Chapter 337

Within the hospital room, Margaret remained completely still on her bed. In the span of a single night, Hannah's appearance had grown markedly more worn, the shadows beneath her eyes sinking deeper.

Claude had departed for the police station to address the aftermath of the car crash. Before stepping out,he had urged Hannah with sincerityto get some rest -yet how could rest even be possible?

At that moment, the entrance to the hospital chamber eased open. A nurse guided two people inside.

Sharon leaned upon a cane, with Erica providing steady support at her side.

Since Erica was visiting the hospital to see how devastated Hannah had become, she naturally brought Sharon along so as to avoid arousing suspicion.

"Oh, Hannah..." Sharon's eyes glistened red the instant she took in Hannah's state. "How could such an awful thing occur... Dear, you must hold on. Don't let sorrow consume you."

"Sharon..." Hannah struggled to rise, her voice roughened.

Erica held a bouquet of white lilies in her hands.She stepped forward and gently set the blooms atop the cabinet beside Margaret's bed. Then, she turned toward Hannah, her tone light yet laced with false sympathy. "Ms. Scott, my condolences."

Hannah regarded Erica in silence, offering only the faintest inclination of her head.

Vincent entered carrying the updated treatment plan he had just confirmed with the doctors. His gaze swept over the two women, and his brows drew together at once. "Grandma, Erica, what brings you here?"Sharon breathed out a quiet sigh. "It was Erica who told me. She said something dreadful had happened to Hannah. I couldn't simply stay home, so I came immediately. And you-how could you keep the family in the dark over something like this?"

Vincent had purposefully concealed it from his grandmother to spare her worry-her health had been especially fragile of late.

Hannah's head lifted abruptly, her eyes locking onto Erica."How did you learn what had happened to my family?" So precise. So immediate. They had shared no genuine interaction before now.

For the briefest instant, Erica's smile stiffened, but she swiftly regained composure. Her tone became airy and feignedly innocent. "Oh? I just caught it online-I always follow the news. I happened to see a report about your parents... It shocked me. I told Mom straight away. She's always cared for you, so we decided to come by."

She allowed her eyes to drift briefly toward Vincent before softening her tone. "Even though we're no longer family, you and Vincent once shared a marriage. Naturally, we'd want to check on you. ls that somehow wrong?"

That last line, spoken in a deliberately fragile tone,was her way of playing the moral card.

Vincent's jaw tightened. His tone dropped low,carrying warning. "Erica." He was telling her to stop.

Erica turned toward him with a small pout."What?|haven't said anything wrong."

Hannah gave no reply. She retrieved her phone and began rapidly scrolling through the headlines. With her head bent, she searched intently for any coverage tied to her parents' car crash.

Moments passed. One unrelated article after another loaded on the screen... Until at last-a breaking news update appeared, uploaded only two minutes earlier.It came from a small, barely known local outlet.

The title stated simply, "Severe Collision on Westridge Road Leaves One Dead, One in Critical Condition."

Erica had lied. A cold shiver ran along Hannah's spine. There was no mistaking it now-Erica was connectedd to her parents' tragedy.

Hannah lifted her gaze suddenly, her stare sharp and unyielding. "Ms. Stanton, which outlet carried the report you read? Was it Spotlight Weekly?"

She gave Erica no time to prepare, pressing Erica immediately. Spotlight Weekly was a minor tabloid specializing in celebrity gossip and sensational trivialities. She had dropped the name deliberately-to bait Erica.

A flash of unease crossed Erica's eyes, though her expression remained mostly steady. She forced a casual chuckle. "Oh? Yes, maybe.I glanced at it early this morning. Didn't pay attention to the outlet's name."

A cold curve formed at the edge of Hannah's lips."Interesting. Spotlight Weekly never published anything about the crash." She turned her phone so Sharon and Vincent could see. "The earliest report online is from this outlet-posted exactly a few minutes ago." Her voice was like ice. "Ms. Stanton, why did you fabricate that?"

Both Sharon and Vincent turned their attention toward Erica.

Vincent's brow furrowed further, and his voice took on a hardened edge. "Were you involved in the collision?"