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Hiding Behind Her Superficiality novel Chapter 492

“At first, everything was fine after I got released from prison. I got myself a normal job. Even though I didn’t get paid much, it was enough to sustain my day-to-day expenses. Somehow, the thug’s family managed to find me and they blackmailed me to pay them every month. As I disobeyed them, they found a way to ruin my life. At last, I was dismissed and had to take a job as a sanitation worker. They finally decided to leave me alone because I looked miserable in their eyes.” 

Elspeth studied every detail of Helia’s face. Even though she’s aged, she’s still as beautiful as ever.

However, she couldn’t help but sigh as she remembered Helia had to endure all the hardships in her life.

“One day, I came across a person on the street. He took me by surprise and knocked me out. After that, I woke up to find myself on an operating table without clothes on.”

The story continued, and Elspeth couldn’t pin down the feeling that was wrenching her heart.

“They said I have special blood and it could be used in different experiments. I was scared, so I tried my best to run away, but I always got caught and beaten up by them. However, they didn’t experiment on me. Instead, they locked me up with the excuse of making the most of my value.”

Elspeth’s gaze was filled with iciness when she heard that. By making the most of her value, they must have thought to use her to drag me down because they found that we look alike.

“Truth be told, Elspeth, I have seen you before.”

She what?

Elspeth couldn’t help her curiosity. She had a strange feeling that she also found Helia familiar. “And where was that?”

According to Elspeth’s memory, her recent trip abroad was half a year ago.

Half a year ago, she and Arthur had to travel abroad to treat Helena’s disease.

“It was back when I was a sanitation worker in another country. Once, you were visiting the red-light district. I tried to stop you, but you headed there without looking back.”

Memories flooded Elspeth’s mind at the clues.

Helia was right. Elspeth had to disguise herself and hide in the red-light district to get what she wanted.

She indeed came across a female sanitation worker on the way, and the woman warned her to stay away from the area.

At that time, she paid the woman’s warning no mind, and the incident eventually slipped her mind.

“Did you recognize me right away?”

Helia’s eyes immediately misted over with tears at the question. “You’re my daughter. Besides, you resemble the younger me. How could I not recognize you? Just one look and I knew you were my daughter.”

Back then, Helia thought she was imagining things when she saw Elspeth in the middle of work.

The second time she saw Elspeth, she finally believed that the daughter who had been on her mind forever was right before her eyes.

She would never mistake Elspeth for somebody else. Elspeth is exactly the younger version of me.

However, when Helia recalled the things that had happened to her, she was too ashamed to reveal her identity. She didn’t want Elspeth to learn about the existence of her infamous mother, so Helia refrained from approaching Elspeth.

Thus, once she learned that Elspeth would visit the red-light district from time to time and always take the route they first met, Helia frequented the place. When she was cleaning the streets, she would watch Elspeth from afar just to ensure her daughter’s safety.

“Why didn’t you tell me anything?”

If Helia approached her back then, Elspeth swore she would have taken good care of Helia. She wouldn’t have let Helia suffer even more on her own.

“I don’t want to disappoint you. You must have expected a better mother. Don’t you think a mother who works as a sanitation worker will only embarrass you?”

Helia was well aware that she wasn’t good enough to be Elspeth’s mother, so she suppressed the thought and buried it deep.

In her opinion, only a woman as elegant and noble as Helena was the best choice as Elspeth’s mother.

“It’s not like that. No matter what you did, you’re always my mother. I’ll never look down upon you. Instead, I feel bad about the hardships you had to endure.”

Elspeth gently held Helia’s hand. A glint of warmth shone in her gaze as she murmured, “Now I’m capable of taking care of you. You don’t have to worry about being a burden to me.”

Helia smiled through tears. “You’re right. You grew up to be an excellent woman. I have nothing to worry about.”

Elspeth single-handedly established her company at a young age and her business was thriving. Besides, she was also doing well in other fields. She was more capable than most people of her age.

“How about this, once Callum and I divorce, I’ll move out with you.”

Callum’s eyes dimmed at the suggestion and he asked slowly, “Is the Winthrop Residence not good enough?”

“It’s not about that. It’s just not a good idea.”

Elspeth worried that Helia would have to relive the bad memories during her stay. After all, Helia was frail, and staying in such a place would only aggravate both her physical and mental health.

“Why not? Miss Joneson has moved on.”

Callum insisted on Helia and Elspeth staying.

After all, he was reluctant to let Elspeth go.

Helia felt bad to separate them. However, when she thought about the pair being blood-related, she could only agree with Elspeth’s suggestion to avoid the pair from continuing to see each other.

“All right. Let’s move out together.”

Elspeth nodded. “But you’ll have to compromise with this place for the next few days. We’ll move out once I’m divorced.”

At this point, Callum knew better than to try stopping her.

Noticing that Helia was a little tired, Elspeth showed her to a guest room to rest.

After Elspeth came out, Callum shot her a question as he studied the weary look on her face. “Do you really believe that we are blood-related?”

He remained skeptical about the matter.

Elspeth shook her head. “I don’t know what to think. Judging from how confident my mother is about it, I think she might be right.”

“Have you thought about how we should deal with our relationship if we find out we are blood-related in the end?”

Indeed, Elspeth had given it a thought. The moment Helia told them about their relationship, she already began to think over the situation in her mind.

“We have to break up if we’re cousins.”

She wasn’t the kind of person who dared cross the line, and she couldn’t do it either.

The older generation’s feud didn’t bother her that much, but the possible blood relationship between Callum and her gave her second thoughts.

“Are you willing to give up on us? On me?” Callum was a tall man. When he talked, he was looking down at her with sad eyes.

“Of course not! But we can’t be cousins and lovers at the same time.”

His words reminded Elspeth of their intimate moments in the past. Back then, all of them warmed her heart, but now they were only making her uncomfortable.

“I don’t want you to go.”

Blood drained from Callum’s face as helplessness enveloped him for the first time. Not even his work or his daily life could ever rattle him. This matter was the only exception because he couldn’t find a better solution either.

Callum took a step forward and drew her into his embrace. He had wanted to hug her tightly, but he was soon stopped by a hand on his chest. 

Elspeth was resisting him as she didn’t know what to do with the situation now.

“This is inappropriate,” she mumbled, her mind in a mess. She wanted to accept his hug, but she didn’t think she was capable of doing so.

“There’s nothing inappropriate about this.” Callum placed his head on her shoulder and murmured in a hoarse voice, “If… If we are really related by blood, it isn’t an issue for cousins to hug each other either.”

Though he was right, both of them knew exactly why they were hugging.

After a long pause, Callum continued, “Let us do a DNA test. I don’t want to leave things the way they are.”

“Okay.”

Even though they both knew there was a slim chance of getting their desired outcome, they wanted to give it one last shot.

“I’ll go now, then.”

“Okay.”

Elspeth plucked a few strands of her hair. After handing them to him, she stood there and watched him walk away.

…

Callum took the samples for the DNA test to a nearby hospital, but he ran into someone he didn’t want to meet.

“Hello, Callum! It’s been a long time since we last met. You’re always in good health, so why am I seeing you in the hospital again?” Arthur spoke with an arrogant grin on his face.

His grin clearly had a hidden meaning.

After learning that Elspeth’s mother had gone to the Winthrop Family, he had already guessed why Callum was here.

He simply refuses to accept that Elspeth and he are related by blood and wants to test it for himself! Until now, Callum has been reluctant to accept the truth. He truly loves Elspeth more than I thought.

“It’s none of your concern.” Callum gave Arthur a stern glare, not wanting to continue the conversation.

“Don’t be so irritated. I know you’re upset right now. I suppose it’s because you discovered you’re blood relatives with your wife, right?”

Callum had his right fist clenched, but his expression remained composed. “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving now.”

“Don’t act as if you’re unconcerned. I know you’re worried, but what can you do? Absurd things do happen, including the separation of a deeply in love couple as a result of this. Ridiculous, isn’t it?” Arthur deliberately spoke sarcastically, wanting to see Callum’s defeated expression.

However, no matter what he said, Callum maintained his cool.

Arthur was indignant when he saw this and he sighed flatly. “Fine. You’re really calm.”

“Are you done? If you are, I’m leaving now.”

Just as Callum turned around and was about to leave, Arthur stopped him and said, “To tell you the truth, this was arranged by me.”

Callum came to a halt, waiting to hear what Arthur had to say next.

“I deliberately sent Elspeth’s mother to her side for both of you to realize that you two are blood-related and can’t be together.”

This was a cruel plan devised by Arthur. He was well aware that it would be more painful for both Callum and Elspeth to discover for themselves that they were blood-related and couldn’t be together, rather than to have Arthur tell them.

However, Callum still wasn’t agitated by Arthur’s words. If this is his plan, he is indeed quite smart. At least he isn’t as dumb as I thought him to be.

“So, you see, Callum, you and Elspeth aren’t meant for each other. Let Elspeth be with me and I will take good care of her. You don’t have to worry.”

Arthur had an uncanny ability to add fuel to the fire; he knew exactly what to say to make Callum feel even worse.

“Even if she isn’t with me, she won’t like you either. You can stop dreaming about it.”

Knowing Elspeth, she would never be attracted to Arthur.

This was why Callum had never considered Arthur to be a threat.

When Arthur heard this, the smile on his face immediately vanished and he muttered through gritted teeth, “You can’t be certain. You and she can never be together, and once both of you are separated, I’ll have a chance.”

“What a good imagination you have,” Callum pointed out before turning around and leaving without any hesitation.

Seeing him unwavering, Arthur, who initially wanted to make Callum feel defeated, now felt defeated himself.

He loathed Callum’s ability to remain calm in any situation. Nevertheless, he knew what he should do as his next step.

Arthur sat in an inconspicuous corner and began observing his surroundings. After he was certain that Callum had left the hospital, he went straight into the laboratory.

The moment he opened the door, the doctor inside was surprised to see him. “Hey Arthur, what brings you here?”

Arthur was one of the most well-known seniors during his university days. Ever since he joined the school, no one had ever surpassed his achievements. The lecturers repeatedly showed his photo to future students, and some of them even boasted about having taught or talked to Arthur when he was in school.

And of course, his good looks were another reason for his popularity, particularly among females.

After all, who wouldn’t like an attractive, elegant man who always had a smile on his face?

He was said to be so popular that many young female students purposefully chose the electives he had chosen just to be in the same class as him, no matter how difficult the subjects were.

However, it was a pity that Arthur did not continue to practice medicine and appeared to have vanished from the medical field.

As such, seeing him today made the doctor in the laboratory thrilled.

Presently, Arthur smiled and said softly, “Nothing much. I’m just here to look around and get some medicine.”

Though he did not know this doctor, he could tell by the man’s tone how he felt about him. Hence, he relaxed a little as well.

The doctor then quickly stood up, took a chair for Arthur, and poured him a glass of water.

“I’m delighted to have you here, Arthur. If there’s anything I can do for you, please do not hesitate to tell me. I’ll do my best to assist.”

To that, Arthur simply waved his hand dismissively. “It’s fine. I don’t need your assistance with anything. However, I just want to know if my brother was here earlier.”

His brother? The doctor tried to recall what happened earlier, and he suddenly realized something. Oh, the person who registered earlier is indeed Callum Winthrop, the eldest son of the Winthrop Family, which means he’s Arthur’s brother.

“Yes. He handed me some samples and wanted me to run a DNA test to see if they were blood-related.”

He then couldn’t contain his curiosity and continued, “Why does Mr. Winthrop need to perform a DNA test? Do the Winthrops have any other children besides their own?”

“What exactly are you saying? Don’t spread rumors!” Arthur smilingly chided.

The doctor knew when to stop as well as he shrank back and nodded.

Blinking, Arthur then asked, “Could you let me have a look at the samples he gave?”Chapter 493 Not Blood-Related
Arthur’s request placed the doctor in an awkward position. “But our rule is that any
private DNA test has to be kept confidential,” he said, seemingly in a dilemma.
Hearing that, Arthur put on a disappointed expression. The doctor thought that he had
offended Arthur and quickly added, “But if you really want to have a look at them, I can
show them to you, Arthur.”
If it was someone else today, the doctor would never have backed down and would
not even get the conversation going.
However, because the person in front of him today was Arthur, he did not dare to turn
Arthur down.
“But you must promise that you will not tell anyone about this. Otherwise, I risk losing
my job.”
The doctor then looked around nervously before taking out the envelope containing
the samples that Callum had handed him earlier. “This is it, Arthur. Check them out
quickly. The director is making his rounds, so you’d best be quick.”
Arthur nodded with a smile and quickly took a look at the contents of the envelope
before putting them back, acting as if nothing had happened. “I’m done. You can put
them back now.”
Seeing that Arthur was not acting unusually, the doctor was relieved. “Come seek me
out if there’s anything else I can do for you, Arthur. I’ll do everything I can.”
Arthur nodded in response. “Let’s exchange phone numbers so we can stay in touch,”
he suggested.
The doctor was stunned and flattered before he eventually pulled out his phone and
exchanged contact information with Arthur.
He didn’t notice Arthur’s lips curling slightly, revealing a vague smile.
The test result would only be out a few days later. During these few days, Elspeth and
Callum intentionally kept their distance from each other.
The primary issue was not about getting divorced. Instead, convincing the Winthrops
to accept that they would be divorcing was more difficult.
Luckily, Callum’s parents were on vacation these few days, and the rest of the family
was not in the house as well. Hence, Helia could stay in the Winthrop Residence with
some relief.
On the day of the test results collection, Elspeth and Callum went to the hospital
together.
When they entered the laboratory, the doctor quickly grabbed the envelope containing
the results and handed it to Callum. “The DNA test results are out, Mr. Winthrop.”
Callum wanted to open it. At this moment, a mocking tone rang out from the door.
“What a coincidence, Callum. We meet again.”
Callum turned around to see Arthur standing there once more, ever the uninvited
guest.
On the other hand, Elspeth subconsciously took a few steps back, attempting to
distance herself from Arthur.
Her small movements didn’t go unnoticed. Arthur’s eyes glowed with darkness as he
noticed her attempting to move away from him.
“Well, I don’t want to meet you at all,” Callum said without any hesitation.
“It’s okay. It’s just a coincidence, anyway. What brings you to the DNA laboratory? Is
there anything else you’d like to put to the test?”
Despite knowing everything, Arthur pretended to know nothing.
“It has nothing to do with you.”
Callum then stuffed the results back into the envelope, deciding to check it only when
they got home.
“We are family, after all. Or at least, we were family. What else can you hide from
me?” Arthur smiled, appearing pure and innocent as if he were close to Callum.
Elspeth rolled her eyes at that. “Since things have already progressed to this point,
you don’t have to say these things to disgust us anymore.”
“How could you say that, Elspeth? I’m just showing my concern for my brother.”
Elspeth and Callum’s attitude didn’t bother Arthur at all. He was certain that both of
them would be in a worse mood after seeing
the DNA test results.
Hence, he was unconcerned about how these losers treated him now.
“Your concern is received, then. We’re leaving now.”
Callum then took Elspeth’s hand in his, preparing to leave.
However, he was immediately stopped by Arthur. “Callum, since you have the test
results, why don’t you check it right now?”
Arthur was adamant that they check the results right away.
At that, Elspeth immediately retorted, “What does it have to do with you as to when
we check the results?”
“Why aren’t the both of you willing to accept the truth, then?” Arthur asked with a
sneer, which enraged Elspeth.
“This is our matter. It has nothing to do with you at all, so stop being a nuisance by
poking your nose into our matters!”
“You don’t have to be so agitated,” Arthur responded as he shook his head, seemingly
indicating that he wouldn’t give up until he got what he wanted.
“Since he is so interested in this, let us show him then.”
Callum then took the results and threw them to Arthur, feeling utterly unconcerned.
Elspeth didn’t manage to see it but with a glance, she noticed the word ‘biologically
related’, which made her heart tighten.
IVe are indeed related by blood.
Disappointment arose in her heart, completely engulfing her.
Arthur did not examine the results thoroughly as well. He was ready to mock Callum
and Elspeth simply because of the term ‘biologically related’.
“I’ve been warning you both for a long time, but my words have gone unheeded. Look,
what I said is correct now. The fact that you are both married to each other despite
being relatives is Damoria’s greatest joke!”
Arthur did not bother to hide his sarcasm. However, he did not understand how
Callum could remain calm and unaffected despite hearing that.
Such an attitude irritated Arthur.
Thus, he intentionally continued to mock them by saying, “When are you both
planning to divorce, Callum?”
“Again, what does it have to do with you?”
“Of course, it does! After you both divorce, I can start courting Elspeth.”
Elspeth immediately furrowed her brows when she heard that. “Arthur Winthrop, stop
being so revolting!”
“You don’t have to be concerned about that, then. We’re not getting divorced.”
Not getting a divorce?
Elspeth turned her head to look at Callum. Even she felt doubtful at this point.
Is he just trying to enrage Arthur?After all, it is already a fact that we ore biologically
related!
“You both are blood-related, Callum. If you don’t divorce, you’ll be mocked for the rest
of your life!”
Arthur thought that Callum’s words were just a remark in a fit of pique. “It’s okay.
Divorce is not a disgrace in any way.”
“As I’ve said, we won’t be divorcing.”
“Why not?” Arthur asked, finally sensing something amiss.
“Because we are not blood-related at all.”
Not blood-related?
Arthur, and even Elspeth, were stunned. Both of them saw clearly from the report that
the owners of both samples were biologically related.
So how could Callum claim otherwise now?
“Callum, the results are clear. You can’t keep on denying the truth.”
Arthur assumed Callum was still engaged in a futile struggle.

Chapter 494 Someone Else Is the Biological Father
“Have you read the test results carefully?”
Arthur picked up the document and took a glance at it before his expression suddenly
fell.
With such a high similarity, there was no way they were mere cousins.
“Sorry to disappoint, but this is Elspeth and Miss Joneson’s test result.”
Elspeth subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief after hearing that this wasn’t her test
result with Callum.
“How dare you?!” Arthur took a glance at the doctor beside them. He immediately
understood when he saw the dazed and slightly apprehensive expression on the
doctor’s face.
When the doctor sent him the message this morning, he only briefly mentioned that
the two were related by blood. He didn’t say how high the similarity percentage was.
Arthur only had himself to blame for being careless when he didn’t ask about the
exact number.
He coldly huffed. “So what? Doesn’t this confirm that you and Elspeth are related by
blood since it is proven that they are related by blood, and it was your uncle who
forced himself on Elspeth’s mother?”
Even though he felt uncomfortable that this wasn’t the couple’s test result, everyone
knew that there was no way the duo could get out of this.
“And what if it’s not confirmed?”
“That is impossible!” Arthur scoffed. “I know that you refuse to accept the fact, but it’s
settled. You can’t run away from it anymore.”
“It might not be as simple as you think.” Callum let out a low chuckle as a wanton look
of interest spread across his handsome face. “Who knows? You might have placed
the wrong bet.”
Arthur knew that Callum was a confident man who always carefully thought things
through before saying anything. He knew that Callum probably wouldn’t make such a
big mistake.
Are they… really not related by blood?
Arthur found it hard to believe this.
Furthermore, any other possibility didn’t make sense to him.
“In that case, show me your evidence!”
When Callum heard this, he unhurriedly took out his phone and made a call.
Someone soon rushed over with a paper bag in their hand.
“Mr. Winthrop, this is the test result you requested.”
Arthur completely froze at the sight of that. He didn’t think Callum would have the test
done somewhere else to avoid being seen by him.
After Callum took the bag, his gaze fell on Arthur’s face. “This is our test result. You
can take a look for yourself if you don’t believe it.”
Arthur dubiously opened the bag. When he saw the test results that indicated Callum
and Elspeth weren’t related in the least bit, he shook his head in disbelief.
“That’s impossible! You and she definitely have blood ties. You must have done
something to alter the test results!”
“I can’t be bothered to do something to the results, alright?” Callum huffed and
brushed off Arthur’s remarks.
“How is this possible? You two are related by blood!” Arthur muttered under his
breath. He didn’t understand what he was feeling.
Elspeth was gladder than anyone at this very moment.
She felt a load off her mind when she saw that they were not related by blood.
They wouldn’t have to get a divorce anymore, and neither did they need to stay out of
the public eye and force themselves to be together.
This was good news worthy of the whole world’s celebration!
“We can do the test again if you don’t believe me, but only on the premise that you
don’t mess with the results.” Callum didn’t even hesitate as he agreed to have a
retest.
Arthur was completely convinced when he heard that, and he soon fell deep into selfdoubt.
What the hell is going on?!
Meanwhile, Callum didn’t want to waste his time on Arthur. After he kept both the test
results, he pulled Elspeth along as they went out the door.
As soon as they were out, Elspeth immediately threw her arms around his neck in
excitement.
“I don’t understand. Why does it show that we are not related?”
Elspeth was also in slight disbelief. For the two of them to not be related was a
miracle to her.
“I’m not too sure either, but we are definitely not related.”
That put a frown on her face. “That’s weird. I’m my mother’s daughter and yet, I’m not
related to you. Could it be…”
Elspeth suddenly had a strange and shocking thought.
Seeing the look on her face, Callum knew that she was thinking the same thing as
him.
“There is a big possibility that it is exactly what we think.”
Elspeth was hit by realization at that moment.
“Do you remember what Mom told me about her disappearing after she jumped?
Could something have happened while she was unconscious?”
Callum gave it a thought. “It has been a long time since then. I doubt she’ll remember
much. Also, we don’t know if she can accept the fact. Let’s look into it further before
we do anything else.”
Elspeth nodded and let out a smile. “But no matter what, I’m super happy to know that
you and I aren’t related like that.”
“I feel the same way.” He leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss on her cheek.
Elspeth no longer felt reluctant to have physical contact with Callum. Instead, she felt
more content than ever.
They went home as quickly as they could. Helia was in the middle of watching TV
when her expression turned glum upon seeing the young couple walking hand-in-
hand.
“Didn’t I tell you that your relationship can’t go on?”
After all, it had been decades since Helia saw them. She didn’t dare overstep her line
by sticking her nose in Elspeth’s business. However, she couldn’t help but warn her
daughter.
“You won’t have to worry about that anymore, Mom.” Elspeth hesitated as she chose
a more roundabout way to tell her. “Callum and I aren’t related by blood. We can
continue to be together.”
Helia was so surprised that she jumped to her feet. “How is that even possible? I gave
birth to you after I was… assaulted by Callum’s uncle. How can you not have blood
ties?”
Elspeth shook her head and took out the test results from her bag.
“We are not sure about the details, but that is what the results say. We aren’t related,
but I am related to you.”
Now things were too strange to comprehend.
Helia couldn’t believe her eyes, but she couldn’t help thinking of other possibilities.
“You mean… You might be my and some other man’s daughter?”
The thought of the possibility was like cold, piercing water that washed over Helia.
After so many years, she had come to terms that she was taken against her will.
But to know that Elspeth’s father was someone else and that she had unknowingly
done the deed with another man…
It felt like a fatal blow to herChapter 495 Leukemia
Helia staggered and fell onto the couch.
Seeing her turn pale as she struggled to breathe, Elspeth quickly sat down with her
and patted the back of her torso. “Don’t worry too much about this, Mom. It might not
be as bad as you think.”
Callum also calmly comforted her from the side. “Don’t worry, Miss Joneson. Elspeth
has good genes. At the very least, this proves that her father is someone brilliant.”
Helia glanced at Elspeth, and she could only quietly persuade herself.
He’s right. The father must be an excellent man to be able to have such a wonderful
child.
However, as a woman, it was a lifelong shame for her to unknowingly give birth to a
child with another man.
“I hope so…” Helia let out a deep sigh. She couldn’t help the tears that rolled down
her face.
“Don’t worry about this, Mom. I will definitely find out the truth about what happened
back then.”
Helia was slightly hesitant upon hearing that. In fact, she didn’t know whether she
wanted to know the truth or not.
It wouldn’t matter much if they couldn’t find out about it, and it wasn’t like they could do
anything even if the truth was out.
It had been decades. Helia doubted that man would want anything to do with her and
Elspeth.
And what if he wasn’t as good a man as they thought he was? Or what if he had
passed away?
Her mind was everywhere as she considered all the possibilities.
She eventually concluded that there wouldn’t be a problem if they didn’t look into it. If
they did, they would end up with tons of things to worry about.
“How about we forget about it? It’s in the past. Let’s just let it go.”
Deep down, Helia was still unwilling to deal with this head-on.
“How can we do that? It was fine when we didn’t know, but now that we know the truth
isn’t what it seems, why don’t we get to the bottom of this confusion?”
Elspeth smiled when she thought Helia was worried about not being able to find that
person. “Mom, you don’t have to worry about looking for him. I will definitely find him
for you.”
“Elsie, do you really want to find your father?”
The question made Elspeth freeze.
She seemed to have gotten too excited without considering Helia’s feelings.
Mom might not even want to go through all that again.
Thinking of this, she reached out and touched the back of Helia’s hand. “Mom, we
won’t look for him if you don’t want to.”
Elspeth started feeling emotional when she saw the tears in Helia’s eyes.
“Let… let me think about it.”
Helia suddenly realized that she might have been a little selfish. Due to her personal
reasons, she was cruelly preventing Elspeth from seeing her biological father.
“Alright, Mom. Take your time. I will support you no matter your decision.”
Helia hummed and gloomily nodded in response.
However, she was relieved that her daughter and Callum were not blood-related. She
wouldn’t have to lose her perfect son-in-law that way.
“I won’t force you two to get a divorce anymore. Callum, dear, you must take good
care of her.”
Helia had a hopeful glint in her eyes.
“Don’t worry, Miss Joneson. You’ve trusted her with me, after all. I will protect her.”
Helia felt more at ease after hearing Callum’s promise.
All of a sudden, Elspeth, who was sitting there, received an emergency call from
Harper.
“Miss Elspeth! Something bad happened!”
Elspeth couldn’t help feeling alarmed. Only a handful of things could get Harper to
panic like this.
“What is it?”
“Something happened to Yelena! She was rehearsing abroad when she suddenly
passed out and had a high fever. The doctor said she has leukemia!”
Leukemia?!
Elspeth suddenly couldn’t breathe. “How is she doing now?”
“The doctor said she is in critical condition. She needs to get a bone marrow
transplant, but there is no suitable source abroad currently.”
Elspeth gritted her teeth as a wave of emotions washed over her. “What about
Damoria? Can you find a suitable one in Damoria?”
“I haven’t asked. I will ask around the hospitals in the country.”
“Hurry! We can’t waste even a minute!”
“Got it!”
After the call ended, Elspeth turned around and saw the equally dark expression on
Callum’s face.
“Yelena has leukemia?”
“I have never seen anything wrong with her. I don’t understand how she has leukemia
out of nowhere!”
“Don’t worry. She will be fine after a bone marrow transplant.”
Elspeth smiled wryly and nodded with a helpless look on her face. “I’m a doctor, so
how can I not know this? I’m just worried about how tormenting this disease can be. I
don’t know if she can push through it.”
“Don’t worry. You know how optimistic she is. There shouldn’t be any major problems.”
Still looking out of sorts, Elspeth insisted, “I’d better go abroad to see how she is
doing.”
Callum put his arms around her shoulders and offered softly, “I’ll go with you.”
Helia, who was at the side, looked at the anxious couple and she couldn’t help but
ask, “Who is Yelena?”
“Yelena is our friend. She is a lovely young lady.”
Helia’s heart broke when she heard that. “Be on your way, then. Make sure she is
safe,” she urged.
“Alright.” Elspeth nodded. “I’ll go book us tickets now. We’ll be leaving in a while.”
She suddenly remembered something. “Mom, will you be fine being here by
yourself?”
Helia waved as a sign for them not to worry about her. “It’s all good. I’ll be waiting at
home.”
“Please make yourself comfortable.” Callum’s voice grew solemn. “You can just tell
my parents that you are a friend of Elspeth’s mother when they get home. They will
welcome you with open arms.”
Not only would Helia not have to worry about revealing her identity if she said she was
a friend of Elspeth’s mother, but she could also stay here with peace of mind. They
would be killing two birds with one stone.
Helia only grew fonder of Callum after hearing his words. “Alright, I’ll do that.”
Not knowing how long this trip would take, Elspeth and Callum simply handed over
their work to the person in charge of the company. At that point, Elspeth suddenly
thought of someone.
“How about we give Hank a call? It’ll be better to let him know.”
Callum hummed in agreement as he wasn’t against the idea.
Elspeth spent a long time calling Hank, but the man’s phone seemed to be turned off
the whole time. Thinking that he might be in a meeting, she decided to notify him only
after she arrived abroad.
An hour later, the couple packed a few necessities and went straight to Damoria
International Airport.
Even though Eden was only a four-hour flight away from Damoria, Elspeth couldn’t
help but be riddled with anxiety.
After getting off the plane, they took a cab and soon arrived at the hospital that Harper
mentioned. As soon as Elspeth pushed open the door of the ward and saw the weak
and thin woman lying on the bed inside, her eyes immediately turned red.
Upon closer look, she saw a man by the bedside, whose eyes had also reddened.
Isn’t that Hank?Chapter 496 Accident
When Hank saw Elspeth and Callum rushing over, he sorted out his emotions a little
bit to not look too unkempt.
“How did you hear about this?”
Hank actually found out earlier than Elspeth did, and he was even one flight earlier
than her.
“Yelena calls me every day, but she didn’t today. When I called her, the person who
answered was her assistant who told me everything.”
Hank had broken out in cold sweat the moment he heard the news in the afternoon.
He didn’t hesitate to end the meeting he was having with his business partner. While
he was driving to the airport, he asked his assistant to buy a ticket for him so that he
could rush over as soon as possible.
“How is Yelena?” Elspeth asked.
Hank took in a deep breath and answered, “Her high fever is not going away. She
even has rashes all over her body. The doctor said it is not looking too good. She
needs to get a bone marrow transplant as quickly as possible or else, she could… be
gone just like that.”
These words were a big shock for Elspeth. She had to calm her emotions before she
asked, “Has a suitable bone marrow been found?”
“Not yet, but I have sent my men to look into it. I should be able to get something in
three days at the earliest.”
Three days were indeed the fastest they could do, but considering Yelena’s current
condition, they didn’t know if she could last another three days.
“I have also asked someone to find a suitable one. It will also take about three days.”
Hank turned around and looked at Yelena lying on the bed, her lips and complexion
pale. Her initially chubby face had also become sunken. It killed them to look at her in
her current state.
“Yelena has always been very lucky. She will be fine this time as well.” Elspeth could
only comfort both Hank and herself this way.
“I know,” Hank uttered before tightly wrapping his hands around Yelena’s.
It was only then that Elspeth noticed that Hank was half-kneeling on the floor in order
to get closer to Yelena. When he held Yelena’s hand and pressed it to his face, he had
a devoted look on his face that made people pity him.
“Hank, you must have rushed here too. If there is nothing else, you should take a rest
first. Callum and I will be watching Yelena here.”
Elspeth could tell from his bloodshot eyes that he must have left work and rushed over
here. She wanted to let him take a rest for a while.
“It’s okay. I want to look after her.” Hank didn’t care even if his legs were completely
numb.
He knew that Yelena would complain about him not paying attention to her if she didn’t
see him the first thing after waking up.
“Alright. I’ll spread the word to see if there is any suitable bone marrow.”
Elspeth then sat down at a table off to one side and opened the laptop she brought
with her. She sent messages to people in the organization and assigned more people
to look around.
Despite doing all that, she still wasn’t satisfied. She quickly turned on her laptop and
started to contact a few more hospitals.
That was when her phone suddenly rang.
“Miss Elspeth, did something happen to Yelena?!”
The voice on the other side was extremely anxious. However, even though the
environment was noisy, it didn’t hide the concern in Max’s voice.
“Have you heard about it?”
“Mhm. How is she doing now? Which hospital is she in? Give me the address. I’ll be
there right away.”
Elspeth wanted to tell him, but when she lowered her head and saw Hank in front of
her, she suddenly began to hesitate.
“Tell me, Miss Elspeth! Where is the hospital?”
Right then, the firm voice of a middle-aged man suddenly came from the other end of
the line. “What are you doing, Max? It is your turn to compete soon. Stop talking on
the phone.”
Max had no choice but to set his phone aside as he asked his coach in a hushed
voice, “My friend is sick, Mr. Jinn. Is it okay if I go see her?”
Jinn immediately spat, “I’ll repeat myself. It is your turn to compete soon. This is your
first-ever competition here and I don’t want to see any mistakes. Do you understand?”
Seeing how he couldn’t persuade his coach, Max clenched his jaw and took off his
racing suit.
“What are you trying to do? Are you going against my words?” The coach was so
angry that he was about to get a heart attack when he saw how bold Max was.
“I’m not, Mr. Jinn. I’m begging you to let me go.”
Jinn shook his head and coldly refuted, “It is your turn up next. You’d better not make
any mistakes. I don’t understand what kind of friend it is that you’re willing to give up
the competition like this.”
“Mr. Jinn, she is the woman I love.”
Elspeth felt some kind of emotion surge when she picked up those words from the
other end of the call.
“Is your future or your love life more important to you?”
Max didn’t even need to think. “She is. She is my life.”
Jinn was speechless after hearing this, but he still firmly refused. “You can get done
with the competition within half an hour. Can’t you leave after that?”
Max wanted to continue to persuade Jinn, but Elspeth quickly chimed in, “You should
go ahead and compete if you really can’t leave. I’ll be looking after Yelena here. It will
be fine for the time being.”
Max started to open his mouth, but he had no choice but to relent when he saw the
disappointed look in his coach’s eyes.
After hanging up the phone, he put on his racing suit again. However, his mind was
full of thoughts about how Yelena was now lying on a hospital bed.
Leukemia was no ordinary disease and it could cause an insane amount of pain.
Just thinking about how afraid of pain Yelena was put Max in a conflicted mood.
His mind was somewhere else up till the start of the competition. He only wanted to
finish the race so that he could quickly go to Yelena.
Jinn thought that Max had figured it out when he saw how Max drove faster than he
usually did. That was until he realized something was wrong.
“Max, you’re driving too fast! It’s too dangerous!”
Unfortunately, Max wouldn’t notice anything else when he was on the track. He
unknowingly stepped on the accelerator as he wanted to go faster and faster.
However, he never considered how unstable the car could get at high speed.
Suddenly, he lost control and slammed into the infield wall.
Bang!
It was pure chaos in an instant as debris flew and the car caught on fire.
The cheering audience started screaming instead. Seeing the shocking accident in
front of them, Max’s fans all stepped forward to save him.
“Watch out, everyone! Don’t get too close to the car. It could explode anytime!”
As Jinn guided the audience, he also instructed a few people to pull Max out of the
car.
Max had suffered severe trauma to his head and fractured his right leg. He was now
barely awake.
Before he completely lost consciousness, he mumbled under his breath, “Yelena…
Send me to the hospital she is in…”Chapter 497 Surgery
Yelena’s breathing had stabilized as she lay in the hospital bed. It seemed like she
was no longer in critical condition.
“Hank, you have worked hard taking care of Yelena. You should go and have a rest
since there is time. Yelena will be sad if you collapse from exhaustion by the time she
wakes up.”
Elspeth felt something she couldn’t put into words when she looked at the serious and
focused expression on the man’s face.
“I’m alright. I slept for an hour just now.”
“You’ve been here all day and you’ve only had an hour to sleep?” She sighed. Just as
she was about to continue persuading him, she suddenly noticed small signs of
Yelena opening her eyes. She immediately exclaimed, “Is Yelena waking up?!”
When Hank came back to his senses, he watched the fingers in his palm trembling
slightly. It was as if she really was about to wake up.
As expected, Yelena opened her eyes a few moments later.
“Hank…”
Seeing the man whom she had been thinking about day and night, Yelena called out
his name in a hoarse voice as tears filled her eyes.
Hank poured some warm water into a glass on the table beside him, slid in a straw,
and brought it to her mouth. “Have some water. Your voice is all raspy.”
Yelena gave a nod and took small sips of water. She looked like she was doing well.
“Elspeth! You came, too!”
The aggrievance Yelena felt made her want to cry when she saw Elspeth standing
behind Hank.
“You really don’t make things easier for me, do you? You don’t even take care of
yourself when you are abroad!” Elspeth scolded her out of worry. However, her guilt
quickly bubbled up when she looked at Yelena’s pale face.
Yelena obviously didn’t mind. She even flashed an embarrassed smile and curled up
her lips. “Alright, alright. I will pay attention next time.”
“Did I hear you say ‘next time’?!” Elspeth roared. It pained her to see Yelena in her
current condition.
Elspeth and Hank thought about letting Yelena rest for a while, now that she had
finished drinking the water. Hank turned to Elspeth and suggested, “Why don’t the two
of you get some rest? You can leave Yelena to me.”
“We are done resting. You should go rest instead.” Elspeth then loudly snitched on
Hank to Yelena. “Hank rushed here first thing after he found out something had
happened to you. He hasn’t had any shut-eye at all.”
Yelena was touched when she heard this, and she reached out with difficulty to tug on
his finger.
“Get some rest, Hank.”
Hank’s eyes were utterly red, but he was determined as he shook his head. “I’m not
sleepy. I feel more at ease if I watch you here.”
“I will be fine. You must rest. No one can take care of you if you fall sick as well.”
Under normal circumstances, Yelena would have pointed at him and started to nag.
Now, she could only lie on the bed and speak in a trembling voice.
However, it was exactly these words of hers that Hank listened to. He looked at her
with a deep gaze and nodded. “Mhm, I got it. I will go take a rest. Let Elspeth know if
you don’t feel well in any way, okay?”
Yelena only beamed again after hearing that. “Don’t worry. I know what to do.”
As Hank stood up, he felt a wave of dizziness hit him due to the long hours without
sleep and food. He struggled to find his footing before he turned around and solemnly
reminded Elspeth, “Remember to alert me first thing if something is wrong with
Yelena.”
Elspeth promptly agreed to it.
After Hank left, Yelena looked at Elspeth’s face and told her in a tired voice, “I’m a little
sleepy, Elspeth. I feel like sleeping for a bit.”
Elspeth nodded, and she felt as though her heart had melted when she reached out to
pat Yelena on the head. “Rest up,” she cooed. “I will be right beside you.”
Hearing that, Yelena slowly closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.
Elspeth and Callum then took a seat on the couch beside them. The volume of their
voices had lowered by many decibels as they chatted.
“Why isn’t Max here yet?”
Callum suddenly remembered that they called Max earlier, but the man was so busy
with his competition that he couldn’t make it.
However, it had been two hours. Logically speaking, the race should have ended by
now.
Elspeth also thought something was strange. She took out her phone and called Max
again, only to have her call ring until she reached the voicemail box.
“No one picked up. He’s probably still busy.”
Despite her words, Callum had a feeling something wasn’t quite right. The Max he
knew wouldn’t drag it out for so long.
Feeling that something was off, he muttered, “Surely nothing happened to him?”
Elspeth shook her head. “Highly unlikely. His coach must have kept him there for a
reason. I heard his voice from the call earlier. The coach sounded like a stern man.”
“But—”
She smiled and patted Callum on the shoulder. “Come on. Don’t worry too much
about it. Max is no longer a child. He wouldn’t be so impulsive.”
But at this exact moment, Callum’s phone began to ring. He immediately had a bad
feeling when he saw that it was an unknown number from Wohler.
A panicked and worried voice rang out after Callum took the call.
“Mr. Callum Winthrop? Your brother had an accident during a race. He has been sent
to the hospital for emergency treatment.”
Callum’s heart dropped to his stomach when he heard those words.
He couldn’t hide the concern and anxiety showing in his eyes as he stood up and
demanded, “Which hospital has he been sent to?”
“Wohler Central Hospital.”
Wohler Central Hospital… Isn’t this the hospital we are at?!
After the call ended, Callum lifted his head and informed Elspeth, “He got in an
accident. He is at this hospital’s emergency ward now.”
Elspeth almost dropped her phone as her hand shook.
“What? Max got into a car accident?”
“It’s probably because he wasn’t in his best headspace after he found out about
Yelena.”
Callum then started to leave before Elspeth held him by the hand. “Should I go with
you?”
“It’s alright. Someone needs to take care of Yelena. You can just wait here. I’ll go
check on him.”
Elspeth turned to look at a sleeping Yelena and gave it some thought. Thinking that it
made sense, she released her grip on Callum.
The red light outside the emergency room was still on when Callum hurried over.
There was a middle-aged man nervously waiting outside. He immediately looked
relieved when he saw Callum.
“You are Callum Winthrop, aren’t you?”
Callum was now extremely glum, and his voice was frighteningly cold when he asked,
“What happened?”
“The thing is, your brother drove too fast. That’s why he…”
“And? You insisted he joined the race even though he wasn’t himself, did you not?”
With his right fist clenched, Callum didn’t hold back his words.
He knew that he wouldn’t be in the mood to do anything else if something happened
to Elspeth.Chapter 498 Donate My Bone Marrow to Yelena
Despite that, this coach insisted on having Max participate in the race. He made Max
join such a high-intensity and high-risk competition even though Max was not in the
best state.
A hint of hatred flashed in Callum’s eyes when he thought about this.
Jinn must have realized that Callum was about to lose his temper, so he quickly
softened his tone. “Please don’t get mad, Mr. Winthrop. W-We had no choice too. The
organizer would definitely be upset if Max had left just like that. It wouldn’t be good for
his future development…”
“‘Future development’? He is my younger brother. Does he even need to race to have
a good future?”
Indeed, Callum wasn’t wrong.
The Winthrop Family ran a big business. Even if Max sat around and did nothing, he
could still enjoy the rest of his life without worry.
Jinn was immediately at a loss for words upon hearing that.
“I will let it go if Max is fine, but if something were to happen to him…”
Callum didn’t continue the rest of his sentence, but Jinn knew for sure that the man
would be after his neck.
And so, he shut his mouth and quietly prayed.
The red light was still on even after two hours. However, a doctor did come out of the
ward.
“Which one of you is Max Winthrop’s family?”
Callum stood up and walked up to the doctor. “I am.”
The doctor looked at Callum’s dark expression and sighed. “I’m sorry. We did our
best.”
They did their best? Callum’s eyes turned red as the veins on his forehead bulged.
Instead of a human being, he looked more like a beast out of control at this moment.
“Say that again,” he warned.
“Mr. Winthrop, I know that it is hard for you to accept this, but we have been trying to
save him for so many hours. We are sure there is little to no chance to keep him
alive.”
The doctor also felt regretful at the thought of a fresh-faced young man like Max losing
his life because of a mistake he made during the race.
“Little to no chance? So, there is still a chance.” Callum’s eyes narrowed. His gaze
was practically on fire as he growled, “You must keep him alive no matter the cost.”
After all, Max was his younger brother. He was his baby brother who grew up
stumbling after him while calling his name lovingly.
There was no way Callum could accept the fact that such a young life was coming to
an end just like that.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Winthrop. We will do our very best. However, I would like you to be
mentally prepared. There is only a small chance that he will live.”
The doctor regretfully lowered his head and turned around to reenter the emergency
room.
Jinn, who was behind Callum, could feel the goosebumps all over his body.
Something terrible really did happen to Max. What is Callum Winthrop thinking? Does
he think that it’s my fault? Will he take his revenge on me?
Jinn’s mind was a mess now. Rubbing his hands together, he was worried that the
man in front of him would turn around and throw a punch at him.
“Mr. Zaydon.”
Jinn couldn’t help but cower when the cold voice sounded.
“Yes, Mr. Winthrop? Is something the matter?”
“Look at my brother now. Care to explain yourself?
When Callum turned his head to look at Jinn, his eyes were filled with unadulterated
ruthlessness and murderous intent.
“Mr. Winthrop, I-I know that I did wrong, but it did not happen because of me! I only
carried out my responsibility and advised him to finish the race. I didn’t cross any
lines! Also, I didn’t do anything to his car that caused him to crash!”
Jinn was at a loss for what to do. I’m not even the direct cause of the accident, so why
is Callum blaming everything on me?!
And yet, he didn’t dare fight back. He knew how violent Callum’s temper could be, and
he had heard about the ways Callum got things done.
At that thought, Jinn could only plead guilty. “I admit that it was not appropriate for me
to persuade him to continue with the race, but all this has nothing to do with me!”
Callum took a deep breath as he swore, “You have to pay the price.”
Jinn froze as soon as he heard that. I’m dead. Even if he doesn’t threaten my safety or
my life, he won’t let me live another peaceful day for the rest of my life! Not only me,
even my family, my son… They will be affected in one way or another.
“I heard that you have a son, Mr. Zaydon,” Callum mentioned with the corners of his
lips curled. He had a fierce look in his eyes.
“Please, Mr. Winthrop. Don’t do anything to my son. He is only 18. He doesn’t know
anything.”
Jinn couldn’t possibly let his son, who was his lifeline, get hurt. Their ancestors would
never forgive him when he joined them in the afterlife!
“My brother, Max Winthrop, is only 19.”
After hearing this, Jinn fell to his knees and burst into tears. “Mr. Winthrop, I will take
responsibility for this. Please! Don’t hurt my son!”
Callum didn’t bother to answer. He kept his eyes on the door that determined Max’s
life and death.
Jinn kept wailing and disrupting the order in the hospital. Due to him making too much
noise, a few doctors eventually came over and dragged him away.
The door to the emergency ward opened again after three hours.
The same doctor came out and this time, he had a grave look on his face.
“I’m really sorry, Mr. Winthrop. We really did all we could.”
For him to use the word ‘really’ twice in a row meant that there was no hope left.
“If you would like to talk to your brother, please follow me to put on a hospital gown
while he is still conscious. You can come in with us.”
Callum felt a sting on the tip of his nose upon hearing those words. This was the first
time he truly felt how somber someone’s death could be.
“Alright.”
He quickly put on the gown and followed the doctor into the ward.
After he got in, he almost burst into tears when he saw Max lying on the operating
table with tubes all over his body.
“Max?” Callum carefully called out, for fear of disturbing his brother.
Max forced himself to open his eyes when he heard his name. When he saw Callum
in front of him, he squeezed out a smile and greeted, “Callum… you’re here. The
doctor said that I won’t last for long. I’m glad I get to see you before I go.”
Callum couldn’t bear to listen to these words and he quickly reprimanded, “Don’t say
that. You will be just fine.”
“There’s no need to lie to me, Callum. I know my condition. I can feel it.”
Max might always seem haughty, but Callum knew that he was just a child—a purehearted, naughty brat.
Callum reached out to gently hold Max’s hand. “Max, is there anything else you would
like to tell me?”
“Geez… Why are you crying, Callum?”
Callum only realized then that his tears had rolled down his cheeks at some point. He
let his tears fall as he sucked in a deep breath. “Because I’m sad.”
Even though Callum didn’t say anything too sentimental, Max could feel an
overwhelming sadness wash over him.
“I’m fine, Callum,” Callum choked out. He sounded extremely weak as he mumbled,
“Please donate my bone marrow to Yelena while I’m still alive.”
Callum immediately looked at his brother in disbelief. “What?”

“I said I’ll donate my bone marrow to Yelena.” 

“Bone marrow donation couldn’t be easily done just like that. We need to make sure that it’s a match before proceeding.”

“I know. When I was with Yelena, we did a bone marrow match test. Our bone marrows are a match. At the time, we even promised that if either of us needed it in the future, we would save the other without hesitation.”

Still, Callum began hesitantly with a heavy heart, “But you’re not in good condition now. I’m afraid that…”

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