Chapter 96
Clara White sat quietly on the hospital bed at last, and a cold smirk curled at the corner of Haofang's lips. Still think you're the domineering old matriarch ruling the household? she thought. Now that you're bedridden, you should be grateful we're even feeding you.
Tears, murky with age, trickled down Clara's wrinkled cheeks. Regret gnawed at her. If only she had known Jack White and Haofang would turn out to be such ungrateful wretches, she would have treated Ethan and Iris better. Now, she had no one to care for her in her final years.
Two days ago, when Haofang had pinched her, Jack had sat right there without so much as lifting an eyelid. It was then Clara understood the torment Luna must have endured—helpless, voiceless.
"Mom, stop crying," Jack said as he pushed the door open, keeping his voice low. "The doctor says you can be discharged today. Don’t worry, your son will take care of you."
Clara frantically waved her hands. At least in the hospital, there were people around. Going home meant being at the mercy of these two. But her garbled whimpers were unintelligible.
"Looks like the old lady’s overjoyed," the elderly man in the next bed chuckled.
Jack seized the opportunity. "Yeah, she can’t wait to go home."
As they packed, the door suddenly swung open. Two uniformed officers stood at the threshold, and the room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.
"Jack White? Haofang?" one officer asked sternly.
The bundle in Haofang’s hands thudded to the floor. A cold sweat broke out on Jack’s back.
"Your daughter, Maya White, is suspected of theft. She’s currently at the station," the officer said, his words landing like a thunderclap. "Come with us."
Haofang’s legs buckled, and she nearly collapsed. "Impossible! My daughter would never—"
Jack gripped her arm tightly, forcing a smile. "Officers, we’ll just arrange for the old lady’s care and come right away."
The moment the police stepped out, the room erupted in murmurs. Some patients hastily tucked their wallets deeper into their pockets, while others pointed and whispered. Jack’s face burned with shame—he wished the ground would swallow him whole.
(The story will now explore why Maya appeared in town and the truth behind the theft. Meanwhile, what awaits Clara after being taken home? How will Jack and Haofang handle this sudden crisis?)