come here, come here. Let Grandma take a good look at you.”

Jamin immediately walked over to Grandma’s bed and stared at her with eyes as round as grapes.

“Grandma, can you see me clearly now?”

Grandma nodded, her gaze growing tender as she looked at the child before her, who looked just like a white steamed bun, so fair and delicate.

“I can see you clearly now. How old are you?”

“I’ll be seven this year.”

“Wow... Seven... you’re a big boy.”

“Yeah, I’m already in second grade!”

“How are your grades?”

“Grandma, I’m really good at school. I get excellent grades in every subject... I’m a model student in my class!”

Grandma smiled and nodded. “That’s great. Really great. Just like your older sister, Lana. She did really well in school when she was little too, always ranking among the top students in her class!”

Jamin looked at Alana in surprise. “So my pretty big sister is that amazing!”

Grandma nodded with a smile, her voice brimming with pride.

“That’s right. Your sister has collected quite a few certificates over the years... for her excellent grades and for winning competitions. I’ve kept them all in a box at home; it’s a thick stack.”

Jamin exclaimed, “That’s really impressive! I definitely have to learn from my pretty older sister!”

Alana pressed her lips together, not knowing what to say.