Earlier at the Alvarez residence, Celine suspected Carly was behind the incident. She had subtly manipulated Carly into talking so Adam could hear the story firsthand. He hung up the phone and looked at Celine.

Her gaze was detached as she smirked. "Mr. Alvarez, I'm sorry to disappoint you, but Carly sent that picture."

Adam frowned, saying nothing. Celine started to leave, but Adam grabbed her arm. She instinctively pushed him away, wanting to avoid physical contact. "Your grandmother fainted from anger when you left. She even called your name in her sleep. You should visit her when you're free," Celine advised before departing.

Leo approached, saying softly, "It seems Mrs. Alvarez misunderstood you, Mr. Alvarez. You never believed Carly's words. In fact, you were standing by the door the entire time. You would have heard the whole conversation even if she hadn't called you."

Adam was observant; he never simply believed one side of a story. He remained calm throughout. He had purposely left the ward to give Celine and Carly a chance to talk privately, but he had actually been standing by the door, wanting to determine who was lying. To his surprise, Celine shared his assessment. He considered her clever for calmly getting Carly to talk. Carly, instead of lecturing Celine, had incriminated herself.

Staring in the direction they had left, Leo praised, "Mr. Alvarez, I think Mrs. Alvarez is more astute than we thought."

Previously, Adam hadn't been attracted to Celine; she was just a pretty woman to him. That day, however, changed his perception. He wondered about Celine, intrigued by this calmly strategic woman from the countryside.

Turning around, Adam ordered, "Let's go home."

"Mr. Alvarez, Ms. Carly will surely call you if she can't find you later," Leo reminded him. However, he immediately fell silent at Adam's stern expression. Carly had exploited Adam's affection and overstepped his boundaries. The incident would anger Adam for some time, yet Carly remained oblivious and self-satisfied.

Mary was awake when Celine returned to the Alvarez residence. Holding Mary's hand, Celine said sweetly, "Grandma, you scared me to death."

Mary patted her back affectionately. "Don't worry, Celine. I won't die so easily. Otherwise, Carly would walk all over you."

Celine's eyes reddened. It wasn't that anyone dared to bully her, but she felt protected in Mary's arms. For someone unfamiliar with such affection, Celine felt vulnerable. She hugged Mary tightly, her eyes brimming with tears.

Just then, Alfred announced, "Welcome home, Mr. Alvarez." Adam had returned. His gaze fell on Celine. It was the first time he'd seen her hug Mary like a child.

Celine quickly pulled away from Mary and stood. "Grandma, I'm going to bed."