She's Too Busy Winning to Watch Him Cry novel Chapter 247

She had expected the morning papers, the internet, and the news networks to be absolutely flooded with the scandal, but instead, it was dead silent.

Nothing.

Even a few of the group chats discussing the arrest had been completely nuked from the servers.

Early that morning, Lyra and Caleb were heading out the door for work when Delilah stopped them.

"Hold on, both of you. You're coming with me to the hospital today to visit Alistair."

"Mom, I can't afford to take the day off. I've got a massive lineup of clients waiting," Caleb groaned, rubbing his temples in frustration.

Lyra's fingers instinctively twisted together—a dead giveaway whenever panic started clawing at her chest. The absolute last thing on earth she wanted to do was set foot in that hospital and risk running into Rowan.

"Mom..."

Delilah cut her off. "No excuses. It's common decency."

Suddenly, Caleb's phone rang. He picked it up, exchanged a few curt words, and hung up.

"Never mind. The Jamesons have security at the doors. They're refusing all visitors."

The heavy knot in Lyra's chest instantly unspooled. She let out a long, shuddering breath. "Alright, Mom. We'll head to work then."

If she really had to go to the hospital, she wouldn't have known how to even look Alistair in the eye as he lay in that hospital bed.

By noon, Madeline and Leo rushed over to find her, dragging her out for lunch.

Sitting in the restaurant, Madeline pitched her voice high, mimicking Elara's annoying tone from the video. "My cousin isn't some fragile little princess, okay? Hah! Meanwhile, her precious cousin is probably sobbing her eyes out in front of Rowan right now."

Leo took a bite of his food. "It just depends on whether Rowan actually falls for the waterworks."

"If he does, he'll still try to pull some strings and get his father-in-law out of jail."

Madeline scoffed, thoroughly unconvinced. "Commissioner Jameson isn't someone to mess with. You think he'd tolerate having a convicted criminal in the family? You didn't see how murderous the Commissioner looked..."

Madeline smirked. "Jasmine is probably at the hospital begging for forgiveness as we speak, huh?"

"Probably."

In the sterile, white hospital corridor, Jasmine stood shivering, still wrapped in her ruined engagement dress, with Rowan's suit jacket draped loosely over her shoulders. Her phone buzzed relentlessly. She ignored it, but it rang again. Finally, she answered: "I have nothing to say to you. I didn't know a single thing about what Dad was doing. It was kept from me. Don't try to guilt-trip me with family loyalty now—I'm done with this family! The Fords' rise or fall has absolutely nothing to do with me anymore. I'm not covering for him, and I'm not calling him my father..."

With every word, she cleanly severed ties with her own blood.

She hung up the phone, the tears finally spilling over her lashes. She looked up at Rowan, her voice breaking into a soft, shattered whisper. "Rowan... I don't have a family anymore."

Rowan stood there, a cigarette pinched casually between his fingers, the pale blue smoke curling into the sterile air. He stared blankly down the hallway, lifting his free hand to give her shoulder a stiff, comforting pat.

Leaning against the wall nearby, Waylon Grayson smirked. "This whole mess could've been swept under the rug. Jonathan was basically set up. But since whoever did this bypassed the local authorities entirely... a minor infraction just became a federal nightmare."

Lucas clenched his fists, saying nothing. He knew exactly who had the motive and the capability to pull off an ambush like this against the Fords right now.

He stepped away, walking briskly down the hall until he found a quiet corner. He pulled out his phone and dialed Leo's number. "Is Lyra with you? Put her on the phone."