Chapter 266

Gloria's illness struck suddenly and fiercely, like a storm. Landon remained at her hospital bedside all night, but a final diagnosis remained elusive. Amelia entrusted Kimsey to the nanny that morning before rushing to the hospital.

"Honey, how is she?" Amelia asked, her voice tight with worry.

"She's out of immediate danger, but we're still waiting for the results," Landon replied, exhaustion etched on his face. Uncertainty, fear, and anxiety gnawed at him. He worried: 'What exactly is wrong with Mom? How could it be so serious that she started coughing up blood?'

"Don't worry, Honey. She'll be okay," Amelia said softly, squeezing his hand.

Landon accepted the milk Amelia had brought. The warm, sweetened liquid provided a much-needed energy boost. After a while, Wesley entered, looking grim and carrying a thick file of test results. Landon and Amelia rose immediately. "Any updates?" they asked in unison.

"Your mom has a tumor in her stomach," Wesley stated.

"It's benign, right?" Landon asked, his eyes instantly reddening. His clenched fists betrayed his anxiety.

"We won't know for sure until after the surgery and the pathology results," Wesley explained.

"It has to be benign!" Amelia insisted.

"I think so too," Wesley agreed. His reassurance, as a doctor, eased Landon's anxiety somewhat.

Landon immediately called Morgan. "Dr. Mitchell, my mom's sick. I really need your help with her surgery…"

"I can do the surgery myself," Wesley said, a slight twitch at the corner of his eye.

Amelia grinned. "Right now, all he wants is the absolute best doctor."

"Alright, you win!" Wesley shrugged, conceding defeat. 'In front of Dr. Mitchell, I really am just a tiny ant,' Wesley mused.

Once everything was settled, Landon relaxed slightly. "Wesley, Dr. Mitchell won't be able to reach Norava for another five days. Sorry to trouble you with looking after my mom until then."

"Landon, you don't even have to ask. I'll take care of it," Wesley said, holding the test results. "By the way, that boy who showed up at the wedding yesterday… don't tell me he's your secret son or something?"

"No," Landon replied.

"Then whose kid is he?" Wesley pressed, his curiosity evident. He wasn't the only one curious; everyone at the wedding was eager to know. But Landon had suppressed the news, and no reporters dared mention it today.

"It's my dad's kid," Landon said.

"What?" Wesley blurted, nearly leaping from his seat in shock.

Amelia said helplessly, "Wesley, we really can't let Gloria get agitated right now."

"Exactly!" Wesley tensed, on high alert. "A patient's emotional state is crucial. Whatever you do, make sure she doesn't find out about this."

Landon quietly clenched his fists, controlling his emotions. He had wrestled with the decision to tell Gloria the truth, but she fell ill before he had the chance. Secrets, however, rarely remain buried forever. Sooner or later, Gloria would learn the truth.

"Have a few more people keep watch and make sure no one gets close to her," Wesley instructed.

Landon immediately arranged for Brooke to personally guard Gloria. Once Gloria was stable post-surgery, he would tell her the truth, and the family would face it together.

Once everything was settled, Kayla called. "Landon, what's going on with that kid?"

"Kayla, Mom's sick. Can you come to the hospital?" Landon said.

"What?" Kayla exclaimed, leaping from her bed in shock.

"It's nothing major, just some stomach discomfort. Wesley has everything under control. If you have time, just come over and see her," Landon explained.

"I'll be right there!" Kayla replied.

As she hurried to dress, she called out, "Tuff! Tuff!" Tuff, having just dropped Landen off at school, rushed in. "What's wrong?"

"My mom's in the hospital. We need to go see her," Kayla said.

Tuff looked confused and worried. 'She was perfectly fine yesterday. How did she end up in the hospital so suddenly? Did something happen to upset her?' he wondered anxiously.

"Come on, help me find my shoes!" Kayla urged.

"Okay," Tuff replied quickly.

Chapter 266

The couple rushed to the hospital. They were so hurried that Kayla didn't even have time to conceal the marks on her face.

After hearing about Gloria's condition, Kayla voiced her concerns. "Doesn't she get a checkup every year? How could a tumor just appear out of nowhere?"

"With Dr. Mitchell handling things, Gloria is going to be fine," Tuff reassured her. "But about that kid—Landon, spill it. What's the story?"

"He's my dad's kid with Aunt Shelby. His name is Jeffrey, and he has some mental health issues. Right now, he's staying at a sanatorium," Landon explained.

Kayla was shocked. "Are you kidding me? Dad and Aunt Shelby? How could Dad ever go for someone like her?" She wanted to ask, 'How could he even sleep with her?' but thought better of it.

"I don't know. The only thing I do know is that Dad had no idea this kid even existed before he passed away," Landon said. It was easier to say it now than the previous night. He couldn't change the past; he could only accept it and minimize the damage.

"I'm planning to go talk to Tristan and ask about what really happened back then. Kayla, do you want to come with me?" Landon asked.

Kayla took a deep breath. "Yeah, sure."

"Tuff, Amy, I'm leaving things here to you guys," Landon said.

"Okay," Tuff and Amelia nodded.

Landon and Kayla left. Tuff was still reeling from the events. "Amelia, this is next-level. Seriously, how wild can things get?"

"Totally," Amelia agreed. She remembered Tuff's earlier respectful demeanor and teased, "So, Tuff, the Prescott family is pretty rich and powerful too. Got any crazy family drama of your own?"

"Nope," Tuff replied immediately. "The Prescott family is a small bunch—nothing complicated about us."

Just then, a woman's voice called out, "Tuff, when did you get married?"

"Holy crap!" Tuff exclaimed, freezing.

Amelia turned and saw a stylish woman approaching in high heels. "Who is she?" Amelia narrowed her eyes. 'Don't tell me she's after Kayla's man or something?'

"Oh, that's just my mom's goddaughter," Tuff said, sounding helpless.