Cullen had barely removed his coat when his phone rang in the silent villa. As he answered the call, his expression darkened with concern.
Sabrina, already halfway up the staircase, turned at the sound of his voice. She watched as Cullen slipped his coat back on with urgent movements.
"Your Nana had a fall and injured herself," he explained, pocketing his phone. "She's been taken to Porter Hospital. I need to head over immediately." His eyes softened as he looked at his daughter. "You should get some rest. School tomorrow."
"I want to come too—" Sabrina protested, her voice tinged with worry.
"You can visit after your classes tomorrow," Cullen countered firmly, already moving toward the door.
"Alright then..." Sabrina reluctantly agreed, shoulders slumping slightly.
Just then, her phone chimed with a notification. She quickly grabbed it, hope flashing across her face, only to deflate when she saw it was merely a spam message. Her disappointment was palpable.
During their ride home, she'd tried calling Veronica multiple times. She was almost certain she'd spotted her at the mall earlier, but Veronica hadn't answered any calls. For a brief moment, Sabrina had thought this message might finally be her response.
But then again, Sabrina reasoned, if Veronica had been free to go shopping on Christmas, surely she would have invited her along. It must have been someone who just looked similar.
An hour later, Cullen stood in the sterile hallway of Porter Orthopedic Hospital, speaking intently with the attending physician. The news wasn't encouraging. Cook had suffered a complex fracture in her upper femur, necessitating bone replacement surgery. However, the doctors needed to stabilize her condition before they could proceed.
The Dennis family mansion stood mostly empty this holiday season, with many relatives traveling. Besides Cullen, only Carlos and the devoted housekeeper Matilda Grayson had made it to the hospital. Carlos had already contacted the rest of the family members to inform them of the situation.
When Cullen entered Cook's room, Carlos immediately stood to greet him. Cook lay on her side in the hospital bed, deliberately closing her eyes as her grandson approached.
Cullen pulled a chair closer to her bedside. "Still angry?" he asked softly, referring to his recent business decisions involving the Crystal and Mack—decisions that had caused Cook to cut communication with him.
Cook remained silent, her lips pressed into a thin line.
"What do you want me to do?" Cullen finally asked after the silence stretched uncomfortably between them.
Cook's eyes fluttered open, fixed on him with intensity. "Don't you know?"
Cullen's expression remained neutral, but his jaw tightened slightly. "I understand. I'll take care of it tomorrow."
They both knew what this meant—severing business ties with the Crystal and Mack, withdrawing their projects from Dennis Group, essentially undoing everything Cullen had put in place.
"And?" Cook pressed, her meaning clear.
Cullen's brows furrowed deeply. "Grandma..."
Cook closed her eyes again, shutting him out. Cullen fell silent, recognizing the futility of arguing further.
"You should go," Cook eventually murmured, her voice weary.
But Cullen stayed, adjusting her blankets with gentle hands to ensure her comfort. Their standoff continued in silence until the doctor arrived to discuss Cook's treatment plan.
The surgery was scheduled for two days later. The procedure carried minimal risk, and if all went well, Cook would be walking with assistance within a month.
After the doctor departed, Cullen stepped into the hallway where Carlos waited.
"Mrs. Dennis Senior actually wants to see Mrs. Dennis," Carlos confided, glancing toward Cook's room. "But she won't let me call her."
The unspoken truth hung between them—Cook felt guilty about her treatment of Veronica and couldn't bring herself to ask for her presence, even now.
"I understand," Cullen replied, his voice heavy with the weight of family complications.
Carlos nodded once and returned to the hospital room, leaving Cullen alone with his thoughts in the cold hospital corridor.