Chapter 161
Barnard’s heart raced in a panic as he struggled to sit up in his hospital bed, ignoring the pain that shot through his body. He reached for Davina, his voice trembling, “Davina… Davina, are you alright? Are you hurt p>
He glared at the woman holding onto Davina. “Let her go, right now. If anything happens to Davina, the Carter family will not let this slide p>
Barnard’s face was drawn and pale. He hadn’t recovered from his injuries, and just moving a few steps left him out of breath and sweating. His eyes darted over to Camilla, who was standing off to the side, arms crossed, watching everything with a blank expression. He snapped, “Camilla, why are you just standing there? Go get a doctor! Davina’s pregnant, remember? That’s a baby’s life. You can’t just stand by and do nothing, can you p>
Camilla didn’t react, but before she could reply, Davina spoke up, her voice urgent. “No, don’t call anyone. Really, I’m fine p>
She pressed her hand to her belly, her face ghostly pale, but it was clear she was forcing herself to stay calm. The memory of her last time at the hospital—the surgery, the chaos, her in-laws swooping in to bully her and take Daisy—hung heavy in the air. She couldn’t leave with things still a mess. She needed to buy time until Calvin showed up. If the Carter family blamed her for more drama, marrying into the family would only get further out of reach.
Camilla just shrugged, making it obvious she wasn’t planning to help either way.
Carmen, for a moment, had been awed by Barnard’s fierce protectiveness. Now she eyed Davina, her expression shifting from anger to worry. She knew perfectly well how much power the Carters held, and as she reconsidered, a shiver of unease settled in her chest. Catching Davina’s eye, she gave a tiny shake of her head, silently urging her daughter to look out for herself.
Holding her stomach, Davina turned to her mother. “Mom, don’t forget I’m carrying a Carter baby. That makes you the grandmother. Shouldn’t you be more focused on keeping this child safe than causing a scene p>
Her words had a pointed edge. She signaled to Carmen, her tone making it clear she was hinting at something more.
At last, Carmen seemed to get it. Of course—Davina was her daughter, and soon all of them would be tied to the powerful Carter family through her baby. The smart thing was to protect Davina, not start trouble over a little money.
With her mind made up, Carmen’s whole posture softened. “Oh, Barnard, I lost my head. I was just worried about Davina. She’s been through so much since she was little—I didn’t want to see her get hurt again, that’s all. Now that I see she’s okay, I’ll go home, fix some chicken soup, and bring it over for you both. You always loved my cooking when you were little p>
She forced a bright smile for Davina, trying to smooth things over, then turned to Ines. “We haven’t caught up in ages. Why don’t you come back to my place today? We could p>
Ines didn’t let her finish. Her voice was sharp and cold. “Cut it out, Carmen. You’re just hoping your daughter’s baby will drag your whole family to the top, aren’t you? My own daughter never amounted to much, but today I’m not leaving without some answers. If anyone should go, it’s you p>
Embarrassed, Carmen’s smile became stiff. She turned to Barnard again, eager to make peace. “Well, I’ll get going, then. I’ll make your favorite soup. Remember how much you loved it as a child? I’ll bring it by later p>
Carmen tried to remind Barnard of their past, hoping to soften his heart and make up for her earlier outburst. But Barnard only glowered, his gaze fixed on Davina. He barely acknowledged Carmen as she gathered up Nash, who had been totally clueless through all of this, and left the room.
The space felt quieter once they’d gone. Ines broke the silence. “Let’s talk about Daisy. How exactly are you going to make this up to me p>
Davina surprised everyone. “You can take Daisy back with you p>
The room went still. Ines just stared at her, looking stunned. It was obvious she had not expected Davina to change her mind so suddenly.
Barnard looked at Davina as if she’d lost it. “Davina, what are you saying p>
Davina’s voice was low, but determined. “Barnard, you’ve already done so much for me. If they want to take Daisy, let them. I worry about her, but I can’t keep dragging you into my mess p>
The truth was, Daisy had tried to threaten her before, promising to spill all kinds of secrets if Davina didn’t return to get her. But now that everyone already knew, there was nothing for Daisy to use against her. This was the perfect chance for Davina to push Daisy away and at the same time make Barnard feel protective toward her.
She played her part perfectly—her face holding back tears, her expression full of quiet suffering.
Barnard shook his head. “No way. Daisy is your daughter, Davina. You told me yourself she wasn’t happy with the Green family. I refuse to just hand her back. I’ll ask my lawyer to help you fight for custody. As for the rest, let the court handle it p>
Ines exploded. “What? You’re not only keeping my granddaughter, you’re suing me too? Fine. Go ahead. But don’t think for a second the Green family will let this go p>