Chapter 437 The Chandelier

Chapter 437: Chapter 437 The Chandelier

“Do you know who that woman is?”

Victoria’s throat felt painfully dry.

“Morgan,” she whispered. “Sophia’s best friend. After Sophia died, she was the one who hid Rose and raised her.”

Something had happened to Morgan all those years ago.

She had fallen into a coma.

And now, after all this time, she had woken up.

Victoria couldn’t make sense of it.

Alicia watched the color drain from Victoria’s face.

For a moment, Victoria looked almost frightened.

A cold sense of unease crept through Alicia.

Something was wrong.

Victoria’s reaction made one thing clear—Morgan’s awakening wasn’t just an inconvenience.

There was something about Morgan that Victoria was terrified of.

And if Alicia’s instincts were right, it probably had something to do with Sophia’s death all those years ago.

Her expression hardened.

“What did you do?”

Alicia had a sudden, unpleasant feeling that if she didn’t distance herself from this now, she could be dragged into whatever secret Victoria was hiding.

Victoria clenched her teeth.

“Why did she have to wake up now?”

Her voice trembled.

“She was supposed to stay in that hospital bed for the rest of her life. She was supposed to lie there until her body finally gave out.”

She still didn’t answer Alicia’s question.

She couldn’t.

Panic had taken over.

The more she thought about Morgan being awake, the more helpless she felt. Slowly, the gentle expression Victoria had always worn began to twist into something darker.

Something vicious.

Alicia saw the change.

She didn’t wait around to find out what Victoria would do next.

She turned and walked away.

But she hadn’t gone far when she spotted someone approaching from across the room.

Ryan.

He was tall, impeccably dressed, and impossible to overlook.

The moment he entered the reception area, heads turned.

Several young women from prominent families watched him openly, while a few men moved toward him, clearly hoping to exchange a few words with him.

Alicia’s steps slowed.

Her eyes remained fixed on Ryan.

Even now, seeing him still felt strangely unreal.

She had spent so long believing that she understood him.

Yet every time she looked at him lately, she felt as though she were seeing someone she had never truly known.

As Ryan drew closer, Alicia finally gathered enough courage to speak.

“Mr. Knight.”

Ryan didn’t stop.

“Could we talk for a minute?”

He walked straight past her.

He didn’t even glance in her direction.

Not a pause.

Not a word.

Nothing.

Alicia stood frozen.

Her expression slowly cracked.

People nearby had noticed.

A few of the young women exchanged glances before quietly laughing.

Their looks made the message unmistakable.

Who does she think she is?

Alicia’s face burned.

She bit her lip, lowered her head, and hurried away.

*****

Rose brought Morgan into one of the quieter reception rooms.

There were far fewer guests there, which made it easier for Morgan to rest.

Rose crouched beside her wheelchair and carefully tucked the blanket around her legs.

“Mom, are you thirsty? Do you want some water?”

Morgan’s eyes moved toward her.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then the hand resting on the armrest began to tremble.

Her breathing quickened.

Tears gathered in her eyes.

She stared at Rose as though trying to see through years of darkness.

“Rose...”

Her voice broke.

“My Rose...”

Rose froze.

Her eyes immediately filled with tears.

“Mom?”

She moved closer.

“Do you remember me?”

Morgan slowly raised a trembling hand and touched Rose’s cheek.

“Is this...the Taylor family’s house?”

Rose’s breath caught.

Morgan looked around the room.

She remembered Grace.

She remembered fragments of what Rose had told her during those long days at the hospital.

Rose had told her about discovering the truth of her birth.

About the Taylor family searching for her for years.

About how they had finally welcomed her home.

“Yes.”

Rose could barely contain her happiness.

She hadn’t expected bringing Morgan here to have such an effect on her.

“That’s right, Mom. This is the Taylor family’s home.”

She smiled through her tears.

“Today’s celebration is for me. Are you feeling okay? Does anything hurt?”

Morgan seemed about to answer.

Then her expression changed.

The warmth disappeared from her eyes.

Her nostrils flared, and every muscle in her face tightened.

“Wait.”

She looked around urgently.

“I need to see Dr. Grace.”

Her voice grew strained.

“And Derick.”

Rose’s smile faded.

Morgan’s eyes had suddenly sharpened.

The face she had glimpsed earlier had stirred something buried deep inside her.

Something she couldn’t quite remember.

But the reaction was unmistakable.

Rose hadn’t expected Morgan’s emotions to shift so suddenly.

“Mom, don’t worry.”

She immediately reached for her hand.

“I’ll get them.”

Rose checked the time.

“Actually, Grandma should be in the front courtyard. I’ll take you there.”

Morgan nodded.

Rose carefully pushed the wheelchair along the accessible path.

They had just stepped outside when someone appeared from around the corner.

Victoria.

She stood there motionless.

Her face was deathly pale, and her hands were clenched so tightly they trembled.

She watched Morgan being wheeled away.

What was Morgan going to tell Grace?

What did she remember?

How much did she know?

Victoria’s panic intensified.

She quickly turned and took a shortcut toward the front of the house.

*****

Rose pushed Morgan toward the front hall.

When they arrived, Rose touched her mother’s hand.

It was freezing.

“Mom, Grandma will be here soon. Just wait a minute.”

She looked worried.

“I’ll get you a hand warmer.”

Morgan barely seemed to hear her.

She was lost in thought, staring somewhere beyond Rose.

Rose was just about to leave when she spotted Grace approaching from the other side of the hall.

She stepped outside through the main entrance.

The moment she did, she walked straight into someone.

Hard.

Rose stumbled backward.

An arm immediately wrapped around her waist and steadied her.

She looked up.

Ryan.

His dark eyes met hers.

“Where are you rushing off to?”

Rose immediately pulled away and took a step back.

“My mom’s hands are freezing. I’m going to get her a hand warmer.”

Ryan glanced past her toward the reception room.

At that moment, he saw Grace enter through a side door and walk toward Morgan.

“Okay.”

His gaze returned to Rose.

“I’ll have someone bring one. Stay with her. Don’t leave her alone.”

Rose frowned.

“Thanks, but why?”

Morgan had regained consciousness.

She certainly needed supervision, but she wasn’t helpless anymore.

Ryan lowered his eyes.

“The accident that put your adoptive mother in the hospital was caused by Daisy.”

Rose’s expression changed.

Ryan continued quietly.

“Daisy was unstable. But we still don’t know everything about why she hired someone to kill your adoptive mother.”

Rose’s heart slammed against her ribs.

She stared at him.

Ryan met her gaze without saying anything else.

For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Then the pieces suddenly fell into place.

Morgan had been Sophia’s closest friend.

Daisy had known both of them.

If Daisy had arranged the accident, then there could be more to the story than anyone had realized.

Rose’s mind raced.

She was about to turn back toward the reception room when—

“Get back!”

A scream erupted from inside.

“Look out! The chandelier!”

Rose’s blood ran cold.

She spun around.

Above the reception hall hung a massive crystal chandelier.

It was suspended several feet above the floor, and one side of its mounting had begun to give way.

The entire fixture was tilting.

And directly beneath it—

Morgan.

Grace was already rushing toward her.

She was only a few steps away.

Then—

Crack!

One of the mounting points snapped.

The chandelier lurched violently.

“Mom!”

“Grandma!”

Rose’s eyes widened.

She started running toward them.

Before she could take more than a step, Ryan caught her wrist and pulled her back.

“Don’t move.”

He stepped in front of her.

“I’ll get them.”

Ryan moved.

Fast.

He reached Morgan’s wheelchair in seconds, grabbed the handles, and shoved it away from the chandelier’s path.

“Grace, move!”

Grace immediately stepped back.

Then—

Snap!

The remaining mounting screws tore loose.

The enormous chandelier dropped.

Ryan pushed Morgan’s wheelchair as hard as he could.

The wheelchair shot forward.

But Ryan didn’t have enough time to get clear himself.

The chandelier came down.

It clipped his left shoulder with tremendous force.

Ryan staggered and dropped to one knee.

At the same time, Rose ran toward Grace.

She had barely reached her when someone suddenly rushed between them.

Alicia.

She shoved Rose hard to the side.

Rose lost her balance and crashed onto the floor.

“Grandma, watch out!”

Alicia threw herself toward Grace.

The chandelier came down.

The impact struck Alicia across the head and upper back.

She collapsed.

Blood spread across the floor beneath her.

For one horrifying second, the entire reception hall went silent.

Then the screaming began.