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Novel Catalog
Chapter 23
Rachel shook her head with a sigh. She looked up at Floch as he continued to analyze their situation. “No matter what, the most important thing now is to get Tiffany engaged to Matthew first.”
Tiffany, still fuming over Veronica’s pregnancy, couldn’t help but ask, “But what about the child Veronica’s carrying? Doesn’t that pose a threat to me?”
Rachel smiled knowingly. “Oh, my dear, don’t worry. Veronica is too proud and arrogant. The moment she learns about Tiffany’s engagement to Matthew, do you really think she’ll be willing to carry that child to term? Besides, once you’re engaged, it’ll be up to you whether the child even survives past infancy—if she decides to have it at all.”
Tiffany listened intently as Rachel’s words sank in. Slowly, the dark cloud on her face lifted, and a smile spread across her lips. “Mom, you’re brilliant!”
Once again, Tiffany threw herself into her mother’s arms, expressing her deep affection for her with a tight hug.
The next morning, the sun was shining brightly, and the gentle breeze made it seem like the perfect day to stay in bed. But Veronica’s phone broke the peaceful silence.
She groggily reached for her phone, glancing at the time. “8:30 AM?! How did I oversleep?” she muttered, quickly answering the call. “Hi, Mom, sorry, I slept in and didn’t prepare breakfast for you.”
Daniella’s voice came through the phone, calm but firm. “It’s alright, I already ate. But I need you to bring Xavier with you when you come over later.”
Veronica, still half asleep, sat up straighter, wide-eyed. “Mom, Xavier’s at work. Didn’t he just visit the hospital yesterday? Why do you want him to come over again today?”
Daniella’s voice took on a teasing tone. “Don’t try to fool me. Xavier mentioned he’s free for a few days. I know he took some time off.”
“But, Mom—”
“No more excuses. If Xavier doesn’t come over today, then I’ll assume yesterday was all just a show.”
Before Veronica could argue further, Daniella hung up on her.
“Seriously, Mom?” Veronica muttered, holding her phone to her forehead. How could she ask Xavier out again so soon? Exhausted and somewhat defeated, she flopped back onto her bed. But after lying there for a moment, she grabbed her phone again and dialed Xavier’s number.
The phone rang a few times before Xavier’s groggy voice answered. “Hmm… Hello?”
Veronica hesitated for a moment, then asked, “So… what are you up to?” She forced a laugh, trying to cover her embarrassment. Her fingers nervously fidgeted with the edge of her blanket. Despite their closeness, she felt a little guilty for troubling him again so soon.
Xavier’s voice sharpened, though still laced with sleep. “What’s going on? You wouldn’t call me if you didn’t need something. Is your mom missing me or something?”
Veronica chuckled, embarrassed. “You’re really as clever as they say. So, uh… are you free?”
“Got it,” Xavier replied curtly, and the line went dead before she could ask anything else.
Staring at the screen, Veronica was confused. “What does that mean? Does he understand?”
Too embarrassed to call him back, she threw herself onto her bed again. She thought about getting up to prepare for the day, but instead, sleep overtook her once more.
Meanwhile, Xavier, now fully awake, had driven over to the hospital. By 9:00 AM, he had arrived and made his way to the inpatient department. He assumed Veronica was already in the ward, but when he entered, he found only Tony lying in bed.
He placed the items he had brought aside and pulled out his phone, ready to call Veronica. That was when his gaze landed on a photo on the table.
The picture showed Daniella and Tony standing in the front, with a young woman standing behind them, arms around their shoulders, smiling brightly. The woman’s face looked so familiar. Xavier blinked in surprise. Is that Tiffany?
He picked up the photo for a closer look. The date at the bottom right corner read February 10, 2021. How did Mr. and Mrs. Murphy know Tiffany? he thought, puzzled.
Flipping the photo over, he found the words Family Photo written on the back. Family photo? But Tiffany is from the Larson family. Why would she be in a family photo with Veronica’s parents?
Before Xavier could process further, Daniella walked into the room, her smile disappearing when she noticed the photo in his hand.
Xavier wasted no time. “Mrs. Murphy, why is there a family photo of you, Mr. Murphy, and Tiffany Larson? Are you telling me that Tiffany is your biological daughter instead of Veronica?”
Daniella’s expression faltered. She hadn’t expected to be confronted so directly. Her heart skipped as she realized her slip-up. She quickly took the photo from his hands, wiped it off, and tucked it into her bag.
Xavier, still indignant, pressed on. “Why is Veronica not in the photo? She works tirelessly to pay for your medical expenses, and yet she’s excluded from this ‘family’ moment?”
Daniella, clearly caught off guard, softened for a moment. She had hoped to avoid this conversation, but Xavier’s anger and the care he showed Veronica struck her unexpectedly.
After a beat of silence, Daniella sighed and sat down on the sofa. She looked at the photo in her hands, caressing it softly. “I can see that you’re fond of our Roni,” she said, her voice quiet, almost contemplative.
Xavier, still standing by the door, was taken aback by her response. There was so much unsaid in her words, but before he could press her further, Daniella spoke again. “Where is Veronica?”
“Something came up,” Xavier said, not wanting to reveal too much. “She’ll be here soon.”
Daniella nodded, her fingers still resting on the photo. She wasn’t ready to confront the truth yet, but she could feel the weight of it pressing down on her.
