Chapter 378

The little girl squirmed restlessly in his arms, her tiny hands climbing up his shoulders. She accidentally pressed against Adrian's injured left arm, making him suck in a sharp breath from the pain.

Charlie immediately stepped forward. "Celeste, don't—"

Adrian silenced him with a look, shaking his head slightly to indicate it was fine. After a brief hesitation, Charlie retreated from the hospital room.

Carefully supporting his left arm with his right hand, Adrian shifted it to rest on the pillow, making space for the little girl.

"What's this big secret?" he asked gently.

Unaware of his discomfort, Celeste leaned close to his ear, covering her mouth with one small hand. "Actually, I know... you're not my daddy."

Adrian froze.

The girl's face was still pale from surgery, but her eyes sparkled. "But I like you. I want you to be my daddy."

"Why me?"

"Because you're nice to Mommy," Celeste said seriously. "I like anyone who's nice to Mommy."

A faint smile touched Adrian's lips. "That's all?"

"There's also that doctor uncle who treated us to dinner. He's nice to Mommy too, but I can tell he doesn't really mean it." She wrinkled her nose. "I don't want him as my daddy."

Adrian immediately recalled the man from the dating show—the one whose profile bore an uncanny resemblance to his own.

"What about Uncle Hugo?" he asked softly.

Celeste tilted her head in thought. "Uncle Hugo is good. Big Brother said so too."

"Then why—"

"Because Mommy doesn't like Uncle Hugo!" The little girl suddenly grinned mischievously. "Mommy only likes you."

Adrian raised an eyebrow. "How do you know? We'd never met before."

"I'll tell you a secret," Celeste whispered conspiratorially. "Mommy has a little box with a blue checkered tie inside. Once the box fell, and the tie got dirty. Mommy cried so hard..."

A blue checkered tie.

Adrian's heart clenched.

He gently smoothed the girl's tousled hair. Stella always kept Celeste neatly dressed, but days in the hospital had left her hair messy and unkempt.

"You love Mommy very much."

"Mm! I love Mommy most!" Her voice suddenly dropped. "Daddy... I have another secret..."

"What is it?"

"I... I'm not Mommy's real daughter."

Adrian's arm tightened around her. "Who told you that?"

Celeste burrowed into his chest like a small bird. "My real daddy called yesterday... He said he's coming to take me away." Her voice trembled. "Daddy, please tell Mommy I'll be good. I won't eat snacks anymore. I can even eat less rice... Please don't let them send me away."

His heart ached as he held her closer. "Mommy would never do that."

"But—"

"As long as I'm here, no one can take you."

......

The hospital garden was deserted.

Stella wrenched herself free, her voice sharp. "Have you lost your mind?"

Vincent took a drag from his cigarette, backing her into a corner. "Ignoring my calls, blocking me—all to be with your ex?" He exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Don't hate him anymore?"

She scrubbed at her lips, the acrid smell clinging stubbornly.

Mr. Alistair would never do this. He carried only a faint trace of tobacco, and after meeting her, he'd quit entirely.

Now she could clearly tell the twins apart. Despite sharing identical features, Adrian never wore that same smirking arrogance, even at his angriest.

"Say something." Vincent reached to touch her face.

Stella jerked away.

His hand hovered mid-air before his expression softened unnaturally. "Are you mad? I was just worried—"

"Enough." Stella cut him off. "You want to return to the Roland family estate and claim your birthright, don't you?"

Vincent's lips curled. "Of course. I am Roland blood." He leaned closer, his breath hot against her ear. "Then we'll go see the crabapple blossoms. You'll see I wasn't lying."