Chapter 163 Sudden Fainting
Leo’s eight–concert tour wrapped up successfully.
Without even changing out of his stage clothes, he rushed straight to Caroline.
Dark circles shadowed his eyes, but they burned with an intensity that revealed just how much restraint he’d been exercising lately.
Alistair had been typing casually, but seeing Leo in this state, he couldn’t continue.
He tried putting himself in Leo’s shoes, then quickly shut down that line of thought. He never wanted to experience the pain Leo was about to face.
“Carol, keep your promise. Tell me where Miley is.”
“She-” Caroline began, regardless of whether he could handle
- it.
A phone call cut her off. “Ms. Ashbourne, Madam Ashbourne fainted! She’s in critical condition!”
They raced to the hospital.
Mabel was already in surgery.
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A woman in gold–rimmed glasses paced frantically outside the operating room. When Alistair and the others arrived, her gaze swept over them, and Alistair caught the flash of cold malice in her eyes.
An unsettling thought struck him–Mabel’s sudden illness was connected to this woman.
Leo grabbed Paige’s hand. “Mom, how’s Grandma?”
Paige’s voice was grave. “They’re still working on her. It’s touch and go, but your grandmother has lived a good life–she’ll pull through. Your uncle’s on his way.”
As she finished, her eyes settled meaningfully on Caroline and Alistair.
Paige adjusted her glasses. “Carol, aren’t you going to introduce him?”
“I don’t introduce family to strangers,” Caroline replied coolly.
Her meaning was clear–Alistair was family, Paige was the stranger.
The tension spiked instantly.
Paige’s face darkened as she put on a wounded act. “Carol, I know you are independent and hate being lectured. I’m not some tyrant–just tell me what I’ve done wrong and I’ll change.
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Chapter 163 Sudden Fainting
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Please don’t shut me out like this.”
Caroline didn’t even glance her way.
Alistair suddenly understood why Caroline and Leo’s relationship was so strained. No son could stand watching his mother grovel before someone younger. Paige had caused their animosity.
The silence stretched on. Paige shot a surprised look at Leo.
Normally, if Caroline showed her such contempt, her proud son would have stormed over to defend his mother’s honor.
But today, he remained silent.
Paige assumed his grandmother’s illness had hit him too hard to notice the confrontation.
Though disappointed, she didn’t dwell on it.
After a moment’s thought, her expression hardened as she stared at Caroline. “Have you considered why your grandma suddenly fainted? The doctors said she was angry—it triggered her condition.”
Caroline eyed her warily. “Just get to your point.”
Paige’s eyes immediately welled up. “How dare you speak to me like that! I’m your aunt!”
Chapter 163 Sudden Fainting
Caroline’s sneer dripped contempt.
Paige prepared to turn on the waterworks.
Alistair could see right through her act.
Paige waited for Leo to comfort her, but he never came.
She stared at him in disbelief. But Leo kept his head down, silently praying for his grandmother, completely ignoring her performance.
Paige took a deep breath. “Carol, if anything happens to your grandma, it’s on you!”
Now that she’d finally gotten to the point, Caroline gave her full
attention.
Paige’s gaze fixed on her and Alistair’s intertwined hands.
To outsiders, it might look like a display of affection.
And usually it was–but right now, with Mabel fighting for her life, it was simply two people drawing strength from each other.
Paige pointed at Alistair accusingly, snapping, “Your grandmother fainted because of him!
“Date whoever you want, ruin your own life if you must–that’s
4/6
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your choice. But when you drag the entire Ashbourne family reputation through the mud, I won’t stand for it!”
Alistair knocked her hand away with a smile. “So loving me means Caroline’s ruining her life?”
Paige scoffed, “You know what you’ve done!”
“Let me get this straight,” Alistair said. “You went to Grandma and filled her head with garbage. Sounds like you’re the one who put her in that operating room.”
Paige realized she’d underestimated him.
She’d expected that her aggressive accusations would make him panic and scramble for excuses.
She never imagined he’d turn the tables and make her the villain.
Caroline’s fury ignited.
Mabel lived quietly, avoiding the internet and rarely leaving home. Plus, Caroline had specifically warned Mabel’s servants about the rumors. Unless someone had deliberately sought her out to spread poison, Mabel would never have heard any of this.
That someone was obviously Paige.
Caroline glared. “If anything happens to Grandma, you’ll answer
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Chapter 163 Sudden Fainting
(*– *): 10 min lat
to me!”
Leo turned on his mother sternly. “Mom, what exactly did your tell Grandma?”
Paige couldn’t believe her son was siding with Caroline against her.
She scrambled for cover. “I was just making conversation about- road safety when I visited!”
She quickly manufactured an alibi. “How was I supposed to know Carol had gotten married? Or that the Whitfield Group CEO’s daughter, whose parents were in that accident–her ex–husband was Carol’s husband!”
Leo stared at his mother in disbelief.
At any other time, he might have bought it.
But now he was certain—while she’d been controlling his every move, she’d known about Alistair all along.
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