The CEO's Regret: His Lost Wife's Secret Twins novel Chapter 211

Chapter 211

MATTHEW

I stood outside Blake’s hospital room, watching him through the glass window, observing his interaction with Aurora and the warm atmosphere between them. His color looked better today.

The two security goons flanking the door kept eyeballing me. Time to bail before they started asking questions.

“Heading out now,” I told one of them. “Your boss doesn’t need a doctor’s check-up at the moment.”

The guard nodded, stone-faced as ever.

‘For Mr. Morgan’s sake, don’t mention I stopped by, I added, walking away without waiting for a response.

As I headed for the elevator, I spotted her – Emma, carrying some fancy food container. Blake’s longtime groupie, standing there all prim

and proper.

“Mr. Redwood, what a coincidence,” Emma greeted me with that rehearsed soft smile. “I heard congratulations are in order. You and Aria

tying the knot.”

47

My eyes dropped to the container in her hands. “Which attempt is this, Emma? Third or fourth time trying to bring food to Blake? Always stopped at the hallway. Doesn’t that get old?”

Her face darkened instantly. Bingo.

‘You-‘

‘Heard you whipped up some special health food after seeing the news,” I continued. “Planning to use the excuse of thanking him for the ointment he gave you for your arm? Too bad the guards wouldn’t let you through. Threw a fit, didn’t you? Still got shown the door.”

Emma straightened her shoulders. “Blake has a high-profile position. Tight security comes with the territory. I totally get it.”

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Keep telling yourself that.” I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “Sixteen years ago, during the Manhattan fire, you took credit for Aria saving Blake. Now look at you – Blake won’t even see you. Won’t even let you anywhere near him.”

“Who the hell do you think you are?’ Emma hissed, her composure cracking. “What right do you have to judge me? Don’t forget, Matthew, YOU hypnotized Aria and locked away her memories of saving Blake during that fire. If Aria knew the truth, she’d want you dead.”

Her words stung because they were true. Sixteen years ago, I used hypnosis techniques to erase Aria’s memories of the fire, making her believe she’d fallen down from a tree. Emma, Christine and I conspired to rewrite history.

“What if I’m willing to let Aria kill me?” I asked. “Are you willing to let Blake do the same to you?”

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Chapter 211

Emma stared at me, shocked. “You’ve lost your damn mind.”

“Last month, I received a package, I said. “Delivered to the medical center.

“Nothing to do with me, Emma denied immediately. “Don’t jump to conclusions.”

But I caught the flicker of panic in her eyes. Emma needed my silence just as much as I needed hers. “Mutual interests” – a nauseating

phrase I’ve been swallowing for sixteen years.

“Do you have someone backing you?” I asked suddenly. “Someone pulling strings?”

Emma avoided my gaze. “I’m just me. Nobody’s puppet here. Remember, we both want the same thing keeping Aria and Blake apart. We’ve had a good run for sixteen years, Matthew. No reason we can’t keep this secret under wraps.

She walked away. I watched her retreat, my eyes narrowing with suspicion. Emma was right about our shared goal, but she wasn’t being straight with me. Someone was definitely in her corner. I just needed to find out who.

BLAKE

47

Five days since I collapsed. Every day, Aria brings Aurora to see me. Sometimes she sticks around, other times she drops Aurora off and heads to work. Having Aurora around speeds up my recovery better than any medicine. That little girl has some kind of magic that makes

pain disappear.

Today, Aurora’s already been picked up by Ivy, their nanny. I tucked away the gifting contracts my lawyer just delivered – transferring major shares and properties to William and Aurora. As their father, it’s the bare minimum I can do.

I picked up my phone and scrolled through the photos I’d taken of Aurora these past days. Before becoming a dad, I never got why parents obsessively photographed their kids. Now I understand – it’s hardwired into us. Even with Aurora not here, looking at her photos

makes me smile without even trying.

As I swiped through, I stopped on a photo of Aria. Caught it accidentally while photographing Aurora. In the picture, Aria kissed Aurora’s cheek, both beaming with happiness. Simple. Heartwarming. My eyes stung, but I pushed it down.

My phone rang – Kevin calling.

“Blake, you still kicking? Five days without a peep from you.”

“Still breathing,” I answered, trying to sound normal. “Breaking out of here in a few days.”

“Heard about your hospital stay,” Kevin said. “By the way, you know about Dr. Smith going missing?”

“What?”

“Aria and Olivia are digging into connections between that and Emma,” Kevin revealed. “They think Dr. Smith’s disappearance looks a lot

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Chapter 211

like what happened with Aaron three years ago.”

Aaron’s name stunned me. His death three years ago destroyed whatever was left between Aria and me.

“What have they found?” I asked.

“Olivia tried getting a USB drive Dr. Smith had hidden, but someone snatched it first. During the struggle, Olivia scratched the person’s

arm pretty good.”

Arm. Scratch. My brain went into overdrive. Days ago, Emma visited me with scratches on her arm. Claimed a stray cat did it, and I gave

her medicine. What if… what if it wasn’t a cat?

“Kevin, thanks for the heads up,” I said. “Need to process this.”

47

Hanging up, I felt dizzy. Emma’s arm injury… Olivia scratching someone’s arm… too coincidental. Could Emma be mixed up in Dr. Smith’s

disappearance and Aaron’s death?

Aaron’s death remains an open wound. Back then, all evidence pointed to Christine, plus the video evidence. I believed the evidence and

Emma, and pushed Aria to the breaking point.

But thinking about it now, something always bothered me: Aria said she saw Emma at the hospital, but I didn’t believe her. And in the

end, Christine confessed to killing Aaron.

What if… what if Emma was the real killer? What if Christine took the fall for her?

The next morning, I sat on the edge of my bed, watching the door like a hawk. Aurora should be coming today. Her visits have become the

highlight of my hospital stay.

Finally, the door opened, and Aurora bounded in.

‘Uncle uncle, your Aurora is here-! Good morning!” she called out, racing toward me.

‘Is my little princess flying solo today?” I asked, hoping to see Aria.

‘Mommy just dropped me at the entrance and Ivy brought me up, Aurora explained. “Mommy says she’s got work stuff.”

I nodded, burying my disappointment. Aria still keeping her distance.

“I’m sorry for worrying you guys, I told Aurora. ‘Uncle has some presents lined up for you, William, and your mom.”

“Really? I still wanna keep visiting you at the hospital!” Aurora said.

“That’s not gonna happen, I informed her. “Uncle’s getting sprung this afternoon. Uncle has something important to take care of

personally.”

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Chapter 211

That important thing? Reopening the investigation into Aaron’s death. The three-year-old case might have missed something crucial,

something involving Emma. I needed to uncover the truth.

For Aria, for Aurora and William, and for myself.

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