Chapter 526 - 522: Emeric Grant

"Tsk, what’s with you today?" Renee Reid glared at Jameson Stone, confused. "Why are you being so negative?"

Jameson Stone took a deep breath. "I’m just looking out for Ethan. He’s putting in so much thought and effort, and what if he just gets friend-zoned in the end? He’ll be the one who’s crushed, won’t he?"

"Well, not every pursuit is going to work out. You can’t let the fear of failure stop you from even trying, right?"

"Whoa, you two, don’t fight." Seeing what was happening, Ethan Sterling quickly interjected. He looked at Jameson Stone. "Are you mad at me?"

Jameson Stone crossed his arms and leaned back on the sofa. "I’m not mad."

"Not mad? You’ve practically got smoke coming out of your ears!" Renee Reid scoffed.

’Ethan felt a pang of warmth in his chest. Whether it was Renee’s support or Jameson’s anger, both came from a place of friendship and concern for him. He was truly moved.’

"Why don’t I just go by myself? I’ll finish my shopping and then come find you. My treat at Aetherium today—we haven’t all hung out in ages."

"Don’t be like that. We’re already here." Renee Reid got up and gave Jameson Stone a kick. "Come on. Who’s that long face for?"

Jameson Stone sighed. He was still annoyed, but he got to his feet anyway. "My birthday’s coming up too. I’ll just pick something out for myself and make Ethan pay for it."

Ethan Sterling laughed when he heard that. "Deal. Pick out whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy."

It suddenly dawned on Jameson. "I have to finish this coffee. It was ridiculously expensive." He grabbed his latte and downed it in two gulps.

*

「The Hospital.」

Cecilia Sterling rushed over right after breakfast. Phoebe was being released from the observation unit after a full 24 hours, and Cecilia wanted to be one of the first to see her.

When she got to the hospital room, however, Mr. Young had already beaten her to it.

"Mr. Young, you’re here so early!" Cecilia Sterling exclaimed in surprise.

Mr. Young let out a hearty laugh. "I have a meeting at ten this morning, so I had to come see the baby early."

’Mrs. Yates was overjoyed. Even though her son was locked up, a big shot like Mr. Young was still looking after his wife and child. Now that was a true friend.’

"Mr. Young also brought a high-end stroller and crib. Oh, my, I already have those ready at home! I was just about to go pick them up today. You’ve spent far too much, Mr. Young," Mrs. Yates said, thanking him profusely.

"Please, Mrs. Yates, don’t be so formal. Jeb and I go back many years. We may not be brothers by blood, but we’re as close as they come. Just call me Young."

"Okay, okay. Young. You and Cecilia are the friends Jeb cherishes most."

Seeing it was almost time, Zelda Warner said to Mrs. Yates, "Mom, it’s about that time. Could you go ask a doctor if Phoebe is out of the observation unit? I still haven’t even gotten to see her yet."

Mrs. Yates clapped her hands. "Oh, you’re right! She was taken to the observation unit as soon as she was born yesterday. You haven’t even had a proper look at her yet. I’ll go ask right now."

Taking the opportunity, Mr. Young leaned over and whispered in Cecilia Sterling’s ear, "Is the old lady behaving herself?"

Cecilia Sterling gave Mr. Young a surprised look. "How did you know, Mr. Young?"

Mr. Young gave a self-satisfied smile. "Is there anything I don’t know? That brother of Jeb’s is a real handful. With her main support gone, the old lady is bound to listen to her younger son."

Cecilia Sterling gave him a genuine thumbs-up. "You’ve really got it all figured out, Mr. Young. You’re spot on. But don’t worry, I’m here. For this stage, at least, the old lady is united with my sister-in-law."

’Mr. Young knew at once that Cecilia must have worked her magic and gotten the old woman on their side.’

"Okay. My corporation and your brother’s have a lot of business dealings together. So, I can help keep an eye on the company. If that Tony Yates so much as makes a move on the company, it’s bound to affect our partnership, and we’ll be able to react at the first sign of trouble."

Cecilia Sterling smiled as she looked at Mr. Young, a sense of relief washing over her.

’At least she wasn’t fighting this battle alone. With Mr. Young helping her protect everything for her brother, she instantly felt her confidence surge.’

Before long, a nurse wheeled Phoebe, fresh out of the observation unit, into the hospital room. Mrs. Yates followed close behind, beaming and practically dancing. "Oh, oh, oh, my little granddaughter, my precious little Phoebe! You’re so adorable! Quick, let Grandma see you."

"Mrs. Yates, let’s have her mom see her first," Cecilia gently interjected.

"Right, right, of course. Let Zelda have a look first." Mrs. Yates excitedly picked up tiny Phoebe and carefully handed her to Zelda Warner. "Zelda, look. She has your eyes and eyebrows, but her mouth and nose are just like Jeb’s. Our Phoebe is going to grow up to be a real beauty!"

Zelda Warner held her swaddled daughter. The little one was sound asleep, her eyes shut tight, not even stirred by her grandmother’s clamor.

Just gazing at her was enough to make Zelda Warner’s eyes sting, and tears began to stream down her face.

"Oh, Zelda, why are you crying?" Mrs. Yates nervously pulled out a couple of tissues to wipe Zelda’s tears, but in doing so, she became emotional herself, and her own eyes welled up. "There, there, let’s not cry. The baby is safe, you’re safe, and our whole family will be back together as soon as Jeb is out."

Zelda Warner nodded, choking back sobs.

The nurse at their side spoke up. "The baby is perfectly healthy, with no issues whatsoever. We recommend that the mother breastfeed, if her milk supply is adequate. Of course, formula these days provides comprehensive nutrition as well, so the choice is entirely up to you."

"Breast milk. We’ll do breast milk," Mrs. Yates said, looking at Zelda. "Zelda, your milk supply was plentiful when you had Alex. Our Phoebe will have breast milk too. I’ll make you nutritious meals every day to help your milk come in."

The topic made Mr. Young a bit uncomfortable. Zelda stifled a laugh and reminded her mother, "Mom, let’s not talk about this right now."

Mrs. Yates paused, then it dawned on her. "Oh, my sincerest apologies."

Mr. Young smiled and shook his head.

Just then, a soft knock came from the door. A doctor in a white coat and gold-rimmed glasses walked in, carrying a chart.

Cecilia Sterling froze when she saw him.

’It’s him?’

’It’s the man I bumped into in the hallway yesterday. He was in casual clothes then, but today he’s wearing a doctor’s white coat.’

"Dr. Grant." Upon seeing him, the young nurse immediately broke into a sweet smile to greet him, the sparkle in her eyes growing brighter.

Emeric Grant nodded. He didn’t glance at anyone else in the room, his eyes going straight to Zelda Warner in the bed. "How is the mother feeling today? Any areas of discomfort?"

Zelda Warner gently shook her head. "No, I feel fine. My energy levels are good, and I slept well last night."

Emeric Grant made a couple of checks on his chart, then walked to the side of the bed and gestured for Zelda Warner to lift her blanket.

He raised a hand and gently pressed on a few areas of Zelda Warner’s abdomen. "Any pain?"

"A little."

"It’s nothing serious. No hardening, and the pain is minor. This first week after delivery is the most critical. Make sure you rest well to minimize the stress on your body."

With that, Emeric Grant raised a hand to help Zelda Warner pull the blanket back into place.

’Mrs. Yates watched from the side, taking in Emeric Grant’s handsome face and the way he had just interacted with Zelda Warner. Alarm bells instantly started ringing in her head!’