Chapter 98: Chapter 98: What Exactly is the Truth?
Hope Williams couldn’t shake her nerves, even though she had treated Grandpa Lewis herself and had anticipated his awakening in these past days. When she heard his long-missed voice, it still felt surreal to her.
Wyatt Lewis, standing behind, was the first to notice Hope. Seeing her standing back, he turned his head to Elder Lewis, leaning on the hospital bed, and immediately smiled, “Grandpa, look who’s here.”
The people gathered around the bed looked back.
Hope blinked and quickly walked to the bedside. Elder Lewis had already lovingly extended his hand toward her, and Hope immediately clasped his warm, large hand, tears uncontrollably falling as she said, “Grandpa, you’ve finally woken up, that’s wonderful, truly wonderful.”
“Why are you crying, girl? Grandpa is fine now, thanks to your saving me,” Elder Lewis said with adoring and sharp eyes, his indulgence undeniable.
“It’s good you’re alright, Grandpa. I was wrong before, leaving without a word and worrying you.”
...
Hope’s voice choked, feeling guilty, especially recalling what Alitzel Williams had said, despite Elder Lewis being out of danger now.
Elder Lewis glanced at Alitzel Williams standing nearby upon hearing this.
Seeing Elder Lewis’s gaze on her, which carried a hint of reproach, Alitzel reluctantly muttered, “Dad, I know you didn’t want her to know, but what I said is true. You wouldn’t have fallen ill so quickly if not for her stressing you out day and night.”
Alitzel still held resentment toward Hope’s previous departure.
“I didn’t mean to blame you,” Elder Lewis didn’t intend to reprimand his daughter-in-law, who indeed was flawless, but one thing about Alitzel’s actions did upset him, “I hear from Wyatt that you kept Little Hope from visiting me while I was unconscious, is that right?”
“I…” Alitzel choked, her eyes angrily flicking toward Wyatt.
What kind of son goes tattling like that?
Wyatt shrank his neck, having merely told the truth when asked about Hope by Grandpa.
Elder Lewis lifted his hand, “No need to explain, just ensure this doesn’t happen again. I’ve said before, even if Little Hope divorces Waylon, she remains a member of the Lewis family.”
With Elder Lewis having said this, what else could she say? She pursed her lips, understandably reluctant, “I understand, Father-in-law.”
At that moment, noise came from the door, and Waylon Lewis’s tall figure appeared before everyone.
His eyes brightened as he walked over to Hope and respectfully greeted Elder Lewis, “Grandpa.”
“Hmm.” Elder Lewis responded indifferently, his face turning displeased upon seeing Joy Ward following Waylon.
Then neither the grandson nor the grandfather spoke.
Hope blinked gently and tugged at Waylon’s sleeve, signaling him to talk more with Elder Lewis.
Waylon glanced at Hope and slightly pursed his lips, asking, “Are you feeling better?”
Elder Lewis retorted, “Can’t you see?”
Waylon raised an eyebrow, “Seems you’re almost well.”
Hope’s brow twitched involuntarily.
Elder Lewis looked at Waylon briefly and chose not to speak with his “unfavored” grandson, turning to chat curtly with Hope instead.
Seeing her two less favored sons, Alitzel felt helpless, accustomed to Elder Lewis always doting on Hope, but she couldn’t stand one aspect, “Dad, it wasn’t Hope who saved you, it was Joy. Please don’t get it wrong.”
Elder Lewis frowned, his eyes moving from Alitzel’s angry face to Hope.
Hope shook her head slightly in resignation, and Elder Lewis patted her hand back sympathetically.
Ah, dealing with such a stubborn mother-in-law isn’t easy!
Speaking of Joy Ward, Alitzel’s gaze searched the room and finally found Joy, standing quietly at the back.
Knowing Elder Lewis disliked Joy, Alitzel believed Joy’s reluctance to come forward was due to fear of Elder Lewis’s disdain, and this thought made her even more sympathetic toward Joy.
She walked over to Joy and noticed her eyes were red. Alitzel was startled and immediately asked, “Joy, what’s wrong?”
Joy’s eyes, brimming with tears, looked fearfully at the man in front of her before quickly lowering her head, unwilling to speak, seeming utterly frail and helpless.
“Joy, just tell me,” Alitzel urged, glancing at her son coldly like a judge risen from hell.
Amid the strange atmosphere, Alitzel concluded there must be some issue between them.
After a long pause, Joy finally said, “Aunt, I… I’m fine, just some misunderstandings with Waylon, we just need to clear them up.”
Joy’s voice was hoarse.
Faced with Alitzel’s queries, Joy felt guilty; she didn’t want to discuss the issue of her causing Hope’s fall here, as it wouldn’t benefit her.
Seeing Joy unwilling to talk, Alitzel let it go and took Joy’s hand warmly, approaching Elder Lewis’s bedside, “Dad, Joy has been treating you and saved you during these days.”
Elder Lewis’s face, initially smiling, quickly frowned upon hearing this, increasingly unhappy, “I was just unconscious, not dead. Don’t I know who saved me?”
“Dad, it really was Joy who saved you.” Alitzel felt somewhat helpless, thinking Elder Lewis was biased towards Hope and spoke more for Joy, blaming his partiality, “You can’t favor someone to the point of confusing right and wrong.”