Chapter 172: I need your help....
[Old Emerson Residence]
Edward sat in his room, leisurely flipping through a magazine featuring Ivy’s latest photoshoot. Ever since her campaign had been released a few days earlier, she had become the talk of the town.
Part of the attention came from her striking beauty, while the rest stemmed from the fact that she was working alongside Kevin, one of the industry’s most sought-after models.
A faint smile spread across Edward’s face as he studied the photographs.
"Miss Ivy is truly beautiful," Butler Ben remarked, noticing his master’s expression.
Edward nodded in agreement. "She certainly is. Now I just hope my grandson stays on his toes. She’ll be working with all sorts of people, especially men. And knowing how protective Xander is of the people he cares about, I have a feeling he’s going to have a difficult time."
He let out an amused chuckle before closing the magazine and accepting his medicine from Ben.
On the surface, Xander often appeared cold and emotionally distant, but when it came to those he loved, his instincts were sharper than anyone realized.
Butler Ben smiled knowingly. "Young Master has always been possessive. Do you remember when he was a child and you gave him that puppy, hoping it would help him come out of his shell?"
Edward’s eyes softened with nostalgia.
"I do. Though I never imagined he’d end up training the poor thing to chase away anyone who annoyed him."
The memory brought another quiet laugh.
Back then, Edward had been desperate to help his grieving grandson. After hearing from one of his assistants that pets could provide comfort to children struggling with loss and depression, he decided to bring home a puppy.
At first, Xander barely acknowledged it.
The little dog would wag its tail, bark excitedly, and follow him around the room, but Xander paid it no attention. He spent most of his days shut away, trapped in the painful memories of losing his parents.
Then one afternoon, a maid accidentally left the bedroom door open.
The puppy seized the opportunity and scampered out.
Panic spread through the mansion when everyone realized it was missing.
To their astonishment, Xander rushed out of his room for the first time in weeks, frantically searching every hallway and corner of the estate. The sight alone left the staff speechless.
Fortunately, he eventually found the muddy little dog in the garden, happily digging through the flowerbeds.
After staring at the filthy animal for a long moment, Xander sighed and scooped it into his arms.
"You really are trouble, little one," he muttered.
It was the first sentence anyone had heard him speak in what felt like an eternity.
Edward and Butler Ben exchanged a glance as they remembered that day.
In the end, it wasn’t the puppy that had needed saving.
It had been Xander all along.
Edward’s expression softened as the memory faded.
"After that day, he never let the dog out of his sight," he said quietly. "He pretended not to care, but every morning he was the one feeding it, taking it for walks, and making sure no one else disciplined it."
Butler Ben smiled. "Young Master has always expressed affection through actions rather than words."
Edward nodded in agreement.
"That’s why I’m not worried about whether he loves Ivy. I know he does." He paused before adding with a hint of amusement, "What worries me is how he’ll react when someone gets too close to her."
Ben chuckled. "From what I’ve seen, he’s already quite territorial."
The old man let out a soft laugh, unable to disagree with Ben’s observation.
Just then, a maid approached the doorway and bowed respectfully.
"Master, you have a visitor."
The smiles on both Edward’s and Butler Ben’s faces disappeared almost instantly.
They exchanged a brief glance before Edward rose from his seat.
***
[Downstairs]
Edward descended the staircase and entered the living room, where a man was already waiting for him.
The moment he saw the familiar face, his expression hardened despite the calm mask he wore.
"What brings you here after all these years, Logan?" he asked in an even tone.
His sharp gaze lingered on the man seated across from him.
After Lucas and Susan’s deaths, Logan had severed all ties with the Emerson family and left the country with his wife. He hadn’t attended memorials, checked on Edward, or even visited Xander—the only survivor of that tragic incident.
To Edward, it had seemed as though Logan had erased them from his life and chosen to move on.
So seeing him sitting in the Emerson residence now, after years of silence, filled him with more suspicion than surprise.
Logan, however, appeared to have expected the frosty reception.
He met Edward’s eyes with quiet resignation before speaking.
"I know I have no right to ask for your understanding."
His voice was calm, but there was unmistakable weariness behind it.
"When I walked away after Lucas died, I also walked away from all of you. I don’t expect forgiveness."
Edward remained silent, waiting.
Logan drew a slow breath.
"But I wouldn’t have come back unless I had no other choice."
For the first time since entering the room, genuine concern crossed his face.
"I need your help... please save my wife."
The moment those words left Logan’s mouth, the composed mask he had worn since entering the room shattered.
The desperation in his voice caught Edward completely off guard.
For a long moment, the old man simply stared at him in silence. This was not the Logan he remembered—the confident and unshakable man who had once stood beside Lucas through every hardship.
Seeing him reduced to pleading was enough to make even Edward’s expression soften.
"What happened?" he asked gravely.
Logan lowered his head and closed his eyes for a brief moment before answering.
"It’s a long story."
***
[Flashback]
After leaving the hospital the previous night, Logan had taken Hailey to Healthcare Hospital for a second opinion.
As soon as she was admitted, Dr. Merik ordered a full series of examinations and reviewed her medical reports in detail. The atmosphere in the consultation room grew heavier with every page he turned.
When he finally looked up, his expression was solemn.
"Mrs. Mortini’s condition is critical," Dr. Merik said. "She needs surgery as soon as possible. Delaying it any further could put her life at serious risk."
Logan’s jaw tightened.
"And her chances?" he asked quietly.
The doctor hesitated before replying.
"I won’t lie to you. This is a high-risk procedure. Even with surgery, there are no guarantees. But without it..." He paused. "Her chances of survival are extremely slim."
The room fell into silence.
Logan looked through the glass window at Hailey, who lay unconscious in the hospital bed, completely unaware of the conversation taking place outside.
For the first time in many years, he felt utterly helpless. However, in the back of his mind, he knew what he needed to do.
***
[Back at the Hospital]
Inside the operating room, the surgical team had completed their final preparations. Dr. Merik stood beside the operating table with his staff, carefully reviewing the patient’s vitals one last time.
Just then, the doors swung open.
Aaron, already dressed in sterile surgical attire, stepped inside with a composed expression. As he approached the table, a nurse moved forward to help him secure his mask and gloves.
"Is everything ready?" Aaron asked, his tone calm but authoritative.
"Yes, Dr. Aaron," Dr. Merik replied with a nod. "Everything has been prepared according to your instructions. The patient’s vitals are stable, and the team is ready to proceed."
Aaron exchanged a brief glance with him before turning his attention to the monitors.
"Let’s begin."
The room immediately fell into focused silence as each member of the surgical team moved into position. The overhead lights illuminated the operating table, and the procedure commenced without delay.
***
Outside the operating room, Logan stood motionless in the corridor, his eyes fixed on the red indicator above the doors.
Karl remained by his side, sensing the tension but choosing his words carefully.
"Please don’t worry, sir," he said in a reassuring voice. "Madam is in the best possible hands. Dr. Aaron has an outstanding record, and Dr. Merik personally recommended him."
Logan let out a slow breath and gave a faint nod, though the worry on his face remained unchanged.
"I hope you’re right."
After a long silence, he turned to Karl.
"Arrange a meeting with Xander Emerson," he instructed. "There are things he deserves to know, and I can’t postpone this any longer."
Karl looked at him in surprise but quickly regained his composure.
"Understood, sir. I’ll contact his office immediately and see when he’s available."
Without another word, Karl walked down the corridor, already dialing his phone.
Left alone, Logan glanced once more at the closed operating room doors. His hands clenched at his sides as he silently prayed that when those doors opened again, Hailey would still be alive.
"You finally got me, Xander."
