Ch. 491..500

Chapter 491 Going to the Countryside

"If you want to go, then get up quickly, brush your teeth, and after breakfast, we'll set off together," Margaret instructed.

Ruby, who had been lacking energy just a moment ago, suddenly found herself invigorated. She hopped out of bed and scurried to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Seeing Ruby's enthusiasm, Dylan followed suit.

In the bathroom, Margaret had already prepared toothbrushes and cups for them, with toothpaste even pre-applied on the brushes.

Upon seeing this, Ruby exchanged a glance with Dylan. When Margaret came in, they looked up at her and said, "Grandma, mommy says we should do things on our own. From now on, you don't need to help us prepare toothpaste anymore." Hearing this, Margaret paused as she looked at the tender cheeks of the two children. She had wanted to pamper her grandchildren a bit, which is why she prepared the toothpaste for them. After all, it was not easy having these two little ones to dote on after so many years.

But then...

"You're right, I was wrong. Grandma thought I was making it more convenient for you by doing that. But your mommy is correct; you should do your own things," Margaret conceded.

"However, since grandma has helped us today, we still need to thank grandma," Dylan added.

Immediately, Ruby chimed in, "Thank you, grandma!"

Margaret felt absolutely melted by these two adorable little creatures!

After washing up and having breakfast with the two, Margaret called upon the house staff to inquire about preparations. Once she confirmed that the car was ready and all necessary items were loaded, she led the two grandkids out the door. She left swiftly, and once they had gone, the remaining house staff looked after the departing vehicle.

"With the bosses away, can we take it easy this week?"

"Don't talk nonsense. The wages our employers pay us are generous. We get paid to get the job done; if you worked anywhere else, even doing several times more work, you wouldn't make half this salary."

The house staff, who had initially thought they could loaf around with the masters away, experienced a sudden realization upon hearing this remark, snapping back to their senses and no longer entertaining thoughts of laziness.

The car merged onto the highway, completely unaware that as they departed, a dark-colored van was approaching from the opposite direction. They passed by each other in an instant, missing one another.

At this moment, Margaret sat in the car, opening a bag of candy she had brought especially for the trip.

"Today, we're heading to the countryside, and it might be a long journey. Have some candy first."

Each of the little ones took a piece, and then Margaret tucked the bag away.

"Grandma, why are we going to the countryside? " Ruby blinked her eyes curiously and asked, "Is mommy there?"

Mentioning their mother, Margaret didn't dare say too much, merely explaining quickly, "No, dear, grandma wants to take you to meet two people."

She didn't keep them guessing and continued, "They are grandma's father and mother-you've seen their picture in the room before."

Hearing this, Ruby blinked and asked, "Is it the family photo with grandma, daddy, and mommy?"

"Yes, that's the one."

"I understand, they're my great-grandmother and great-grandfather!"

Margaret's lips curved into a smile as she nodded.

"That's right."

"Grandma, do great-grandmother and great-grandfather live in the countryside? Why do they live there?"

Ruby had many questions, one after another, endlessly curious. Margaret patiently answered each one, even thinking to herself that with such company, the journey would surely not be lonely or boring. After about two hours of driving, they finally arrived in the countryside.

Upon arrival, the two children were energetic and comfortable despite the journey. Conversely, it was Margaret who had worried about the kids getting car sick, but as it turned out, she was the one feeling unwell.

Stepping out of the car, her legs were still shaky. The little ones tried to support her, but due to their height, they couldn't help much. They quickly pressed against her leg, saying, "Grandma, if you're not feeling well, just stay in the car and rest a while; we can go down later."

Seeing her own condition, Margaret agreed and sat in the car to rest. She sipped on the drink Dylan handed her a sweet and tangy beverage that helped dispel her nauseousness. "Grandma, do you feel a bit better now?"

Coming back to her senses, Margaret replied, "Yes, much better now. Let's go. We can't drive any further; the road ahead isn't suitable for cars. Grandma will walk with you the rest of the way."

They had brought only the driver with them to avoid drawing too much attention. After parking the car, the driver single-handedly carried two large bags of luggage and followed behind.

The village roads were narrow and winding, unfit for cars to navigate through easily. If they encountered a vehicle coming in the opposite direction and another was behind them, it could easily lead to a traffic jam.

For the two youngsters, this was their first visit to such a place, and their innate curiosity had them looking all around as they walked.

Along the way, they encountered many local children playing by the roadside. The presence of strangers piqued the locals' curiosity, prompting looks in their direction.

There was a stark contrast between the two groups.

Ruby glanced at the other children's dresses, then down at her own little dress, before looking up at Margaret and asking, "Grandma, I've never worn the kind of skirt they have. Can I buy one like that too?"

Hearing this, Margaret looked over at the local children. She saw one girl about Ruby Hansen's age wearing a blue floral dress that was clean and neat. Paired with the girl's cuteness, the dress looked especially nice on her.

Several other children stood by her side, probably playmates. Margaret stopped to give them some candy before addressing Ruby Hansen, "Of course, you can, Ruby. If you like that dress, once we settle in, tomorrow we can have your great- grandmother take us to the flea market to buy one."

Ruby had always gone to supermarkets and malls. Hearing the phrase " flea market" for the first time made her even more curious.

"Okay, then brother will come along too."

"That sounds good."

After about ten more minutes of walking, they finally arrived in front of a yard.

Compared to two years ago, a few more flower beds had been added near the entrance of the small courtyard. However, as it was still cold, the flowers had withered away.

The courtyard gate was custom-made and very sturdy, secured with a large lock.

When the gate was first constructed, Margaret suggested installing a combination lock, which would be convenient for coming and going, and it could even use fingerprints if the code was forgotten. But the elderly couple disagreed, saying that a combination lock didn't fit the rural, pastoral vibe of living in the countryside.

 

Chapter 492 Great-grandmother

Margaret couldn't resist her mother's persistence and ended up buying them an extra-large lock that most people couldn't open.

Now, the door was unlocked, indicating that everyone must be at home. Margaret found the doorbell and pressed it, waiting at the door with her two grandchildren. After a short while, light footsteps were heard from inside, followed by an elderly voice asking, "Who is it?"

The two little ones got excited upon hearing the old woman's voice and looked up to ask her, "Grandma, is that our great-grandmother's voice?"

Margaret smiled and nodded at the two youngsters while responding, "Mom, it's me."

Hearing the familiar voice, the footsteps inside paused briefly before resuming with much more urgency.

Margaret heard this and still smiling, said, "Mom, take it easy, be careful."

When the courtyard door opened, they were greeted by an elderly woman with graying hair, who despite her age, dressed in a casual European-style house dress, exuding an air of exceptional elegance.

Ruby and Dylan had been taught good manners since they were young, and Eva had instructed them to greet people properly, so without any prompt from Margaret, as soon as the door opened, they both called out in unison, "Great- grandmother!"

Lynn hadn't seen her daughter for a long time and had recently been missing her children, but she didn't want to bother and thus refrained from calling. To her surprise, her daughter had come to visit her.

She was delighted, yet just as she recognized her daughter's face upon opening the door, she heard two childlike voices calling out for their great-grandmother.

Great-grandmother?

Who were they calling? Or was she experiencing auditory hallucinations due to her old age?

She looked down following the voices and saw two adorable little tykes standing there, looking up at her in unison.

To her shock, these two little ones bore a striking resemblance to her well-behaved grandson Adrian Blackwood.

Lynn gazed at the faces of the two youngsters in amazement, then lifted her eyes to look at her daughter, Margaret, or simply Margaret.

Margaret was smiling at her, lightly lifting her eyebrows as if to say, "Look, I've brought your little great-grandchildren to see you."

"These are..."

It took Lynn quite a moment to process what was happening. She was about to reach out and touch the cheeks of the two little ones to see if they were real when two small hands caught hold of her fingers-one on each side. The warm, soft sensation instantly transmitted through her fingertips, the tangible feeling shaking Lynn for a moment before she regained her composure.

"These are Adrian's..."

Margaret nodded.

"Yes, twins, both the same age."

"Great-grandmother, my name is Ruby Hansen."

"My name is Dylan Hansen."

They were Adrian Blackwood's children, yet they bore the surname Hansen. The little ones introduced themselves without any indication to correct it.

Margaret felt a bit awkward, though she didn't mind the children's surnames. After all, it was the Blackwood family that owed Eva five years, and she herself had raised them for so many years. Now, she was happy enough that they were willing to call them grandma and grandpa.

As for the surname issue, neither she nor her husband minded too much.

What surname they had did not change the fact that they were the children of Adrian Blackwood and Eva.

However, while she might not care, she wondered about the opinion of the elderly, who, due to their age, tended to be more conventional.

Just as she thought about changing the subject, Lynn smiled and nodded in understanding.

"The names are nice, did your mommy give them to you?"

The two little ones nodded.

Margaret pursed her lips with some unease.

The next second, she saw her mother Lynn's face light up with a smile: "Come in, great-grandma has prepared some delicious food for you."

She stepped aside to make room, motioning everyone to enter. After the driver brought in their luggage and left, he said to Margaret, "Madam, I'll head back now and will return to pick you up when it's time." Margaret nodded.

After watching the driver leave and the big gate of the yard was closed and relocked, only then did the two youngsters really take in the scenery inside the courtyard.

There was a very large tree planted in the yard, which had lost all its leaves this season and looked quite bare.

The two ran over curiously to inspect it.

Watching the two little ones run off, Lynn took the opportunity to start a conversation with her daughter Margaret, keeping a distance from them.

"Is it just the three of you who came?"

Margaret nodded.

"Yes."

"What about the children's father and mother? Why didn't they come along?"

"They... they have matters to attend to and couldn't come for the time being." Margaret dared not tell her elderly mother about their troubles, fearing that such news might be too shocking due to her age.

"Young people always busy themselves without care for their health. When you go back, you should remind them not to work too hard. Otherwise, they might develop chronic issues. "

"Alright, I'll tell them when I get back, and we'll bring the kids to visit you another time."

"But..." Lynn paused thoughtfully, "Didn't the two of them divorce years ago? How come they have such grown children? Could it be...?"

Lynn had a suspicion forming in her mind.

Faced with her guess, Margaret nodded.

Even though Lynn already guessed, having it confirmed brought different emotions. She hadn't expected Eva to give birth to two children alone after the divorce. Now Lynn could probably surmise why both kids carried the surname Hansen. "Mom, what I mean is, since Eva raised the two children on her own, I don't want to say too much about their surnames..."

Before she could finish speaking, Lynn interrupted her: "Why are you telling me all this? Do you really think your mother can't distinguish right from wrong? Eva has had a tough time raising two children by herself, and now she is willing to bring them back. We owe her, and a surname isn't significant it doesn't represent anything."

Margaret, who had originally anticipated conventional views from Lynn due to her age, was relieved to hear that Lynn didn't mind and even lectured her about principles. Margaret's voice softened, almost cooing, "Oh mom, I wasn't suggesting you can't tell right from wrong. I just wanted to explain to you, don't be mad at me."

Having not heard her daughter speak affectionately for a long time, Lynn wasn't angry anymore and went ahead to greet the two children.

"Come on, there's nothing more to see here. Follow great-grandma inside, I've made something tasty for you. Do Ruby and Dylan have any dietary restrictions?"

Though it was their first meeting, the two little ones were already very comfortable with her and went into the house together.

Margaret stood still, taking out her phone to check for any new messages.

It had been one night, and Kim Blackwood had not called her. She was unsure how things were being handled on his end or how much longer it would take. She hoped everything would go smoothly without any complications.

 

 

Chapter 493 Let Her Go

Study Room

When the news that the two children were missing from the Blackwood family reached Michael Cooper's ears, his brow immediately furrowed.

"They're gone? She wouldn't hand the kids over to someone else, would she? Have you checked properly?" he asked. David nodded.

"The people we sent out have reported back. The kids aren't there, and their exact whereabouts are currently unknown, so..." David hesitated before continuing, "It'll take some time to locate their next destination." "How long?"

"That... I'm not sure. They drove for half an hour before entering a stretch with no surveillance cameras. After that, our people lost track of them."

Understanding the implication, Michael Cooper didn't need any further explanation. Had their people arrived too late? Otherwise, how could the other party have left at just the right time?

As a thought struck him, Michael Cooper fixed a stern gaze on David.

"How would they know?"

David didn't catch on at first: "What?"

"Did you leak the information?" He stared at David like he was looking at an ant, "Do you want her to die?"

David was puzzled. "?"

He thought he had misunderstood, but after a moment, it dawned on him what Michael Cooper meant.

"Do you think I leaked the news, Mr. Cooper?"

"Didn't you? How else could they leave early? They even conveniently took a route without surveillance? Or are you saying you didn't play some part in this?"

At that, David pressed his lips together and fell silent.

After a long pause, he finally spoke up, "If you mistrust me this much, Mr. Cooper, maybe you should find someone else to do the job."

"You know why I've kept you around."

"Yes, Mr. Cooper, you asked me to ensure Ms. Hansen's safety, and I'm worried about Ms. Hansen too. With her current situation, how could I possibly leak any information?" Michael Cooper scrutinized him, noting that his tone was normal, and remembering that if David hadn't cared about Eva, he wouldn't have dared help her escape initially. Now that Eva's life was in danger, it was unlikely he would betray her.

But... it was not beyond reason that he might be doing this deliberately, using Eva's life to force Michael to let her go, to give up on her.

With that thought, Michael Cooper chuckled coldly, "How many years have you been with me?"

David remained silent.

"You know my temperament and character," Michael Cooper's fingertips lightly tapped the desk, revealing his impatience. "If I can bring her back to my side a second time, there will be a third time and a fourth time. So, you better not get any wrong ideas. And this time, I don't intend to let her go."

A slight smile crossed Michael Cooper's lips as he spoke.

This was the first time he had smiled since Eva's incident.

But the smile that spread across his lips was very unsettling, not just in timing but also in the curvature of the grin-it appeared quite sinister.

David had an extremely ominous premonition.

Sure enough, the next second he heard Michael Cooper say, "Even if she dies, she can only stay by my side."

Previously, he had used her life to provoke Michael Cooper into letting her go. At that time, Michael Cooper seemed quite terrified, probably because he had clearly experienced what it felt like to lose someone dear to him, which was why he had locked himself away in the study for a long time.

But David hadn't expected him to change so quickly...

"Surprised? This is a decision I've just made. Now that you know, go take care of it."

After leaving Michael Cooper's study, David felt his steps become airy as he walked.

How did things get this far?

Why... did it turn out this way?

Ms. Hansen, how could she leave this place? Could it be... she really had to die here before Michael Cooper would be content?

David couldn't believe that Michael Cooper could be so cruel. Perhaps, he was only saying those words to spur him on and make him find the two children faster.

With this thought, David suddenly came to his senses.

That's right, Michael Cooper must still be worried about something happening to Ms. Hansen. If he wasn't concerned, why would he be so anxious about not being able to find the two children? But there had been no leak of information; inexplicably, someone had suddenly taken the children on a trip, and when they left, they didn't even inform anyone at the villa where they were going. What should he do if he didn't find the two children? Without finding them, Eva certainly had little hope of surviving, but if he found the two children, there might be no turning back for her in the future. He needed to make a decision quickly. After much thought, David made a decision in his heart.

After David left, Michael Cooper remained alone in the study.

His expression was sullen, his aura ice-cold, giving off an exceedingly misanthropic vibe.

His cellphone rang, and Michael Cooper glanced at the caller ID. His gaze flickered slightly before he answered the call a moment later.

"Grandfather?"

His tone wasn't particularly good but it wasn't bad either-just a normal way of speaking.

However, the words he heard from the other end of the call caused his expression to turn ice-cold.

"What do you mean?"

Mr. Cooper Sr.'s cold snort echoed loudly from the other end of the phone. "What do I mean? You know exactly what I am talking about. Is that Hansen girl with you or not? What exactly are you planning to do with her, you scoundrel?" Michael Cooper's lips thinned, and he fell silent.

"Send the girl back home immediately! Stop giving me headaches!"

"Have you spoken to the Blackwood family?"

"Whoever I've spoken with doesn't matter. If I say do it, you do it."

Mr. Cooper Sr.'s words carried authority and domineering command-not as if he wanted to discuss matters but rather as if he were ordering him, instructing him.

Seeing that Michael Cooper didn't respond, Mr. Cooper Sr. questioned further, "I'm talking to you. Do you hear me?"

But Michael Cooper simply started to laugh softly.

The laughter was deep, yet to the person on the other end of the phone, it seemed extremely eerie.

"You little rascal, what are you laughing at?"

Michael Cooper laughed for a full minute while the old man on the other end nearly burst with anger before he finally stopped.

"Grandfather, if you don't mind me asking, did you use the same tone when you forced my mother to marry that thing?"

The description of 'that thing' caught Mr. Cooper Sr. off guard, and it took him a while to realize whom he was referring to. He immediately became furious, "You brat, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? That is your father!" "Oh, is that so? As my father, what has he done? What responsibilities has he fulfilled?" Michael Cooper scoffed coldly, "He's nothing but a murderer who killed my mother!"

"No matter how unworthy he may be, he is still your father!"

"I have no father."

Mr. Cooper Sr. was livid but after thinking of the disgraceful acts his own son had committed, he decide he didn't want to argue for the sake of such a useless man this with his grandson. He was actually quite satisfied with the way his grandson wielded power as the head of the family.

"Forget it. Whether you acknowledge it or not doesn't matter, just let the Hansen girl go."

 

Chapter 494 The Dignity of the Cooper Family

Mr. Cooper Sr. did not believe that his grandson would disobey him. After all, the vast family business would be his in the future, and if he wanted to inherit it smoothly from Mr. Cooper Sr., he had to listen to his elder. And how did Mr. Cooper Sr. see things? It was normal for a man to be involved with a few women, as long as it wasn't too scandalous.

Initially, he thought the Hansen girl wasn't bad, but after her family went bankrupt, Mr. Cooper Sr. lost interest in her, not to mention that she later divorced Adrian Blackwood and became a twice-married woman with two children. Mr. Cooper Sr. always looked down on this girl from the bottom of his heart.

Unfortunately, his grandson was quite sentimental and got entangled with her. Mr. Cooper Sr. tried to intervene several times, but his grandson wouldn't listen.

During that time, Mr. Cooper Sr. could say that he was infuriated by his grandson's defiance until his secretary consoled him by saying, "Why should you be angry, sir? After all, they've been tangled up for so many years without ending up together. It's clear that Mr. Cooper is just playing around. She's nothing but a worthless twice-married woman with two kids. Once he gets bored, it will naturally end. Why keep intervening? Besides, people are rebellious. The more you try to separate them, the more he'll value that woman. Don't let it come to a point where they haven't split up, but you have a rift with Mr. Cooper, affecting your relationship."

After being advised by his secretary, Mr. Cooper Sr. realized that indeed they were not together, and he came to believe that perhaps his grandson was just fooling around and would not seriously choose that woman.

So later on, he stopped interfering and even began to treat Eva nicely.

When Mr. Cooper Sr. heard that Eva had returned to the country, he thought that she would definitely break things off with his grandson, so he had been feeling quite pleased recently.

In fact, Mr. Cooper Sr. even considered finding various distinguished ladies for his grandson, but then people from the Blackwood family came knocking at his door asking for her.

Only after some inquiries did he learn that Michael Cooper had kept Eva at his place.

Mr. Cooper Sr. was extremely displeased when the Blackwoods approached him.

In his view, as an adult, if Eva wanted to leave, who could force her to stay? And now they had the audacity to come asking him for her?

But since they were the Blackwood family, Mr. Cooper Sr. couldn't speak too harshly. Besides, Eva was only a twice-married woman after all-it was only the Blackwoods who treated her like a treasure. So, Mr. Cooper Sr. made this phone call. Thinking of this, Mr. Cooper Sr. even began to belittle Eva in front of Michael Cooper.

"I know you're quite fond of that girl from the Hansen family, and to be honest, she indeed is quite attractive, but you have to understand that she's been married before. Sure, she's divorced now, but if you really like her, then keep her as a mistress on the side. Think about it carefully-she's not only been divorced but also has two children. Are those children yours?"

"I don't care."

Mr. Cooper Sr. was trying to speak earnestly, hoping his grandson would take in at least some of what he said, but halfway through his speech, his grandson suddenly stated he didn't care, igniting Mr. Cooper Sr.'s temper instantly.

"You don't care? What makes you think you can afford not to care? You are the heir to the entire Cooper family! You represent the face of the Cooper family! Do you think you're just any individual? Behind you stands the whole Cooper family!" "Oh," Michael Cooper scoffed with disdain. "Why weren't such stern lessons applied to that murderer back then? When he tarnished the face of the Cooper family, did he ever think about the family's dignity?"

At this point, Michael Cooper even paused, then quickly added, "Or should I say, does your Cooper family have any dignity left?"

Mr. Cooper Sr. was stopped in his tracks. "You little rascal, what do you mean 'your Cooper family'? Aren't you part of the Cooper family?" He scolded.

Michael Cooper didn't respond.

"Let her go!" Mr. Cooper Sr. threatened.

Michael Cooper retorted, "You have no right to give me orders."

"You're my grandson; how do I not have the right to command you?"

Upon hearing this, Michael Cooper let out a cold laugh.

"If you want me to release her, dream on."

After saying that, he directly hung up the phone.

Mr. Cooper Sr. opened his mouth to scold him again but heard the busy tone from the phone instead. Michael had already hung up.

This infuriated Mr. Cooper Sr., and his secretary quickly stepped forward to soothe him by rubbing his chest.

"Sir, please don't get angry."

"This darn kid is really trying to kill me. How dare he hang up on me!"

"He's just young and hotheaded. Don't take it personally; it's not worth getting upset over."

With the consolation from his secretary, Mr. Cooper Sr.'s anger subsided somewhat. "If this brat doesn't let her go, how am I supposed to explain this to the Blackwood family?"

At this point, a look of distress appeared on Mr. Cooper Sr.'s face.

After hanging up the phone, Michael Cooper switched off his mobile, refusing any incoming calls.

He sat there with a gloomy expression; his mind clouded by the words Mr. Cooper Sr. had just said.

Why?

All he wanted was her, so why was everyone against him? It seemed like everyone wanted to take her away from him.

Eva...

Michael Cooper's eyes darkened, and after a moment, he got up and walked towards Eva's room.

The psychologist also came today. The idea, according to Fennis, was for him to talk to her every day and build up their trust so that maybe one day she would be willing to open up to him. That was the plan he was working on for now.

However, it didn't seem to be of any use. On the first day, Eva had given him a glance, but by the second, she wouldn't even look at him. When he spoke to her, Eva simply closed her eyes, refusing to listen. When he came out, Fennis could only shake his head helplessly at the others.

"She still refuses to communicate. We can only try again tomorrow or the day after."

After saying this, Fennis paused and looked at Michael Cooper as if he had more to say but hesitated.

Michael Cooper had already noticed his expression and pursed his lips as he uttered coldly, "Speak your mind."

Fennis nodded, "I wanted to mention that Ms. Hansen's condition seems worse today than yesterday. Is she still not eating at all?"

Michael Cooper looked at Jane, who immediately responded, "Ms. Hansen had a bit of sweet soup today, but she's still eating very little."

Ever since she lost her memory and left the hospital, her diet had been extremely simple. Thankfully, she was still willing to eat sweet foods, which helped maintain some nutritional intake; otherwise, none of them could bear to think of the consequences.

"If she's willing to eat, she can maintain the daily nutritional needs of her body. At least for now, she doesn't seem to have any suicidal tendencies, so keeping her stable is easy. But if she's unwilling to eat, it's akin to a slow form of suicide." "What can we do?" Jane sounded almost tearful, "Is Ms. Hansen going to die?"

 

Chapter 495 Lighting the Will to Live

"Don't talk nonsense!" Michael Cooper said sharply.

Jane was startled by his scolding and instantly fell silent, not daring to speak further.

Her eyes reddened as they filled with tears that looked as if they might fall at any moment, making her appear especially pitiful. Fennis glanced at her and sighed inwardly.

"For now, she won't be in immediate danger. Anyway, you should consult other doctors to see how her nutrition can be supplemented without eating. If she's unwilling to eat, then we need to find alternative ways; there's always a solution. But

people need to eat normally. The method I'm talking about can only sustain her temporarily. Not eating for an extended period is not viable; even if there are other ways to prevent death, the body will deteriorate, and in the end..." Though he didn't finish his sentence, everyone present understood what he meant.

The conversation ceased, and Fennis left shortly after.

Michael Cooper's gaze turned icy as he stared at the firmly shut door of the room, as if a small knife were slowly piercing his heart.

Jane broke the silence, "Mr. Cooper... then I'll go in first."

Michael Cooper stopped her, "You come with me."

Jane replied with a puzzled, "Ah?"

Although unsure of what he needed from her, since he was her employer, Jane followed him.

Before leaving, Michael Cooper gave David a look. "Take good care of her. Call me if anything happens."

David nodded expressionlessly.

After they had gone, David stood still for a moment, then raised his head to look at the door to the room, recalling the decision he had made.

He wondered whether it was an opportunity that Michael Cooper had deliberately left for him; otherwise, why would he call Jane away at this juncture? Regardless of whether it was intentional or not, David pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The curtains in the room were drawn, dimming the light, and the window was cracked open just a sliver for ventilation due to Eva's frail condition. The whole room felt stifling, almost suffocating upon entry.

David even wondered if staying in such an environment would exacerbate her illness.

Eva was reclining on the sofa with her eyes closed, seemingly asleep. David watched her in silence for a while before finally speaking up, "Ms. Hansen." As he expected, Eva completely ignored him.

At first, she would somewhat respond when he spoke to her, but now...

It seemed that the doctor was spot on, her condition was worsening rapidly.

Thinking that Michael Cooper might return soon, David decided against any niceties and simply stated, "Ms. Hansen, other than Mr. Blackwood, is there no one else you can't let go of?"

After saying this, regardless of Eva's reaction, he continued, "Even though your memory is only temporarily lost, it may not come back, but there are some feelings that stick in your mind. Isn't there anything else you are holding onto, Ms. Hansen?"

Upon hearing this, Eva slowly opened her eyes and looked at him with a calm gaze.

"What 'holding onto'?"

She felt like she had forgotten something, but since she couldn't remember anything, she naturally attributed this feeling to aftereffects of her amnesia.

David looked steadily at her, "For instance, children."

At the mention of children, something struck Eva's chest hard, followed by her heart pounding like a drum. "Children..."

Eva repeated the word as she felt images flash crazily through her mind.

"Yes, children."

A hint of life finally returned to Eva's ashen face; it was as though a switch had been flipped within her.

Children-did she already have children?

No wonder she always felt she had forgotten something crucial.

Upon seeing the spark of life back in her eyes, David glanced towards the door, then quickly added, "Ms. Hansen, don't reveal this matter to anyone. If possible, perhaps you could try to communicate with Mr. Cooper. He... maybe you can persuade him."

If there was anyone left who could persuade him, it would likely be only Eva.

"Persuade him?" Eva's spirit was no longer as listless as before; she seemed to have found a pillar of strength and even forced herself to sit upright, "To persuade him to let me go? But I'm like this now, if he's unwilling, would he agree just because I asked him to?"

"No matter what, it's worth trying. It's certainly better than risking your own health."

If this conversation had taken place earlier, Eva might not have cared much about her body, but after learning about her children from David, she now felt like she couldn't afford to gamble with her health.

"Okay, I'll try. But since I don't remember anything about Michael Cooper, could you tell me some things about the past? It might help me."

"Of course."

David nodded, then added, "However, Mr. Cooper and Jane may return soon, so it's probably not convenient to talk now. If you are willing, I'll come to see you tonight, Ms. Hansen." "That's fine."

"Then... will you eat later?"

Eva paused for a second before showing a rare smile.

"For my children, I must eat."

After seeing the smile that had long-absent smile from her face, David was momentarily taken aback, then he nodded.

"I'll go out first then. Mr. Cooper should be back soon. He's probably figuring out how to get food for you. You could try to eat a bit today and try not to resist the psychologist too much tomorrow-pretend to accept the treatment." "I understand."

Eva hesitated as if she wanted to say more, then spoke as he was about to leave, "Wait, may I ask you a question?"

David, who had been about to leave, stopped in his tracks, "Ms. Hansen, please ask."

"My children... what do they look like? Do you have a photo you can show me?"

David paused for a moment, then shook his head.

"I don't have any stored on my phone, but I'll find a way to get photos. If I do, I'll show them to you immediately."

"Okay, thank you..."

"You're welcome, Ms. Hansen. I should go now."

Without lingering further, David quickly left.

Eva sat on the sofa, feeling previously as if she was suffocating, like life had become an utterly lifeless march through despair, devoid of any vitality. Living seemed pointless.

But now, her emotions were completely different, her chest filled with indescribable feelings-tender yet powerful that not only ignited her will to live but also made her feel braver.

She didn't think David was deceiving her because from the moment he mentioned she had children; Eva felt an inexplicable connection with her offspring.

She was sure she had children.

So, when Jane came back, she immediately sensed the change in Eva's demeanor.

Although Eva was still leaning on the sofa, the feeling she gave off was entirely different.

 

Chapter 496 Give up Anything

Jane didn't know if she was seeing things. She walked up with the food and carefully called out, "Ms. Hansen, Mr. Cooper asked the kitchen staff to get you a little bit of food, I heard that it's made by the new chef, do you want to try it?" After saying that, as if Jane was worried that Eva wasn't interested, she added, "I heard that this new chef is awesome, he has made food for many anorexic patients before, and he also has very peculiar combinations. Would you like to have some, Ms. Hansen?"

Why would Eva care if the new chef was awesome or not?

After talking to David, she wanted to eat, not because of an appetite, but because she felt that in order to live, in order to get out of here one day and see her two children, she had to eat, more or less, and she had to keep herself sustained. Jane had only said few words, but Eva was already reaching out towards her.

Previously, Eva basically wouldn't eat, Jane was worried before she came that Eva wouldn't be willing to eat, but she didn't expect Eva to actually be willing. She held the tray and came forward with surprise written all over her face. "Ms. Hansen, look, this soup is made so beautifully. I just snuck a sniff, it smells so good."

Jane didn't mention that the food these days was making her mouth water. The people over in the kitchen could be said to have gone to great lengths to get Eva to eat.

Every time she went to the kitchen, she could hear her stomach rumble and feel her mouth begin to moisten, but once she thought of Ms. Hansen not being able to eat, she lost her appetite and began feeling bad for Eva. Eva didn't even bother to look at how well the food was prepared as she picked it up and took a spoonful.

Jane watched her expectantly from the sidelines.

Upon seeing little expressions on Eva's face as she ate, Jane knew that Eva didn't have much of an appetite, and she sighed inwardly, knowing that Eva was probably going to have to stop after just a few bites again. So, Jane waited around, waiting for her to put it away after a few bites.

Unexpectedly, Eva didn't stop. Jane was a bit confused.

But she was actually happy that Ms. Hansen was willing to eat, so she didn't make a sound.

Until ......

Eva suddenly vomited, after which she put down her bowl and ran towards the restroom.

"Ms. Hansen!"

Jane was shocked, She followed Eva then realized that Eva had vomited out all that she had just eaten in.

"Ms. Hansen, are you alright?"

She helped Eva to the couch and sat down again. Eva looked at the remaining half bowl of soup and pursed her lips.

What was going on?

It was clear that she had the desire to eat in her heart, but her stomach actually rejected the food.

Was she eating too fast? Or did she eat too much?

Forget it, she'd better take her time; after all, she hadn't been able to eat much before, and now that she steeply wanted to eat more, she guessed that her stomach wasn't used to it.

And most importantly, she had to regulate her mood.

Thinking of this, Eva took a deep breath to calm herself down and said to Jane, "I'm fine, bring the stuff over, I'll eat some more."

Hearing this, Jane was shocked.

"Ms. Hansen, you want to eat some more?"

Previously, in a similar situation, she didn't have the mood or strength to eat again at all. Before, she did nothing but lean over with a look of disgust on her face.

Jane, happy for her and worried at the same time, said, "Then this time eat slower, so your stomach can take it."

"Okay."

After that, Eva took some small sips of soup and finally stopped throwing up. Jane almost cried tears of joy.

Having expended a lot of energy, Eva felt tired and soon fell back to sleep.

When David received the call from Mr. Cooper Sr., the old man on the other end was in a state of tremulous anger, angrily questioning him as to why Michael Cooper's cell phone was off and telling him to turn it back on and answer it. Hearing this, David glanced at the corridor in front of him.

Michael Cooper hadn't been back since he left.

Was there something going on when Mr. Cooper Sr. was suddenly calling for him so angrily?

Thinking about this, David gently replied, " Mr. Cooper Sr., Mr. Cooper is not here right now, if there is anything you need, I can relay it on your behalf."

"Don't pretend like you don't know anything. You are his assistant. How could you not know what happened? Quickly send the Hansen girl away."

David was shocked upon hearing this.

David had assumed that Mr. Cooper Sr. had something else in mind for Michael Cooper. He hadn't expected that it was about Ms. Hansen.

So, it seemed that Mr. Cooper Sr. knew about Ms. Hansen being here at Mr. Cooper's so he wanted Michael Cooper to let her go? The two of them had already spoken on the phone and Michael Cooper refused to comply. In addition, he also hung up on Mr. Cooper Sr. and turned off his phone.

So, Mr. Cooper Sr., as a last resort, called him and asked him to tell Michael Cooper to release Eva.

While he was thinking, Mr. Cooper Sr. had a new idea.

"Forget it, don't tell him any of this. Just go, take that Hansen girl, and send her back home."

David got the hint that what Mr. Cooper Sr. meant was that he wanted him to do this behind Michael Cooper's back.

He pursed his lips and said, "Mr. Cooper Sr., I'm afraid I can't do this."

After hearing this, Mr. Cooper Sr. was annoyed to no end, "What did you say? What do you mean by claiming that you can't? You also want to disobey me along with that brat? Don't forget that I am his grandfather, and right now, the Cooper family is not completely in his hands. If I give the word, your job is gone."

Probably already anticipating that he would be threatened, David was quite calm in the face of these threats at this moment.

"Mr. Cooper Sr., it's not that I'm disobeying you, but Mr. Cooper has already stripped me of any power."

"What did you say? That brat actually.... just for a woman?"

David listened quietly, suddenly realizing that he could use Mr. Cooper Sr. to suppress Michael Cooper. If he could pull this off, Ms. Hansen's chances of successfully leaving would be a little higher.

But...... he still felt a little hesitant.

Mr. Cooper Sr. thought that Michael Cooper cared about becoming the head of the family and thought that he could use it to threaten him.

However, after following him for so many years, David knew that Michael Cooper didn't care about these things at all; otherwise, he wouldn't have been thinking about Eva for so many years. He didn't even mind that she was divorced from another man and had two children.

In David's view, he realized that as long as Eva was by Michael Cooper's side, Micheal would be willing to face any challenge. Even if he wanted the Cooper family's power, he only wanted to use it to protect Eva, so that she and her children could live a happy life and not be bullied.

But without her, he'd probably want nothing more than to destroy everything.

 

Chapter 497 Turning Back Still Holds a Chance

As the thought crossed his mind, David was startled by his own realization-he hadn't expected to understand him so well.

Indeed, he was the kind of person who would do such a thing.

"Then who currently has the authority to handle this matter?" Mr. Cooper Sr. asked after calming down.

"I'm not sure about that."

Michael Cooper still had many tasks at hand, but they were limited in scope. Once something went beyond that range, others wouldn't listen to him. "You're not sure? You've been by his side for so long; how can you possibly be clueless? Do you think that just because I'm old, I'd be easily fooled?" However, no matter how irate Mr. Cooper Sr. became, David maintained his calm demeanor.

"Mr. Cooper Sr., you once controlled the Cooper Group yourself; how could I even think of deceiving you? If you do not believe me, you are welcome to investigate." David's response made Mr. Cooper Sr. exchange a skeptical look with his secretary.

His secretary shook his head slightly at Mr. Cooper Sr., who then pursed his lips and let the matter go.

"Fine, since you say you don't have power anymore, I'll look into it myself. But you better hope I don't find out you've lied to me, or else..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the unspoken threat was as clear as day.

David did not respond to the veiled threat.

But before hanging up the phone, he couldn't help but add, "Mr. Cooper Sr., if you truly want to save Ms. Hansen, you must act swiftly."

Upon hearing these words, Mr. Cooper Sr. paused, "What do you mean by that?"

"That's all I can say," David replied.

After finishing his statement, David promptly ended the call.

Mr. Cooper Sr.'s brows furrowed deeply as the busy tone from the phone echoed in his ear once again.

"Are they all growing bold now? It's one thing for my own grandson to hang up on me, but what gives David, who is merely an assistant, the right to hang up on me?!"

The secretary beside Mr. Cooper Sr. could only offer an awkward explanation," Mr. Cooper Sr., please don't be angry. I guess he probably doesn't know much either, so he didn't have much to say."

This suggestion seemed to pique Mr. Cooper Sr.'s curiosity.

"What did he mean by saying if I want to save the Hansen girl I must act quickly? Could it be that he fears my grandson could harm the Hansen girl?"

"It's unlikely he'd harm her, given that Mr. Cooper's affection for Ms. Hansen is well-known. It's just that..."

"Just what? If you have a thought, speak up. Don't hem and haw."

The secretary hesitated a moment before speaking cautiously, "Since Mr. Cooper refuses to release her, it's clear Ms. Hansen isn't there voluntarily. What I mean is, there might be some friction between them right now, which could result in Ms. Hansen getting hurt, or perhaps Mr. Cooper becoming enraged. Of course, these are just my personal speculations and shouldn't be taken as fact."

Everyone knew how much Mr. Cooper Sr. adored his grandson.

His son had been a disappointment, bringing an immense shame that made it almost impossible for him to hold his head high. Afterward, he placed all his hopes on his grandson, Michael Cooper, especially since he was getting on in years and didn't know how much longer he would live.

So, even if the secretary wanted to speak ill of Michael Cooper, he had to do so carefully.

To his surprise, Mr. Cooper Sr. replied, "Your speculation might not be wrong."

The secretary was somewhat astonished.

"I can't let this brat continue like this. Book me a flight immediately; I need to go there myself."

"Book it now?"

"Yes, book the next available flight. I must go find him myself."

His son had already failed him; he couldn't stand idly by and watch his grandson go down the same path.

After hanging up the phone, David glanced at Eva's door. He had said his piece, but whether it would make a difference remained to be seen.

While lost in thought, he noticed someone approaching from the front.

Seeing that it was Michael Cooper, David nodded at him, "Mr. Cooper."

Michael Cooper stopped in front of the door, and his gaze fixed on the entrance as if he could see through it. His lips were pressed tightly together, and he said nothing as though he was deep in contemplation. With Michael Cooper silent, David patiently waited by his side.

After a while, Michael Cooper asked, "How is she?"

Feeling puzzled, David hesitated for a moment. Hadn't he just seen her? Why was he asking again?

"She should be the same as before," David replied.

"Is that so?"

Michael Cooper's voice was low, and it was unclear whether he was questioning David or himself. "David."

He suddenly called out, making David look up, "Mr. Cooper?"

It was as if Michael Cooper's gaze could pierce through the door and see Eva inside, "Tell me, if she hadn't lost her memory, do you think she would hate me now?"

David pursed his lips.

After some thought, he said, "Over the past five years, you have treated Ms. Hansen very well and taken good care of her. I believe that whether she remembers or not, she wouldn't hate you." "Wouldn't... hate me?"

Michael Cooper let out a bitter laugh, "Why do I feel like she hates me so much right now that she's refusing food as a way to torment me?"

David looked at him for a long time before saying, "Isn't Ms. Hansen tormenting herself?"

Michael Cooper's gaze shifted to him.

"What did you say?"

"Ms. Hansen has lost her memory; she doesn't remember the good you've done for her these past five years. So, why does she still choose to stay here aside from fulfilling her promise? And there's another thing-haven't you ever doubted..." "What?"

"Why, since the incident with the female college student that Ms. Hansen accidentally encountered at the airport, which brought two police officers into the investigation, has there been no police involvement until now?" David paused, hinting deliberately, "Have you never wondered why, Mr. Cooper?"

Michael Cooper's face darkened. He clearly grasped the implication, but he remained silent while staring intently at David.

"This means that even though you have changed from before, she still cherishes your past kindness towards her. That's why she's never considered reporting anything to the police, including... Mr. Blackwood."

Why would people come looking for her, yet the police remain unaware?

Because, once upon a time, they were friends who sat together laughing and talking. Everyone wanted to give him a chance to make things right.

Even though he had indeed made a mistake this time, everyone hoped he would turn back, so they kept giving him chances.

"Just like with Ms. Hansen now. She's lost her memory, but why hasn't she chosen to call the police? Because subconsciously, she still wants to give you a chance to make things right."

As David spoke, he kept his gaze firmly on Michael Cooper's eyes and expressions, trying to capture the emotions he was hoping to see.

He then noticed a flicker in Michael Cooper's eyes. Micheal Cooper was seemingly moved by what he had said, so David took the opportunity to press on, "That's why I keep telling you, Mr. Cooper, as long as you are willing to turn back and make things right, there will always be a chance."

 

Chapter 498 Distorted Mindset

"Mr. Cooper, while Ms. Hansen's health is still manageable, why not let her go? Consider it fulfilling her wishes as well as your own..."

"Afterward, when Ms. Hansen regains her memory, she will still remember the kindness you showed her, and you won't become enemies. Most importantly, haven't you always wished for Ms. Hansen's well-being?" Even though David had said his piece, he continued to press the issue, "Don't wait until something truly happens to Ms. Hansen, by then even if you want to make amends, it would be too late."

"Enough!"

Michael Cooper, who had seemed somewhat moved before, suddenly erupted, cutting him off with a look of icy hostility.

"Who asked you to say these things? Do you think you can persuade me? David, the person you follow is me, not Adrian Blackwood!"

David noticed that Michael Cooper seemed to be losing control of his emotions.

Ever since....the frequency of his emotional outbursts had been increasing.

Perhaps it was remembering the incidents that had occurred around him that caused David not to feel angry at this moment, but rather to respond calmly, "Indeed, I don't follow Mr. Blackwood, but Mr. Blackwood has also shown you mercy, hasn't he?"

"Don't you remember how severely he was injured back then, and why you're standing here now? I think you know quite well, Mr. Cooper. Both Mr. Blackwood and Ms. Hansen have always treated you as a friend."

"Friend?" Michael Cooper chewed on the word as a cold grin spread across his face, "Someone who competes with me for a woman? What kind of friend is that?"

"Competing for a woman?" David unapologetically dismantled his narrative, "Mr. Cooper, Ms. Hansen was with Mr. Blackwood first."

"So what? When he told that young girl in front of her face that the place by his side could only be reserved for Vivian Morrison, did he think about how she felt?" David fell silent.

It took a while before he spoke again.

"I don't know the specifics of your past, but it's clear that they both have hope that you will choose to turn back and make things right. And I know many things cannot be forced; coercion only leads to pain for everyone involved." Michael Cooper walked away once more.

David stood alone, silently sighing deeply after some time.

This night was one of the better nights of sleep Eva had gotten since losing her memory.

She even dreamed a lovely dream, featuring her two adorable and precocious children, clinging to each arm and calling her 'mommy'. Eva was overjoyed in the dream; she hugged and kissed the children on both sides while pinching their cheeks. She spent the entire night enveloped in the joy of embracing her little ones.

Upon waking and realizing it was only a dream, Eva felt an emptiness inside. Yet that void was filled with a strange satisfaction. She knew once she left this place, she would see her children.

But in her dream, there were two kids-a boy and a girl. David had told her she had a child but had not mentioned how many. Had she actually dreamt of two children, or was it just her own imagination?

She made a mental note to ask David at the first opportunity.

Eva turned over and closed her eyes again, savoring the memory of holding the children in her dream as she felt a warmth well up inside her.

A smile slowly spread across her lips; she relished this sensation.

There was noise outside it was Jane bringing breakfast for her. Realizing that it was time to eat, Eva didn't wait for Jane to call and got out of bed to get ready.

Compared to yesterday, Eva's condition seemed to be improving a great deal. Learning from experience, she ate slowly, only stopping once she felt close to full.

Jane watched her actions with quiet satisfaction, yet she dared not divulge too many details when Mr. Cooper asked her about Eva's condition.

It had been difficult enough to request a psychologist; what if Mr. Cooper decided Eva no longer needed one upon learning she was willing to eat something and then dismissed the psychologist altogether? The more Jane thought about it, the more convinced she became that she shouldn't tell Mr. Cooper.

Although Mr. Cooper was her employer, she believed that keeping this from him was for Eva's benefit. Right now, Mr. Cooper seemed to be in a weird state; if Eva was doing well, it was ultimately for Mr. Cooper's own good. After reassuring herself, Jane cleared away the dishes and left.

As she passed by the study, Michael Cooper stopped her, just as he had done before.

"How is she today?"

Jane had intended to move quickly, hoping to avoid Michael Cooper if possible. It took some courage to lie to one's employer after all.

Unexpectedly, Michael Cooper was waiting right there, making it impossible for her to escape.

She hesitated momentarily, looking at Michael Cooper with words on the tip of her tongue.

Before she could speak, however, Michael Cooper proactively asked, "Is it the same as before?"

Jane had just been contemplating how to answer without giving herself away, but now she saw there was no need for her to say anything-Michael Cooper had already assumed control of the narrative. Could it be that she wouldn't have to say anything at all?

That would be ideal; she really found it difficult to lie, and if Mr. Cooper could always preempt the conversation like this, then she wouldn't have to do anything.

Indeed, seeing her hesitation and silence, Michael Cooper, thinking Eva was still the same as before, waved his hand for her to leave without saying anything else.

Afterward, Jane truly breathed a sigh of relief.

She hoped she could keep bluffing like this until Eva's condition improved.

Michael Cooper stood deathly still as his face clouded over with darkness.

Eva showed no signs of a will to live, and there was still no news about the two children. David seemed to imply that he hadn't leaked any information, so who had let the secret slip?

If, by some chance... he couldn't find the children and something truly happened to Eva.

At this thought, Michael Cooper's hands, hanging at his sides, clenched into fists involuntarily. He bit down on his lower lip fiercely, and the image from the day his mother committed suicide filled his mind.

So much blood... She lay there silently in a pool of it, unresponsive to the calls and cries around her.

In the end, she could only be laid in the cold coffin, incapable of smiling or showing any anger-devoid of all expressions, just lying there motionless.

When she began to unravel mentally due to his father's actions and vented to him, Michael Cooper started to hate his father. He despised him for not being responsible and for entering into marriage when he couldn't stay faithful. Why get married, have children, and start a family if you couldn't commit? Wouldn't everyone be spared pain if he simply stayed away?

He also harbored resentment towards his mother for losing herself over a man and for being so hard-hearted towards her own child. Either decide to leave him or don't interfere at all.

Under the influence of such events, Michael Cooper's mindset grew increasingly strange and twisted over the years.

 

Chapter 499 Has Ms. Hansen Regained Her Memory?

Yet, nobody noticed.

Because he always endured everything in silence.

The greater the issue, the more silent he became. So silent that eventually he became gentle and learned to smile at everyone. As if all the sadness and pain had nothing to do with him.

He resented his father's irresponsibility and also despised his mother's lack of confidence.

In his primal thoughts, he resisted everything but was gradually eroded and assimilated, until he became this uncontrollable figure.

He had thought about letting her go, but then he would think about how she was the only person he truly cared for in the world. If he let her go, what would he have left? What else would remain for him? Shortly after breakfast, Fennis came over again.

As usual, he went to the bedroom to chat with Eva. Dealing with a patient who refused to communicate was challenging for him, but he was patient and intended to conquer this step by step. It had only been a few days, but he felt hopeful about curing her illness.

Unexpectedly, after he had been talking to himself for a while, Eva, who had been unresponsive, actually lifted her head to look at him.

"Dr. Fennis."

Fennis paused, probably not expecting her to address him, and with some surprise said, "Ms. Hansen, you're finally willing to talk to me?" "Do you think starting with Michael Cooper might be better than starting with me?"

"What?" This sentence left Fennis somewhat confused.

"I'm not sick," she declared.

Fennis smiled slightly, softly saying, "Ms. Hansen, I didn't say you were sick; don't be nervous."

He slowed down his tone, "We're just having a relaxing chat. You shouldn't feel as though there's a problem."

"What I mean is, I'm not sick, neither physically nor psychologically. I'm completely normal."

Afraid that he wouldn't understand her point, Eva emphasized it once more.

Fennis stopped talking and quietly observed her, seemingly waiting for her to continue.

"It will be a better use of your time working with Michael Cooper than with me."

Fennis looked at her with interest.

"Why do you think I should be working with him instead of you?"

Eva suddenly found herself at a loss for words. How could a normal person be so obsessive?

How could a normal person force someone who didn't love them to stay by their side, especially when she was already like this from not eating, and he still wouldn't let go? Rather than saying she had psychological issues, it seemed his own problems were bigger.

With this thought, Eva remembered something and looked up to ask him, "Did you ask me before if I wanted to go outside?"

Fennis nodded.

"That's right."

"Why did you ask me that question?"

"Ms. Hansen, you said you're not sick, so why not tell me why I asked you that question?" Fennis said with a smile.

Eva looked at him steadily.

Outside

Jane glanced at the time and then couldn't help but say, "Dr. Fennis seems to have been inside for quite a while today."

Upon hearing this, Michael Cooper's thoughts stirred slightly. "Is that so? How long has he been in there?"

Jane replied, "Twenty minutes now, Ms. Hansen... She should be fine, right?"

Michael Cooper narrowed his eyes. On other days, he would stay for about ten minutes, but to those waiting outside, ten minutes and twenty minutes didn't feel much different. Both seemed like a long time, especially for Michael Cooper who always existed in a detached and silent state.

When Jane mentioned it had been over twenty minutes, his brow furrowed, and just as he was about to kick the door down, the door opened, and Fennis walked out. Michael Cooper, who had just lifted his foot, slowly retracted it and looked Fennis with eyes that seemed to imbue a chill.

"Why did it take so long today?"

If there was no progress, could his twenty minutes inside imply an ulterior motive?

"Mr. Cooper, you don't seem too happy? Shouldn't you be pleased if there's been progress with Ms. Hansen?" Michael Cooper continued to regard him with coldness.

"What progress? Speak."

"It's not particularly significant progress, but she was willing to talk to me, so I chatted with her a bit more." Upon hearing this, Michael Cooper's brows knitted together.

"Mr. Cooper, I would like to offer you some psychological therapy as well."

"What do you mean?"

"You are currently the closest person to Ms. Hansen, right? I'd like to communicate with the people close to her, what do you think?"

Initially, Michael Cooper didn't want to agree, but hearing him ask whether he was the closest person to Ms. Hansen made the refusal that was on the tip of his tongue vanish. "That's fine. Should all of us do it?"

Fennis glanced at them and then said, "It will probably just be you and her."

He pointed to Michael Cooper and Jane.

The two followed Fennis and left together.

David stayed behind to watch over things, and once they had gone, he knocked on the door.

"Ms. Hansen."

There was no response from inside, and David spoke again, "May I come in?"

"Come in."

David pushed open the door and walked in.

Eva originally wanted to respond when she heard him calling her name, but fearing that Michael Cooper might still be outside, she remained silent until he asked the subsequent question. Only then was she sure that Michael Cooper was not outside.

As soon as David entered the room, Eva was visibly delighted. "David, have they left?"

David could visibly sense her happiness and nodded, "Yes, they all went with Dr. Fennis. What did you talk to him about? It seemed like a long conversation today."

"Mm, we talked about some things."

Eva got up and approached him, "David, I want to ask you something."

"What is it, Ms. Hansen?"

"You told me yesterday that I have children. Is that true?"

David nodded.

"Of course. If it wasn't true, why would I bring it up?"

"Then..." Eva smiled. "How many children do I have?"

David didn't expect her to ask this question, but he still answered directly after a brief pause, "You have two children, Ms. Hansen"

Eva hadn't expected the answer to align with her thoughts - indeed two children.

"Really? A boy and a girl?"

At her words, David was somewhat astonished. "Ms. Hansen, how did you know?"

"Is it really true?"

"Have you regained your memory?" David remembered he had only mentioned that she had children, without specifying that she had two or their genders, yet she had proactively asked. Could it be that talking about her past could stimulate the recovery of her memory?

"No, not yet."

Eva waved her hand, "I just suddenly dreamt about it last night, and when I woke up, I couldn't help wanting to ask you, but I never got the chance. I didn't expect it to be exactly like in my dream." "You dreamt it?"

"Yes."

David fell silent for a moment and then said, "It seems that speaking to you about the past may indeed help with regaining your memory."

"What other interesting things happened in the past? Can you tell me? Maybe about my two children."

 

Chapter 500 Let Him Worry about You a Little Longer

David glanced outside, feeling somewhat hesitant.

"It's alright, just say it. If they come back, I will naturally know how to handle it."

After the conversation with David yesterday, Eva had made up her mind. If she really wanted to convince Michael Cooper to let her leave this place, she had to take the initiative rather than being too passive. Otherwise, she might never be able to leave, and Michael Cooper's psychological issues would never improve.

Seeing her clear eyes and resolute thoughts, David surmised that she probably had figured out a way to deal with the situation. Her willingness to take charge was more helpful than anything else. For David, as long as one was alive, there was hope for everything.

David continued talking about the children with Eva until Michael Cooper and Jane returned. Although David was not entirely sure about what happened between Eva and Adrian Blackwood, he often witnessed Eva's interactions with the two children over the past five years, so he had plenty of topics to discuss regarding the kids.

Eva was particularly interested in the topic of her children. Even though David was not the best at expressing himself, Eva listened intently to every word he said. She could even infer her children's personalities and imagine their expressions and appearances from his descriptions.

The more she thought about it, the gentler the expression became in Eva's eyes.

David talked for quite a long time. He then noticed that it was getting late and Michael Cooper still hadn't returned, so he said to Eva, "Ms. Hansen, let's stop here for today. I shouldn't stay too long."

Stop now? Eva felt a bit disappointed, as she thought she could listen to more stories. Although reluctantly, considering that David had already spent quite a while with her, Eva didn't press further.

After David left, Eva sat on the sofa, reminiscing about the information about the two children David mentioned. The more she thought about it, the happier she felt.

After some time, Jane came back.

Eva, lost in her thoughts, didn't notice Jane's arrival, inadvertently allowing Jane to witness a faint smile adorning Eva's lips.

Jane thought she was mistaken and rubbed her eyes, only to realize she had not been mistaken at all. She blinked several times, struggling to process what she saw. Could it be that the psychologist's sessions were working this quickly? Just the other day Eva wouldn't speak, and today she was willing to talk, and now she was smiling?

Somehow, Jane felt that it couldn't be that simple and that it was unrelated to the psychologist named Fennis.

Approaching Eva, she asked, "Ms. Hansen, you smiled?"

Caught in her musings and unaware someone had come in, Eva was brought back to reality by Jane's voice, and the smile on her lips receded.

In an instant, Jane could no longer see the smile on her face, which disappeared so quickly she almost doubted her own eyes. "You're back," Eva said.

Jane nodded.

"Mr. Cooper and Dr. Fennis are still talking, I don't know what about. If I could eavesdrop, then I would come back and tell you, Ms. Hansen."

Eva quietly watched Jane, who had taken good care of her during this time. Initially, Eva had chosen her because she looked frail. If Eva decided to run or make any oppositional movements, Jane would be unable to stop her. However, unexpectedly, Jane had been extremely kind to her. Despite being paid by Michael Cooper, Jane seemed to side more with Eva.

"By the way, Ms. Hansen, I haven't told Mr. Cooper that you have been eating well these past few days. Let him worry about you a little longer," Jane added, as if she knew what Eva was thinking.

Eva curved her lips into a smile, thanking her.

This time, Jane was certain she hadn't been mistaken; Ms. Hansen was indeed smiling. Jane also smiled, thinking that Ms. Hansen must be doing better now.

"Ms. Hansen, from now on, I will take good care of you every single day."

Every single day?

Eva cast her eyes down, remaining silent. If possible, she wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.

Once she left, she would not see any of these people again.

Thus, Eva did not respond to her, but Jane started chattering away regardless.

"Ms. Hansen, you really scared me when you wouldn't eat anything the other day."

Eva found herself at a loss for words at the mention of the last few days. If David hadn't told her about her children, she feared she might have continued to neglect herself until something serious happened. What would become of her two kids then? Just the thought made her shudder.

The horror of having no will to live was too real.

With a thought in mind, Eva pursed her lips and softly asked, "How long are they going to talk? Please tell Michael Cooper that I want to see him."

Jane seemed surprised to hear this. "Ms. Hansen, you're finally willing to see Mr. Cooper? Every time he's come before, you haven't wanted to interact with him."

Indeed, some things must fall apart to make way for new beginnings. She wanted to leave this place; she couldn't keep avoiding him forever.

Afterward, Jane left, planning to fetch Michael Cooper after his conversation with Fennis ended, so she waited near the door.

But after waiting a long time without Michael Cooper emerging, curiosity got the better of her. What could they possibly be discussing for so long?

Nearly an hour passed, and Jane could no longer contain her impatience. She approached and knocked on the study door. Knock-knock-

There was no response to her first knock, prompting Jane to knock again.

"Who is it?"

After a while, a cold voice came from inside.

Jane was startled by the icy tone but still gathered her courage. "Mr. Cooper, it's me."

There was silence inside for a moment, and then the door opened.

Seeing Michael Cooper, Jane was about to tell him that Ms. Hansen wanted to see him, but before she could speak, he said, "It's you. How is she doing?" Interrupted, Jane had to answer his question first.

"Ms. Hansen doesn't seem to be doing very well. She just threw up again."

Fearing that Michael Cooper might send the psychologist away, Jane felt compelled to lie on Eva's behalf.

As expected, as soon as she finished speaking, she saw Michael Cooper's brow furrow.

Jane observed him, trying to get closer to hear what he was saying when she suddenly heard Michael Cooper say, "Go clean her up, and tell her I want to see her." Jane paused. What kind of day was this?

Ms. Hansen had just mentioned wanting to see Mr. Cooper, and now Mr. Cooper also expressed the desire to see her. Jane nodded, "I'll go back and tell Ms. Hansen." Since Michael Cooper wanted to see Eva anyway, Jane didn't bother to relay that Eva wanted to see him as well.