Chapter 90: Chapter 90
After leaving the hospital, Oliver and Zoey headed straight back to Bennett Corporation.
A black Maybach glided through the afternoon traffic.
Inside the car, Oliver sat in the front passenger seat. Turning toward Zoey behind the wheel, he spoke with unusual seriousness.
"You shouldn’t have brought up the kidnapping from five years ago in front of Madam."
One of Zoey’s earbuds was tucked into her ear, blasting upbeat DJ music. Her fingers tapped lightly against the steering wheel in rhythm with the bass.
Hearing him speak, she paused the music, pulled out the earbud, and shot him a sideways glance.
"What did you say?"
Oliver pressed his lips together. His gaze flickered toward the wireless earbud before he patiently replied,
"Assistant Paige, I’ve told you before—not to wear earbuds while driving, especially when you’re listening to loud music. It’s dangerous."
She shrugged dismissively.
"Relax. My driving’s excellent. Besides, if I can’t listen to music while I’m stuck in the same car as you, I’ll probably fall into depression."
Oliver was speechless.
Being overworked at the office was already exhausting. Having to supervise an endlessly rebellious subordinate every single day made it infinitely worse.
Taking a slow breath to steady himself, he returned to the subject.
"What I was saying is... don’t mention the kidnapping five years ago to Madam again."
"Why not?" Zoey answered without hesitation. "Elise may be your boss’s wife, so you’re scared of upsetting her. That’s your problem. She’s my best friend. Why shouldn’t I tell her?"
Oliver’s expression remained grave.
"Some truths don’t need to be uncovered."
He looked out the windshield before continuing.
"Mr. Bennett has his reasons for keeping it from her. Since you’re her friend, you should be thinking about what’s best for her. There are some things that aren’t worth knowing."
Zoey immediately caught the hidden meaning.
"Fine." She flashed him an innocent smile. "Then tell me instead. I swear I won’t breathe a word of it to your boss’s wife."
A faint smile tugged at Oliver’s lips. "No. You won’t tell Madam... But you’ll definitely tell your best friend."
Zoey was rendered speechless.
So you’re smarter than you look.
Adjusting his rimless glasses, Oliver looked at her again.
"Assistant Paige, remember what I said today."
She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Whatever."
***
Three days later, Robin’s wounds had healed well enough for the doctor to approve his discharge.
On the morning he left the hospital, both Oliver and Zoey came to help.
After nearly a week in the hospital, Mrs. Lander and Melissa had taken meticulous care of both Elise and Robin. They had also brought over countless daily necessities.
By the time everything was packed, the luggage filled two large suitcases and an entire utility cart.
Once the discharge paperwork was completed, Elise suddenly spoke.
"For the time being, Robin will stay with me."
Everyone turned toward her.
"When he’s recovered further, Dylan can take him back to the Bennett family villa."
Oliver blinked in surprise. Recovering from the unexpected announcement, he forced an awkward smile.
"Madam... Mr. Bennett specifically instructed that both you and the young master return to the main villa."
"What he instructed is his business." Elise’s voice left no room for negotiation. "If you can persuade Robin to go back with you, then by all means take him. I won’t stop you."
Before Oliver could respond, an anxious voice rang out from the back seat.
Seated securely in his child safety seat, Robin looked as though he were about to cry.
"I don’t want to be separated from Mommy!" He clutched the seatbelt tightly. "Wherever Mommy goes, I go!"
Oliver fell silent. Beside him, Zoey quietly whistled. She looked thoroughly entertained. Watching her demanding supervisor run into a wall for once was strangely satisfying. Only fellow overworked employees could truly appreciate the moment.
In the end, Oliver had no choice but to surrender.
Instead of Bennett Villa, he drove Elise and Robin back to her own place.
Mrs. Lander and Melissa naturally accompanied them.
Ever since learning that Melissa had been reporting to Dylan all along, Elise’s attitude toward her had become noticeably distant.
Most of the time, she simply pretended Melissa wasn’t there.
Melissa understood why. She had tried several times to apologize sincerely, but each attempt ended the same way––Elise quietly walked away before she could say a word.
There was never an opportunity.
Watching everything unfold, Mrs. Lander could do nothing except sigh helplessly.
Robin stayed at Elise’s apartment for another three days.
His physical injuries healed remarkably quickly. His memory, however, remained unchanged. There wasn’t the slightest sign of improvement.
Elise couldn’t help feeling disappointed.
Eventually, she asked Oliver to arrange for a reputable child psychologist to make house calls, hoping gentle therapy in a familiar environment would help Robin recover.
As always, Oliver handled the request with impressive efficiency.
On the fourth day, Oliver arrived with a child psychologist named Jessica Sanders.
The moment Elise saw her, she felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
"Dr. Sanders," she asked curiously, "have we met before?"
Jessica paused for a brief moment before smiling warmly. There wasn’t a trace of arrogance or distance in her expression.
"Mrs. Bennett, have you ever heard of Emma Sanders?"
Elise blinked in surprise before recognition dawned.
"You’re Director Sanders’s daughter?"
Jessica nodded with a smile.
"That’s right. My family always says I’m the one who resembles my mother the most out of the three siblings."
"I can definitely see it." Elise’s eyes brightened. "Especially around the eyes. I’ve always loved Director Sanders’s films and operas."
"If you’re really a fan," Jessica said with a grin, "I could bring my mother along someday. We could all have coffee together."
Caught off guard, Elise laughed awkwardly.
"I’d better not disturb her"
"Then how about I get you an autographed photo instead?"
"That..." Elise smiled. "I won’t say no to."
The two women quickly found common ground, chatting comfortably for several minutes before Jessica finally turned her attention to Robin.
She began the evaluation with a series of simple questions.
Robin answered each one obediently, showing no obvious signs of cognitive impairment.
Everything seemed perfectly normal.
Until she asked how he’d injured his head.
The little boy’s expression instantly became blank. After thinking hard for several seconds, he turned to Elise with genuine confusion.
"Mommy..." He tilted his head. "How did I hurt my head?"
"You really don’t remember?"
He shook his head vigorously. "Not at all."
His brows knitted together as he tried to recall the memory. "Did I break my brain?"
Jessica chuckled softly.
"I don’t think so. Your little brain seems just as clever as ever."
Robin looked puzzled. "Then why can’t I remember getting hurt?"
"Maybe..." Jessica answered gently before glancing at Elise. "...you were asleep when it happened."
Her eyes met Elise’s meaningfully. Elise immediately understood.
"That’s right." She smiled. "You accidentally rolled off the bed while you were sleeping, so you don’t remember it happening."
"Oh!" Robin accepted the explanation without the slightest suspicion. "So that’s what happened!"
Then his face lit up. "From now on, I’ll sleep with Mommy every night! If Mommy’s beside me, I won’t fall off the bed again."
Elise reached over and stroked his soft cheek.
"That’s right." Her voice was incredibly gentle. "Mommy will protect you."
Later, Mrs. Lander took Robin outside to play. Only Elise and the doctor remained in the living room.
Jessica’s expression became noticeably more serious.
"This is trauma-induced memory loss. The reason he can’t remember how he was injured is because his subconscious mind is protecting him from the experience."
Elise listened quietly.
"If you want him to recover those memories," Jessica continued, "one possible method is to take him back to the place where the accident happened. Familiar surroundings can trigger memory recall."
She paused.
"But I don’t recommend rushing into it. It would place enormous psychological stress on a child his age. You need to consider very carefully whether it’s worth the risk."
Elise nodded. "I understand. His body has only just started recovering. I’d rather wait a little longer before making that decision."
"I think that’s the right approach."
After a brief silence, Jessica picked up her phone.
"Let’s exchange contacts. If you have any concerns, whether it’s a message or a phone call, don’t hesitate to contact me."
"Thank you."
The two added each other before the doctor left.
***
Over the next two days, Robin remained stable.
Watching him eat well, sleep peacefully, and slowly regain the healthy color in his cheeks put Elise’s mind at ease.
Meanwhile, Dylan had already been abroad for ten days without returning. Elise paid little attention to his absence. If anything, she thought it might be better if he stayed overseas even longer.
Life settled into a surprisingly peaceful routine.
One expectant mother. One little boy recovering from his injuries.
Mrs. Lander and Melissa handled the household and looked after both of them, leaving the days calm, quiet, and unexpectedly comfortable.
Unfortunately... That peaceful routine didn’t last.
On the twelfth day, Dylan finally returned home.
But he wasn’t alone. The woman who arrived with him was someone no one had expected to see—Robin’s biological mother.
Fleur Bonnaire.
