"Imogen, it will be okay. The Russell family still has you," Johanna said, a fleeting glint in her eyes, followed by a dramatic sigh. "If only my brother were still alive, he could have helped you too…"
Imogen fell silent, forcing a faint smile. "Alright, go on your date. Just don't stay out too late, and be safe."
"Got it," she replied.
Johanna turned to leave, but paused at the door, glancing back at Imogen, who looked despondent and lost in thought. A mocking smirk played on Johanna's lips before she finally departed. Her footsteps faded.
Imogen's body stiffened. After a moment, she reached into the trash can, rummaging until her fingertips touched something cold—the small bottle she had discarded earlier. The assistant who delivered it had said the medicine inside was Felicia's creation, capable of restoring sight.
Imogen clutched the bottle, her emotions turbulent. She hadn't realized, in front of Johanna, why she'd hidden the truth. Perhaps Johanna's recent unusual behavior had made her uneasy, prompting a subconscious defensiveness. But what was she guarding against? Wasn't Johanna family, after all?
After a long silence, Imogen placed the bottle in her bedside table drawer, shutting it with a heavy thud. The loud noise startled the baby in the nearby cradle, who cried out.
Imogen reached out instinctively, groping to comfort the baby. "Oh, don't cry, my sweet little one. It's my fault for waking you." She discovered the baby's diaper was wet.
Moments like this intensified Imogen's resentment of her blindness. She couldn't care for her baby alone and had to call for help. The housekeepers and nanny arrived quickly, attending to the baby.
After the diaper change, it was coincidentally feeding time. The baby, fed and lulled, let out soft sighs before falling asleep peacefully. Imogen's heart melted.
As the nanny prepared to take the baby to the nursery, Imogen hesitated, reluctant to let go. A housekeeper reassured her, "Ms. Russell, you're still recovering. You need to take care of yourself. Don't worry about the baby; we have plenty of help."
Imogen nodded reluctantly. The room grew quiet. She wrapped a shawl around herself and called for Andy and Stanley.
"How's Stephan doing? What did the doctors say? When will he wake up?" she asked rapidly.
Andy and Stanley exchanged glances. Stanley finally replied, "Ms. Russell, Mr. Russell's condition is stable for now, but… he occasionally has high fevers. The doctors say it's a chain reaction from the toxins, but he should improve in a few days."
Worry filled Imogen's face. "Has the news been contained? It mustn't get out. If those with an agenda against us find out, it will only stir unnecessary trouble!" She wasn't just referring to external enemies but also opportunistic family members.
Stanley hesitated before admitting, "Although we've tried, it's hard to keep everything under wraps. Especially since, after the rainforest, we stayed in the hospital for a few days. Rumors have already started circulating." Keeping it secret forever was impossible.
Had they returned to Seldvale immediately after the rainforest, Stephan's blindness might have remained a secret. But Imogen's labor forced a several-day stay at a remote hospital, making secrecy impossible. Now, the world knew the head of the powerful Russell family in Seldvale was blind.