Free Web NovelChapter 197: Something serious and concerning.
Charlotte suddenly stiffened.
She looked at Maria as if she hadn’t fully grasped the name she had just heard.
"W–What name did you say?" she asked, her voice no longer stern —instead, it carried a fragile tremor beneath it. As if she feared hearing it again ... yet needed to.
Maria noticed the shift in her tone. However, she didn’t dwell on it.
After all, why would Madam Scott react so strongly to a simple name like Adelyn Grace?
Perhaps she was overthinking it.
Brushing the thought aside, she repeated calmly,
"Adelyn Grace ... She’s the new artiste under ZX Media. No one really recognizes her yet, so she—"
Before she could continue, Charlotte staggered a step back.
"Madam—!"
Alarmed, Maria rushed forward to steady her —but Charlotte instinctively avoided her touch.
Her thoughts were already spiraling.
Adelyn.
That name echoed relentlessly in her mind.
"It’s her ... How could it be her ...?"
Maria’s brows furrowed in confusion.
She couldn’t understand what Charlotte meant.
Did she ... know Adelyn Grace?
Charlotte, however, was no longer in a state to think clearly.
The role Clara had wanted so desperately—
The very role she had failed to secure ... the one that had left her lying weak in a hospital bed—
It had been taken by Adelyn.
Why?
Why did it have to be her?
Why not anyone else?
For a mother, there was nothing more painful than being forced to choose between her children. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
And yet—
Once again, she was standing at that very crossroads.
How could she choose?
She wanted to help Clara ... to give her what she desired.
But at the cost of Adelyn?
How could she possibly do that?
Both were her daughters.
Even if she felt hurt by Adelyn’s recent indifference ... she had never stopped loving her.
She was still her child.
The one she had raised with just as much love.
How could she ask her to give up something she had earned ... just so Clara could have it?
"Mom, what happened?"
Liam’s voice cut through the suffocating silence.
Charlotte looked up at him immediately.
Her eyes were glazed —her turmoil laid bare.
"Liam ... did you know about it?"
Liam frowned slightly, not understanding. "Know about what?" he asked, briefly glancing at Maria before returning his gaze to his mother.
"That it was Adelyn who got Clara’s role in the audition?" Charlotte asked directly, her voice tight.
Liam’s expression darkened.
He shot a sharp glance at Maria.
He had suspected something earlier that morning when he overheard parts of the conversation —but Xavier’s arrival had interrupted him before he could ask further.
Now, it wasn’t hard to piece things together.
"Did you go looking into this?" he asked coldly, his tone making Maria flinch. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
"C–CEO Scott, I—"
"Don’t question her," Charlotte interrupted. "I told her to find out who took Clara’s—"
"Adelyn didn’t take anything, Mom." Liam cut her off firmly. His displeasure was no longer hidden.
Meeting his mother’s eyes, he continued, "She earned that role fairly through the audition."
Charlotte stared at him as if struck.
"So ... you knew?" she asked, hurt flashing across her face. "And you didn’t tell me?"
Liam felt that accusation. Because it wasn’t entirely wrong. He had kept it from her.
"Mom," he said, his tone steady but firm, "Adelyn went through the same audition as everyone else. Director Rhodes chose her himself. That means she proved she was capable. We should be proud of her ... we should celebrate it."
"Celebrate it?" Charlotte repeated, disbelief evident in her voice.
"Liam, how can we celebrate when Clara is lying inside —on that hospital bed? Did you not see how devastated she was after not being selected?"
"She wasn’t selected —it happens," Liam said, not seeing it as something catastrophic.
Every actor faced rejection. Clara was no longer new to the industry. She should be able to handle it.
He had protected her all these years —and he would continue to do so even later. But he refused to let her grow fragile under that protection.
"One role ... one audition won’t break her," he continued. "I’m here for her. I’ll find something better. It doesn’t have to be this."
Charlotte wanted to argue.
She truly did.
But when she remembered who she was arguing about—
She fell silent.
Adelyn was her daughter too.
Slowly, she closed her eyes.
Then, with effort, she nodded.
"Clara is still fragile, Liam," she said softly. "She didn’t have us growing up. We need to be gentle with her ... we need to support her. She needs us more."
She paused before adding,
"And Adelyn deserves the same. They are both your sisters. And ... you must take care of them equally."
Liam’s expression softened when he heard her say that ...
He stepped closer, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I know, Mom," he said, his voice gentle. "Don’t worry. I’ll take care of both of them. I’ll always stand by them."
Charlotte looked at him ... and nodded. She believed in her son. Liam has always been the responsible one. If he said, he would handle it —he would do it.
Behind them, Maria stood frozen.
She had heard everything—
And yet, nothing made sense.
Adelyn Grace ... was Madam Scott’s daughter?
CEO Scott’s sister?
Had she misunderstood something?
"Clara is inside ..." Charlotte said, regaining her composure. She wiped away the faint traces of tears before continuing, "Let’s go check on her. And ... when can she be discharged?"
"The doctor asked us to wait," Liam replied. "There’s a report pending. Once he reviews it, we can take her home."
Charlotte nodded to him, and the two began walking toward the ward.
But just as they reached the door—
A voice stopped them.
"CEO Scott, I need to speak with you."
Liam turned.
"Dr. Rodger? What is it?"
His eyes dropped to the file in the doctor’s hand.
"Is that Clara’s report?" he asked, looking back up.
Dr. Rodger’s expression was serious.
"Yes," he said slowly. "This is the report we’ve been waiting for. And it shows something really serious and ... concerning."
"Something ... serious and concerning?" Liam repeated, exchanging a gaze with his mother.
