Chapter 234

"You're alive and well, and you're gonna live a long, happy life," Christina said, hugging her daughter tightly as tears streamed down her face.

Thankfully, it was just a scare. Her daughter was safe and sound.

If anything had happened to Harper, Christina wouldn't have had the will to go on.

"Mommy, I thought I'd never see you again," Harper said, her small face pressed against Christina's chest, sobbing softly.

Christina stood up, still holding Harper. "Let's get you to the hospital and checked out."

She couldn't worry about anything else right now. Everything else could wait until Harper was safe.

William hurried to catch up. "I'll drive you to the hospital."

"No need," Christina said, turning to look at him with eyes full of hatred.

She truly despised him.

Her look made William's heart ache. "Christina, it's hard to get a cab here. Harper needs medical attention quickly."

"I said get lost. If it weren't for you, Harper wouldn't have gotten hurt. Every time you come near us, something bad happens." Christina didn't want to see him, let alone accept his help.

Harper had been fine all these years, with only minor scrapes that a little iodine could fix.

But just now, Harper had almost drowned and was now trembling in her arms.

William claimed he wanted to make things right, but this was his idea of making things right?

He might as well disappear forever. At least then, they could live peacefully, and Harper wouldn't have fallen into the water.

"I'll take her to the hospital. We can talk about everything else later," Juan said, rushing over with his car keys.

Isaac wanted to come along, worried about Harper, but the nanny held him back.

Christina didn't refuse. She got into Juan's car with Harper.

William followed in his own car.

At the hospital, Christina took Harper to the emergency room. While waiting for the results, William approached to apologize. "I didn't take good care of Harper today. I'm sorry."

"You didn't take care of her, or you just don't care? We both know the truth. Just because I don't bring it up doesn't mean I've forgotten," Christina said coldly.

She would never forget how William had treated her when she had come to him with their child in her arms.

He had been so indifferent, not caring about her or Harper.

Since he didn't care, and she hadn't forced him to take responsibility, why was he pretending now?

"Or are you just trying to make me miserable by using Harper as a tool to hurt me?"

"Christina, don't say that," William said, pained.

That was his daughter. How could he ever harm her?

He felt the same way about Christina. "I've wronged you both. I never wanted to hurt you. I just want you and Harper to have a good life."

"If you disappear from our lives, we'll have a good life. All the pain and hardship come from you. You think you're protecting us, but I realized that without you, there's no storm," Christina said icily.

Juan, standing nearby, couldn't help but intervene. "Ms. Windsor, you misunderstood him. He cares deeply about Harper. He follows her everywhere. No one could have predicted this accident."

"He was the one who saved Harper from the water. He may not be perfect, but you can't deny everything he's done."

Christina looked at Juan, then at William.

If she didn't realize what was happening now, she'd be a fool.

It was clear Juan and William were old friends.

And this birthday party-was it really for Isaac, or was it a setup?

She was furious at herself for being so slow to react, giving William an opportunity. "William, your deceit is beyond belief. You even got someone to speak for you. Why can't you use your cunning for something else? Why target us?"

"Ms. Windsor, he just wants to be with Harper..."

"Shut up," Christina snapped. Now that she knew Juan and William were friends, she couldn't stand the sight of Juan either.

William shook his head at Juan. "You should go."

Juan had no choice but to leave.

"You get out too. I never want to see you again," Christina said just as the doctor approached with the test results.

"Are you the child's parents?" the doctor asked, looking at William and Christina.

"I'm her mother. He's not her father."

"I'm her father," William said at the same time.

The doctor looked at them, puzzled, as if they were a couple who had just had a fight. "Now's not the time to argue. Focus on the child. You can sort out your issues at home."

Christina was livid.

Who was married to William?

But the doctor was right. Harper came first. She couldn't let a title get in the way.

"How is Harper? She seemed to swallow a lot of water," Christina asked.

"She's fine. Most of the water has been expelled. She's okay now, but it's windy today, and she got soaked. She might catch a cold in the next couple of days. Just keep an eye on her," the doctor said, handing over the report.

Christina read it carefully, relieved to see her daughter was fine.

She went to Harper's room. "Harper, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Tell Mommy if you do."

"No," Harper said, shaking her head.

She was now in clean clothes, her hair dried by a nurse.

Christina felt her daughter's forehead. No fever yet. "Do you want to stay in the hospital or go home?"

"I want to go home and sleep in my own bed," Harper said. She wasn't picky about where she slept, but the hospital wasn't as comfortable as home.

She preferred her own bed, with the air conditioning on.