Chapter 21: Tell Me, Where Are My Biological Parents?

"Those are just Evelyn's ways of trying to please my Damien. As his wife, it's what she should be doing."

Eleanor Blackwood had been listening since Damien returned, and now that she heard the old patriarch actually speaking up for Evelyn Hart, she felt indignant.

"Father, don't forget, Evelyn used underhanded means to get into our Blackwood family!"

Because Eleanor had lost her husband young and left an heir for the family, the old man had always turned a blind eye to her behavior.

But given the gravity of the situation, this time he didn't indulge her.

"Be quiet," he snapped coldly. "Will you only be satisfied once the two children divorce?"

Eleanor was unhappy, but the old man rarely spoke so harshly. She muttered under her breath, "She's simply not good enough for my Damien..."

"I didn't give him the drug."

Though no one would believe her, Evelyn still wanted to explain it once more.

When the incident happened, Grandfather Blackwood had found her before Damien did, and at that time he had suggested that Damien take responsibility.

It was Evelyn who hadn't been willing.

She knew Damien didn't like her, and that his heart still belonged to someone else.

It was the old man who had said that the Blackwoods valued their reputation, and that Damien must take responsibility for what had happened.

In truth, Evelyn could see that the old man was using the incident to keep Damien under his thumb.

"Grandfather, you know what happened back then. I married Damien because you kept urging me to. I hope you'll say something fair."

"If you didn't drug me, then why did the wine you brought end up in my room, instead of the glass you handed me?"

Damien's face turned cold.

Evelyn felt a deep sense of powerlessness.

Even if the old man testified now, Damien would only assume he was covering for the fact that he didn't want them to divorce.

Her attitude softened. "Believe it or not, it's up to you."

"Since what happened back then has already happened, let's not bring it up again."

The old man's expression eased a little, and his gaze toward Evelyn became kinder.

"Evelyn, I understand you've suffered these past years. How about this: I'll compensate you with three percent of the company's shares. What do you think?"

Eleanor's eyes widened. "Three percent! Father, have you lost your mind? Evelyn is a gold digger!"

When Eleanor had given birth to Damien, the old man hadn't given her a single share. Now Evelyn could get three percent just by making a scene over a divorce?!

"That's enough!" The old man handed Evelyn the share transfer agreement he'd prepared. "Take a look, and if there are no problems, sign it."

"Also, I have something to discuss with Damien. Come with me."

Damien glanced at Evelyn and helped the old man into the study.

Once the old man sat down, he gestured for his assistant to hand something to Damien.

Damien was puzzled. He took the folder and looked through it.

"Damien, I don't have much time left."

The old man's face looked forlorn as he spoke. His sharp eyes had grown a little cloudy, and his voice was no longer as strong as before.

"I only want to hold my great-grandchild before I die."

What Damien held in his hands was the old man's medical diagnosis.

His checkup results had been declining year after year, showing that his body had reached its limit, and now he also had heart trouble.

At his age, he could no longer undergo heart stent surgery, so all he could do was take medication and wait.

The old man sighed. "The doctor says I have only a few years left. Even if you want to divorce Evelyn, could you wait until after I'm gone?"

"Why does it have to be Evelyn?"

The old man didn't answer. "Just consider it fulfilling my last wish!"

"All right. I promise you," Damien said. "I'll help Evelyn get pregnant as soon as possible."

---

In the living room.

Eleanor was envious of Evelyn's shares. Three percent! It might not sound like much, but it was a stake in the Blackwood Group!

Evelyn flipped through the share transfer agreement, and as expected, there were conditions.

If Evelyn divorced, the three percent would be taken back, and the shares could not be sold or become her private property.

Evelyn tore the agreement to shreds without blinking.

Eleanor shouted angrily, "Evelyn! You are utterly ungrateful!"

They wanted to buy out her entire life for three percent of the shares.

She couldn't do it.

She tossed the shreds into the trash can without giving Eleanor, who looked pained, a second glance.

Her phone buzzed twice.

It was a message from Margaret Hart. "Come back."

Evelyn was annoyed and wanted to pretend she hadn't seen it, but Margaret immediately sent another.

"You want to know about your biological parents, don't you?"

Evelyn clenched her fists.

If nothing unexpected happened, today should have been the day Stella returned to the Hart home, but Stella was still in the hospital.

What good could come of calling her back at a time like this?

But news of her biological parents...

Evelyn went anyway.

The Hart home was unusually quiet.

Richard Hart sat in the main seat, with Margaret standing beside him.

When he saw Evelyn approaching, he raised his hand and threw the cup beside him at her.

Evelyn dodged to the side.

"You still dare to dodge?" Richard slammed his hand on the table and stood up, rebuking her coldly. "Stella was misdiagnosed, and you actually kept it secret! Are you trying to kill Stella?"

So that was why she'd been summoned today.

Evelyn's expression was knowing. "I told them at the hospital not to rush into treatment, but they wouldn't listen."

Besides, Stella had probably been given the most effective targeted drug, so even with side effects, they shouldn't have been serious.

But Stella had reacted strongly to that medicine.

"I'm not Stella's attending physician, and I haven't practiced clinically in many years. Would you have believed me if I'd said it was a misdiagnosis?"

Evelyn looked up at Richard.

She had been studying herbal medicine for years, and her skill at reading a patient's condition was quite good.

"I can see signs of strain in your liver. I suggest you also go to the hospital and have your kidneys checked."

Margaret frowned. "Evelyn, it's one thing that you're unwilling to save Stella, but now you're even cursing your father."

Richard countered, "Save her?"

"Evelyn and Stella share a blood type. If they could have a child and use the cord blood to save Stella, the chances of curing her would be much higher. But Evelyn is unwilling."

Margaret sighed softly.

"Fine, if you're unwilling, so be it. But you won't even tell us about something as serious as a misdiagnosis..."

Richard grew even angrier. "Is this how you act as an older sister!"

"So the two of you don't believe my diagnosis either?"

Evelyn found herself a seat.

Her expression was indifferent.

She had told them Richard needed to see a doctor promptly, and neither of them took it seriously.

They were stunned, never expecting her to say such a thing.

"If you could diagnose people just by looking at them, you'd be a miracle doctor!"

Dorothy, the maid who had come to pour tea, couldn't help but cut in when she heard.

"The master has been eating and drinking well lately. He doesn't look sick at all!"

"Another one who doesn't believe me." Evelyn was too tired to argue. She tapped her fingers on the table and gave a small laugh. "Fine. I'm here now. You can tell me about my biological parents."