Chapter 845

There weren't many people in the Wentworth family who could make Toby deliver such a stern warning. Celine felt a pang of shock. She had just seen Andrew and Melina arrive at the hospital earlier. Could it be that there was something wrong with Melina's baby? The thought made her want to laugh, but she suppressed it, afraid that someone might catch her. Celine knew better than to provoke Andrew—he was someone no one dared to cross. But she still harbored resentment toward Melina and blamed her for at least part of her current circumstances. Knowing there might be an issue with their baby filled her with a twisted sense of glee. As the thought lingered, her lips began to twitch into a smile. But before it could fully form, her son coughed weakly in her arms, his frail body trembling with effort. The sound cut her amusement short. The door to Toby's office suddenly swung open, and Toby stepped out, his expression sharp. His eyes fell on Celine standing nearby, and he frowned. "Toby, please," Celine pleaded, clutching her son tightly. "You have to help my boy. He's very sick." Toby hesitated. He had no desire to get involved. She didn't need him specifically with so many capable doctors in Cyntia. But the child's pale, almost bluish face caught his attention. Despite his reluctance, he sighed and stepped aside. "Come in." He quickly swept the reports from his desk, tucking them out of sight. Celine's eyes darted to the papers, catching a glimpse of a name starting with "M." She quickly averted her gaze and followed Toby inside. … After her hospital visit, Melina returned home to wait for the results. She spent her free time attending online classes. Since Andrew still wouldn't allow her to return to campus, she chose not to push him on the matter. Keeping the peace seemed like the best option for now. Her days were quiet, filled with reading and coursework. But something had changed. Since the day Andrew had disappeared for several hours on his own, he had become even more watchful. In the mountains and even at the campus they'd visited, she'd been able to enjoy a bit of freedom and wander around on her own. Now that they were back at Oakread, Andrew seemed to shadow her every step. She couldn't help but wonder how he managed to have so much free time. Despite overseeing major decisions at Wentworth Corporation, he still seemed to dedicate every waking moment to her. Though it sometimes felt overwhelming, Melina had grown used to his obsessive need for control. One afternoon, as she logged into her email to submit an assignment, she noticed an unread message in her inbox. It was from Lyla. The email's subject read, "What's going on?" "Melina, why are you unreachable again? Did Andrew lock you up this time? I've tried to visit Oakread a few times, but I keep getting turned away. Your phone doesn't seem to work either. Shayla's in some trouble. Please get back to me as soon as you see this." Melina frowned. The message confused her. She wasn't locked up—she'd been out for walks the past few days and had even visited her old workplace to chat with her former boss and his wife. Taking out her phone, she double-checked it. The device was old, but it was fully charged and functioning perfectly. There was no reason anyone shouldn't have been able to reach her. Without hesitation, she called Lyla. The phone barely rang once before she picked up, her voice bursting through the receiver. "Melina! Are you okay?"