Chapter 436 The Woman Who Was Never Supposed to Wake

Chapter 436: Chapter 436 The Woman Who Was Never Supposed to Wake

The Taylor family had been busy preparing for the celebration, and Rose didn’t need to involve herself in any of it.

For once, she was perfectly happy to stay out of the way.

She continued spending her days at the hospital with Morgan.

Morgan’s condition was gradually improving.

But most of the time, she still sat quietly, staring into the distance as though she were trying to find something just beyond Rose’s reach.

No one knew what was going through her mind.

Every now and then, Morgan would remember Rose.

Those moments never lasted long.

Her expression would soften when she recognized her daughter, only for confusion to take over again. Sometimes she would suddenly clutch her head and cry out in pain, leaving Rose helplessly beside her.

Rose hadn’t managed to have a single proper conversation with her mother.

Every time Morgan’s condition worsened, Rose’s heart broke all over again.

She could only hope that, with enough time, Morgan’s memories would begin to return.

Eventually, the day of the Taylor family’s garden reception arrived.

Rose had planned to help Morgan get ready and bring her along.

Diana arrived at the hospital partway through the morning.

She helped Rose change Morgan into a warm, elegant outfit and carefully settle her into the wheelchair.

Morgan still couldn’t move independently, so getting her ready was no small task. With Diana there to help, Rose felt considerably less overwhelmed.

Once they were in the car, Morgan leaned back against the seat and soon drifted off again.

Diana drove while Rose sat beside her in the back.

After a while, Diana glanced at Morgan through the rearview mirror.

“Was it really Alicia?”

Rose looked at her.

Diana’s expression was complicated.

“You really can’t tell what someone is like just by looking at them. I never would have guessed she was capable of something like that.”

Rose had told Diana some of what had happened with Alicia.

It had taken Diana a long time to process it.

The anger had come afterward.

Alicia had always appeared sweet, innocent, and well-mannered.

Knowing what might have been hiding underneath that image made Diana’s stomach turn.

“We don’t have proof,” Rose said calmly. “It’s still a suspicion. If we had evidence, we could’ve gone straight to the police.”

Rose shrugged.

“But the Taylor family isn’t going to ignore it just because we can’t prove everything yet.”

That was one thing she respected about them.

They weren’t trying to bury the matter or protect someone simply because there wasn’t enough evidence to make an official accusation.

Diana was quiet for a moment.

“I think if Ryan specifically named her as a suspect, this isn’t going to just disappear.”

Rose looked at her.

Diana continued thoughtfully, “That man doesn’t do anything without thinking three steps ahead. If he’s suspicious of Alicia, then there’s probably a reason.”

Despite all the times Diana had called Ryan a jerk, she couldn’t deny one thing.

Ryan was exceptionally calculating.

He had an instinct for people and situations that was difficult to match.

In that regard, he was probably better at reading people than either she or Rose.

Rose didn’t answer.

Diana glanced at her again.

“Don’t you think Ryan is actually helping you?”

Rose frowned.

“He didn’t have to get involved with the Taylor family’s problems. You’re divorced. If a man really had no feelings left, he wouldn’t care what happened to you.”

Rose finally pulled her coat tighter around herself.

Then she reached forward and flicked Diana lightly on the forehead.

“What are you thinking?”

Diana rubbed her forehead.

Rose sighed.

“He already told me he doesn’t want to marry me again. He said it right in front of Grandma. Those were his exact words.”

Diana’s eyes widened.

“He actually said that in front of Grandma?”

She stared at Rose.

“That bluntly?”

That sounded pretty definitive.

Apparently, Ryan wasn’t even leaving the door cracked open for reconciliation.

And here Diana had been assuming all of his recent actions were part of some elaborate attempt to win Rose back.

She’d clearly been overthinking it.

“Forget Ryan,” Rose said. “What about you? Are your parents giving you trouble again?”

Diana shrugged.

“I’m used to it.”

She looked out the window.

“Honestly, they’ve been like this since I was little. They don’t like much of what I do. It’s not because I’ve done something terrible. They just...don’t seem to like me very much.”

Her voice was surprisingly calm.

“I accepted that a long time ago. Not every parent knows how to love their child.”

Of course, things had been worse than usual lately.

Her parents had blamed her for everything.

They’d punished her harshly, humiliated her, and spent days throwing cold, cutting remarks at her.

Diana had endured enough of it growing up that she had learned how to let most of it roll off her.

“But...” She hesitated.

“There really are problems with the Robinson family.”

Rose looked at her.

“I heard something happened with the company. They lost some major deal. Someone else took it right out from under them after they’d already poured a ton of money and manpower into it.”

Diana sighed.

“My dad’s been in a terrible mood ever since. He’s been holding meetings almost nonstop.”

She paused.

“And Trevor...”

Her eyes shifted toward Rose.

“Have you two talked?”

Rose’s expression changed only slightly.

“No.”

She knew the Robinson family had been behind the betrayal that had nearly destroyed her life.

And she also knew Trevor couldn’t possibly have been completely unaware of what his family was doing.

They had tried to force her into a marriage.

They had tried to use Ariel as leverage.

They had even been willing to hand Ariel over to the Knight family.

Those weren’t mistakes.

Those were choices.

The Robinson family had pushed too far.

They’d spent years building their reputation and influence, only to gamble everything on the wrong decision.

Diana let out a quiet sigh.

“I don’t know what happened to Trevor either.”

She looked troubled.

“He almost never loses control. But when it came to you, he kept making one bad decision after another.”

It was almost as though Trevor had been terrified of losing Rose.

But he’d chosen all the wrong ways to hold on to her.

He’d tried to force a marriage through Ariel.

He’d kept secrets.

He’d hurt the people Rose cared about most.

Whatever his intentions had been, Diana knew it was too late now.

Rose looked out the window.

“It’s in the past.”

She didn’t want to keep revisiting it.

She and Trevor had never had real feelings for each other in the first place. What hurt wasn’t losing him.

It was realizing that the Robinson family—and Trevor himself—had been willing to make such a choice.

Rose understood how business worked.

People pursued their own interests.

She could understand the logic behind that.

But understanding it didn’t mean she would accept it.

Diana’s expression tightened slightly.

She wanted to say something else.

In the end, she didn’t.

*****

The Taylor estate was already bustling when they arrived.

Cars lined the driveway, and guests were moving in and out of the house.

Rose and Diana carefully brought Morgan inside.

“Where’s Grandma?” Rose asked.

“She was just in the main reception room.”

Rose pushed Morgan toward the reception area.

Grace had just finished greeting a few guests when she looked up and saw Rose approaching with Morgan.

Her expression immediately softened.

She hurried over.

“How is Morgan feeling?”

Morgan looked tired.

Her eyes remained unfocused, and she didn’t respond.

Rose shook her head gently.

“She hasn’t had any more severe episodes. She’s still confused, but she’s improving.”

Grace nodded.

“Don’t worry. I know some of the best doctors in the country, and I have contacts overseas too. Once she’s stronger, we’ll put together a comprehensive treatment plan and see what else can be done.”

Rose smiled.

She knew Grace meant it.

Given her position and decades of connections, Grace had access to some of the best medical specialists both in the United States and abroad.

A butler approached them.

“Mrs. Taylor, Victoria and Alicia are here. They said they’d like to see you before they leave.”

Grace’s brow furrowed.

“Haven’t they finished moving out?”

“They have quite a few belongings,” the butler explained. “They said today is their final trip to collect everything. They’d also like to say goodbye.”

Grace waved her hand dismissively.

“No.”

Her expression remained calm.

“Tell them they can leave when they’re finished. Today is a happy occasion, and I don’t want anything disturbing it.”

The butler nodded and stepped away.

Rose’s heart stirred faintly.

Grace had another member of the staff bring over a second cashmere blanket and carefully drape it over Morgan.

Then she turned to Rose.

“Everyone who came today is here to see you. Once you’ve settled your mother, come out and greet the guests.”

Rose nodded.

“I will.”

Grace returned to her guests.

Rose pushed Morgan toward the reception room, intending to stay somewhere quieter for a while before facing the crowd.

But the moment they stepped outside, Rose saw two familiar figures standing farther down the hall.

Victoria.

And Alicia.

Rose’s gaze passed over them without stopping.

She continued forward as though they weren’t there.

Victoria, however, froze.

Her eyes locked onto the woman sitting in the wheelchair.

Morgan.

Her face slowly drained of color.

Her fingers tightened around the strap of her handbag until her knuckles turned white.

What a coincidence.

Morgan, who had been staring blankly ahead, suddenly moved.

Her head turned.

Her unfocused eyes settled directly on Victoria.

For several seconds, neither woman moved.

Victoria’s lips lost what little color remained in them.

Morgan simply stared.

There was something strange in her expression.

As if somewhere deep inside her mind, she had caught the faintest glimpse of something familiar.

Rose eventually pushed her mother down the hallway.

Morgan’s gaze disappeared with her.

Victoria remained frozen.

“How...?”

The word escaped her before she could stop it.

“How could she have woken up?”

Alicia turned toward her.

She had never seen Victoria look like this.

Even in the middle of winter, Victoria seemed to be trembling.

“What happened?”

Victoria didn’t answer.

Her mind was racing.

Morgan had woken up.

After all these years.

Against all expectations.

She was awake.

And that changed everything.